Welcome to the Communications Subject Guide
Use this guide to help you make the most of the library and information resources and services.
Click on the images to access the tutorials.
Library Search will help you discover books, journals, articles, audio visual material and more on your chosen topic. This is a good place to start when you are beginning to research a topic as you can draw on content from a variety of different sources.
For more in depth research in databases and archives, use the A-Z Databases List.
These databases index the global academic literature and provide references to journal articles, books, conference proceedings, reports etc. These databases are multidisciplinary, covering many subjects and allow you to cross-search thousands of titles at once.
Recommended journalsThese individual journal titles have been recommended by Communications staff. Use Library Search to search for individual full-text journal articles using keywords.
Image databasesPrimary source collections of searchable images.
A full list of image databases can be found here in the A to Z database list.
Film and TV collectionsThese databases contain contemporary films, TV recordings, interviews, and documentaries.
News collectionsThese current news services provide access to full text newspaper and news sources in text format. The coverage for each news title on these databases will differ, but will typically you will not find content earlier than the 1980s.
Theses are academic sources of information and the result of substantial primary research into specialised topics. They provide very detailed data and analysis, and can provide information that is unavailable elsewhere. Their bibliographies can be a useful source of wider reading on a topic. They are extremely valuable sources of information.
Search for University of Exeter, UK and international theses here: Theses LibGuide.
These services provide market research, country, company and industry information.
With up-to-date industry profiles you can identify new developments and market drivers for a chosen a industry; find the main companies operating in the sector and their market share; discover trends, challenges and outside influences affecting the industry.
Find more Business databases on the Business Subject Guide.
Use the A-Z Database List to access the full list of databases the library subscribes to.
You can browse by subject e.g. Communications or by type (e.g. maps, news, images etc.) or search to find your required resources.
Explore research materials available elsewhere
Library Hub Discover - Search the catalogues of over 100 major UK and Irish national, academic and specialist libraries to find books, journals and other materials
WorldCAT - Search the collections of over 10,000 worldwide libraries
The European Library - Access to the collections of the 48 National Libraries of Europe and leading European Research Libraries.
The Library of Congress - Catalogue records of the print and digital resources held in the Library of Congress collections (USA)
LibWeb - Find online library catalogues worldwide
CORE - Search the world's largest collection of open access research papers
Use the Primary Sources Libguide to explore the Library's extensive range of online primary source collections, and quickly find the most relevant sources for your research. The collections include digitised copies of manuscripts, letters, books, photographs, newspapers and other key primary sources from archives around the world.
Our comprehensive online news collections range from local news to news publications from around the world and span a wide range of dates.
Find out more on the News Archives LibGuide
The Library's Special Collections department houses primary sources in many formats including letters, diaries, manuscripts and photos, which can be accessed via their dedicated reading room in the Research Commons, Old Library.
Visit the Archives and Special Collections LibGuide for more information.
Find out how to search the archives for rare books and materials here.
Use the Archive Catalogue Search to find out what is available.
Devon & Cornwall have a number of local archives that you can use when searching for primary sources. Find out more here.
These databases are nationally significant archives of the UK, covering many different themes, subjects and sources.
Sound recordings from the British Library collections. Recordings include music, drama and literature, oral history, wildlife and environmental sounds as well as an interactive sound map of regional accents and dialect.
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:
Linking the University of Exeter Library to Google Scholar
Google Scholar is an online, freely accessible search engine for locating scholarly literature from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities and other web sites. But not all full text content is free to access.
However, it is possible to link the University of Exeter online library to Google Scholar, making it quick to identify and access library full text content.
Just follow these instructions:
Click on Check for this @ Exeter or Access this @ Exeter options to view full text article:
Find out more here: Making the most of Google Scholar
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming how we study, work, and interact with technology. Whether you’re using AI to support your learning, automate tasks at work, check grammar, or assist with research, it’s crucial to understand its capabilities, limitations, and ethical implications.
The Understanding AI guide will help you develop AI literacy, learn how to use AI responsibly, and ensure you meet the University of Exeter’s policies.
Sage Research Methods Online (SRMO) is a great resource to use when you are planning and conducting your research.
It is targeted at social science researchers but is useful across all subject areas as it covers key research methodology topics that are applicable across the research spectrum.
Sage have produced a comprehensive LibGuide to help you get the best from the resource.
If you are a dissertation student, at some point in your research, you may need to access resources held outside of the university library collections.
The library offers a number of services to help you access these materials. Find out more by exploring the guides below.
University of Exeter LibGuide is licensed under CC BY 4.0
