Library Enquiries
Email: library@exeter.ac.uk
Phone: +44 (0) 1392 723867
Library Enquiries
Email: library@fxplus.ac.uk
Phone: +44 (0) 1326 370441
Get in touch for help and advice on making the most of your library resources, or book a 1:1 appointment with a Librarian.
Get in touch for help and advice on making the most of your library resources
Search for textbooks, ebooks, journals, articles + more.
Library Search LibGuide available for guidance.
There are a wide range of online resources that will help you find books, journal articles, and much more, to support your study and research. Key resources are highlighted in the adjacent tabs.
Research databases index the global literature and provide references to journal articles, books, conference proceedings, reports etc that match your search criteria. They help you to find information about previous publications in your research field.
The following databases will help you discover material related to History. You have access to further resources via the History subject list area in the A-Z Databases list.
Reference resources are essential for background reading and planning your assignments and research. They provide an overview of a topic area or period and allow you to develop an understanding of the key works, thinkers and scholars in your area of study.
Find out more on the online reference resources guide
Here are a selection of reference resources recommended for history students and researchers:
You can use the following services to explore research materials available elksewhere
COPAC - exposes rare and unique research material by bringing together the catalogues of c.90 major UK and Irish libraries.
WorldCAT - search the collections of libraries in your community and tens of thousands more around the world.
SUNCAT - is the Serials Union Catalogue for the UK research community, a free tool to help researchers and librarians locate serials held in the UK.
The European Library - access to the collections of the 48 National Libraries of Europe and leading European Research Libraries.
The Library of Congress - catalog records for books, serials, manuscripts, maps, music, recordings, images, and electronic resources in the Library of Congress collections in the USA.
LibWeb - Access to a listing of online library catalogues worldwide
CORE - gives an incredibly fast search of the full-text of 80M open access research resources
JSTOR provides access to scholarly book, journal and primary sources via an easy to use search interface.
Use the History Resources on JSTOR guide for a background on the history content available on this platform.
The following video shows you how to use ebooks on the JSTOR service.
Mass Observation was a pioneering social research organisation which encouraged British people to submit diary entries, reports, essays and photographs about their lives between 1937-1965. The archives are available online and provide insight into the cultural and social history of Britain.
You can access the online archive using the link below:
Use the Databases A-Z List to access all the resources available to you.
You can browse by subject e.g. Education or type (e.g.maps, news, images etc.) or search to find your required resource.
Allied subjects include Sociology, Psychology, and Politics. You will also find LibGuides available for these and other subject disciplines.
You are likely to use a wide range of different types of information sources for your study and research. As well as academic sources such as books and journals, you may wish to consult news sources, official publications, statistics etc. Use the online support highlighted here to guide your searching.
Find out more on the News LibGuide
Find out more in the Official Publications LibGuide.
Primary sources are documents which were created during particular historical periods, as opposed to secondary sources, which are written at a later date about particular historical periods.
Examples of primary sources are:
Find out more on the Primary Sources LibGuide
It is important to plan your search strategy, and manage your search results so that you get the most from your online searching.
Keep a record of all the material you need to cite in your assignments, papers, projects etc.
Use the Search Techniques and Referencing guidance to assist you.
As you search you need to keep track of all the material you will be using in your academic work so that you can cite and reference it appropriately.
Always check your module handbook for specific departmental guidance on the style required for your assessed works and dissertations. Check with your personal tutor or dissertation supervisor if you need clarification.
For more guidance take a look at:
You may like to take a look at:
Find out more about the skills support available to help you develop a range of academic skills including essay writing, referencing, critical reading and getting the most out of lectures.