Resources

This page contains an annotated listing of valuable resources for the science fiction scholar and teacher. Currently, only a handful of entries are present, but the intent is to make this a comprehensive listing, particularly highlighting the work of SFRA members. If you would like to contribute an entry or become curator of this page, please contact the SFRA President.

Research Resources

Encyclopedia of Science Fiction

An ongoing project to provide a comprehensive, scholarly, and critical guide to science fiction in all its forms.

Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction

Originally a project begun by the Oxford English Dictionary, the HD/SF is a dictionary of language and terms used in and about science fiction. Alongside definitions, each entry also offers a variety of quotations containing the word or phrase, arranged chronologically, to give a sense of the context and evolution of the term.

Internet Speculative Fiction Database

The ISFDB is a community effort to catalog works of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. It links together various types of bibliographic data: author bibliographies, publication bibliographies, award listings, magazine content listings, anthology and collection content listings, and forthcoming books.

Science Fiction & Fantasy Research Database

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Research Database is an inclusive tool, designed to cover all aspects of science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural and weird fiction. History, criticism, commentary, fan writings, and some reviews are all included, although book reviews are left to Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Review Index at this time. Science fiction generates the largest number of entries, followed by fantasy and horror in that order.

Indexes and Reference Tools

BSFA Magazine Collection

A website providing access to most publications of the British Science Fiction Association up to 2011

Locus Magazine Science Fiction Index

An index to science fiction works received or reviewed by Locus Magazine from 1984 to 2007.

Science Fiction, Fantasy & Weird Fiction Magazine Index

A comprehensive and searchable list of contents and magazine covers for a huge range of SF magazines. (Collections are also available for other genres of magazine.)

Science Fiction Anthologies & Collections Index

A reference index for English-language science fiction short stories published in anthologies and magazines.

Science Fiction & Fantasy Archival Collections

A list of archival holdings for science fiction and fantasy authors. The collection can be searched by author or organisation to identify where archive materials may be found.

Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Review Index

An index of book reviews for science fiction and fantasy covering the period from 1926 to 1991, with more limited coverage of subsequent years.

Fanzines & Fandom

Fancyclopedia

A wiki dedicated to the history of science fiction fandom, with information on fanzines, individuals, conventions and more.

FANAC Fan History Project

A website “devoted to the preservation and distribution of information about science fiction fandom”. Among the resources offered by the Project is the Fanzine Archive, a searchable archive of science fiction fanzines, many of which are available to view or download in full.

eFanzines.com

An online archive of electronic science fiction and fantasy fanzines, with a leaning towards more recent publications. The list can be browsed by title or cover. Most fanzines are available for download.

Teaching Resources

Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction

The University of Kansas’s Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction provides a wealth of resources for teachers and scholars of science fiction.

Overview

The Executive Committee of the Science Fiction Research Association invites travel grant proposals to attend and present at the annual conference of the Science Fiction Research Association. Maximum awards of $500 may be given. (In the past the SFRA has considered distance traveled primarily in terms of domestic vs. international travel. Starting with travel awards for the 2019 conference, the geographic criterion has been based on the estimated cost of travel, as one factor among many.)

While you do not need to be a current member of the organization to apply for this grant, please remember that you must be a member of SFRA to present at the conference. Grant checks will be presented to awardees during the conference funded by the grant.

Deadline for this year's grants: March 31st (notifications of awards will be sent around April 30th)

 

Please organize your proposal as follows:

  1. A cover page that gives the name of the applicant (please do not identify yourself or your institution in the rest of the proposal), mailing addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, distance from the conference; please note your willingness to accept partial funding. Submit your cover page as a separate document from the remainder of your proposal.
  2. The abstract for your paper (as submitted to the conference director).
  3. A grant proposal of no more than 300 words in which you explain:
    • the financial difficulty you face in attempting to attend the annual SFRA conference and
    • the professional growth you intend to receive by attending the conference.
  4. A realistic, detailed budget for your conference attendance. Be sure to list alternative funding resources you have already applied for and/or received money from.

 

Criteria for Selection

You may find the following criteria useful in preparing your proposal. The Executive Committee will use these to conduct reviews of all proposals.

  1. Need: The proposal demonstrates a significant need.
  2. Distance: The proposal demonstrates that the applicant will have to travel far distances to attend the conference.
  3. Contribution: The project being presented makes an original contribution to scholarship in the field.
  4. Professional Growth: The proposal articulates clear objectives for professional growth.
  5. Cost: Budget expenditures are reasonable and the applicant has also sought funding elsewhere.
  6. Dollars Available: The organization will attempt to award as many travel grants as possible while remaining fiscally responsible.

 

Restrictions

No individual or organization may submit more than one proposal for SFRA funding per calendar year (conference travel, research travel, or other grants); this does not prohibit an individual applying for conference travel funding from preparing a small grant application on behalf of a collective to which he or she belongs. The first consideration will go to those who have not received an award in the last three years.

 

Expectations of Award Recipients

Grant recipients will be expected to do the following:

  • Present at the SFRA Conference they are being funded to attend.
  • Submit a final written report of 1 to 2 pages to the secretary of the SFRA Executive Committee by September 30 of the calendar year in which they attend and present at the SFRA conference.

Questions should be directed to SFRA Secretary Sarah Lohmann.

Proposals should be submitted to the same, as Rich Text File or Portable Document Format attachments.

Join fellow scholars, educators, librarians, editors, authors, publishers, archivists, and artists from across the globe in the SFRA.