"Because librarians need a more comprehensive knowledge of literature and its attendant influences, this writer has selected an author who he believes will test his professional skills in the utilization of the basic tools of librarianship and who will require intensive and extensive use of bibliographic sources. The procedure for this study has been to identify, read, and analyze all available material written by Burke Davis. Because of the few references to Mr. Davis in conventional biographical tools the predominant biographical material in this paper is from original sources. Correspondence with Mr. Davis and his wife assured this writer of their complete cooperation and assistance in making his study. Several extensive questionnaires, as well as a number of letters, secured information and facts unavailable from any other source. Mr. Davis was gracious enough to answer all queries with exceptional frankness, candor, and insight, and he has been freely quoted in this paper. The purpose of the paper is to provide a sketch of the life of Burke Davis, to survey the critical aspects of his writing to date, and to present a bibliography of his works"--Introduction. / Carbon copy of typescript. / "August, 1961." / "Submitted to the Graduate School of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science." / Advisor: Robert Clapp, Professor Directing Paper. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 38-41).