Welcome to the History Subject Guide
Use this guide to help you make the most of the library and information resources and services.
Phone : +44 (0) 1326 370441
Click on the image to access the tutorial.
The Library Search services 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.
Library Search
Search for print and online books, journals, articles + more. Library Search LibGuide available for guidance.
Penryn Library Search
Search the print and streaming media collections that you have access to at Penryn campus.
These collections contain journal articles, books, conference proceedings, reports etc.
Reference resources provide an overview of a topic area or period and often include key works, thinkers and scholars in your area of study.
Here are a selection of reference resources recommended for history students and researchers:
The following databases will help you discover material related to Early Modern studies. You have access to further resources via the History subject list area in the A-Z Databases list.
Imperial and global history databasesThe following databases will help you discover material related to the subject of Imperial and global history. You have access to further resources via the History subject list area in the A-Z Databases list.
The following databases will help you discover material related to Martime Historical studies. You have access to further resources via the History subject list area in the A-Z Databases list.
The following databases will help you discover material related to war, state and society. You have access to further resources via the History subject list area in the A-Z Databases list.
The following databases will help you discover material related to Medical History. You have access to further resources via the History subject list area in the A-Z Databases list.
The following databases will help you discover material related to Medieval studies. You have access to further resources via the History subject list area in the A-Z Databases list.
Gender & sexuality
The following databases will help you discover material related to the subject of Imperial and global history. You have access to further resources via the History subject list area in the A-Z Databases list.
The following databases will help you discover material related to South Asia. You have access to further resources via the History subject list area in the A-Z Databases list.
Use the A-Z Database List to access the full list of databases the library subscribes to.
You can browse by subject e.g. History or by type (e.g.maps, news, images etc.) or search to find your required resources.
Explore the full A to Z Database list:
EEBO is an excellent resource for primary research.
It contains full-texts of early printed books from the 16th and 17th centuries.
You can view the material as originally published, in order to appreciate the text in its original form and also examine similarities and differences between variant versions of the texts.
Comprehensive online help is available to help you make the most of the 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.
Mass Observation Project 1981 -2009 relaunched the project, again recruiting volunteers to write about their lives and opinions.
The archives are available online and provide insight into the cultural and social history of Britain.
You can access the online archives using the links below:
Box of Broadcasts (BoB) is an extensive archive of free-to-air TV programmes and radio shows
Statistics is the science of collecting, analysing and presenting numerical data.
Statistical data can be found on a huge variety of subjects, for example the economy, employment, the environment, government, health, international trade, manufacturing, and population.
They can be a vital source of information for your studies.
Find out more on the Statistics LibGuide.
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
The University has access to an extensive range of online primary source materials. These contain digitised copies of documents, letters, books, photographs and other primary sources.
The Primary Sources Libguide will help you identify the best databases for your research. As we have over 550 Primary Source collections, the collections have been categorised by Country, Time Period and Theme so that you can quickly find the most relevant collections for your research.
You can view the full list of Primary Source databases here:
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 Archival News LibGuide
Access the different archival news collections here:
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.
Below are some local Exeter archives that contain primary materials.
(This section is under development)
These databases are nationally significant archives of the UK, covering many different themes, subjects and sources.
The Adam Matthew Research Collection provides access to over 80 primary source collections that support the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
The University of Exeter is the only European university with access to the entire Adam Matthew collection.
Find out more here.
View the entire Adam Matthew collection by clicking in the drop down menu:
This database contains the following collections (all of which can be searched individually too):
Proquest Research Collection is made up of a wide selection of primary source collections with coverage across time and the world.
The separate collections include historical newspapers, magazines and journals, plus parliamentary papers and book collections spanning across ancient to modern times.
Find out more here.
View the entire 2021 Proquest Research Collection collection by clicking in the drop down menu:
Find out more in the Official Publications 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:
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.
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.
