Databases provide access to scholarly research, including journal articles, conference proceedings and books.
A wide range of databases are available to you at the University.
Below, you can find out more about research databases , and also browse the Anthropology Databases list.
More support information is provided on a selection of the key databases you will use for your anthropological research.
Take some time to explore the databases and familarise yourself with searching and downloading information.
What is a database? 
Research databases enable you to see what has been published in the area you are researching. They contain detailed records of thousands of journal articles, book references and conference proceedings. These records usually include the article title, authors, abstract (a brief summary), keywords (to enable your search to find it) and more.
Why should I use a database?
There are many different databases. Their interfaces will all vary, and they may use different terminology.
However, they all have similar features. Once you are familiar with these, you'll be able to find your way around different databases. You can see the main features in the examples below.
This is what a standard database interface looks like:
Once you click the Search button, the results page appears:
It is important to note:
So, when searching databases, be prepared for an extra step.
After finding a relevant article or book you need to check whether you have access to that item, either in print or in full-text online. Many of the databases will have a Check for this at Exeter button; clicking on this link will check whether we have access to the item.
The key resources are:
Other databases you can use to find secondary critical material include JSTOR, Humanities International Complete and MLA International Bibliography. See the next tabs for more information on these resources.
This collection contains publications relating to film history, theory and criticism, and includes:
The American Film Institute's index to American films produced from 1893 to today
Index of international silent-era film holdings, a selection of reference volumes and full-text of over 60 academic and popular film journals
Index of films from over 170 countries, produced by the British Film Institute.
The databases can be cross-searched all at once, or searched separately using the links above.
Use the comprehensive Screen Studies Libguide for support and training.
Access screenplays from screenwriters including Christopher Nolan, Wes Anderson, and Joel and Ethan Coen.
Alongside this, you can explore an interactive timeline of film history, film stills, and a range of e-books.
JSTOR is a valuable research resource for secondary resources. You can use it to search and find the full text of published books and journal articles.
See the Tutorial activity for more information on how to search JSTOR.
In addition to this, use the How to Search JSTOR LibGuide for an introduction to the service or take a look at JSTOR's Vimeo channel for educational and instructional videos.
JSTOR Understanding Shakespeare
Understanding Shakespeare is a collaborative project between JSTOR Labs and the Folger Shakespeare Library . It’s a research tool that allows students, educators and scholars to use the text of Shakespeare’s plays to quickly navigate into the scholarship written about them—line by line.
Users simply click next to any line of text in a play and relevant articles from the JSTOR archive immediately load.
Explore the collection here.
Here is an example from Richard III
There are 17 articles within JSTOR with reference to the first line of the play
An index to scholarly literature in the Humanities from around the world, including film studies publications. Some content is full-text.
Use Humanities International Complete to find secondary critical sources.
View the tutorial to find out how to search this database.
The MLA International Bibliography covers scholarship dealing with the following fields:
Use MLA International Bibliography to find secondary resources such as books and journal articles.
If you would like to find films, documentaries and other footage, these are some of the key resources.
For more audiovisual resources, see the A-Z database list.
Most of our film resources are available in digital format, but the Library does also have a collection of DVDs and videos that can be borrowed. For more information, click here.
Web of Science is a large multidisciplinary research database covering all subject areas, including engineering.
Note: This is an index database which means that it does not contain full text. However, content that we subscribe to can be accessed via links within the database.
You can access a range of Web of Science video tutorials here.