Use this guide to help you make the most of the library and information resources and services.
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.
Key databases for MathsResearch 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.
These are the key databases we recommend that you use. You can see a fuller list in the A-Z database listing under Maths.
These databases are multi-disciplinary in content but should contain scholarly literature relating to climate science.
An index to scholarly literature in agriculture, forestry, and allied disciplines in the life sciences, including: animal and crop husbandry, animal and plant breeding, plant protection, genetics, forestry, veterinary medicine, aspects of human health, human nutrition, rural development, leisure and tourism and the management and conservation of natural resources.
Full text database covering literature across geography, environmental sciences, renewable energy and urban planning and policy.
An Index to scholarly literature across the life sciences, medicine, social sciences and humanities, supporting comprehensive literature searching.
A bibliographic index to the world’s leading scholarly literature in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities, supporting comprehensive literature searching. NOTE: not all results will provide the full-text content. Use the "check for this at Exeter" option to find out if the Library provides access to the full text.
Current Index to Statistics is a bibliographic index to publications in statistics, probability, and related fields, covering publications from 1975 onwards. It is produced by the American Statistical Association and the Institute of Mathematical Statistics
JSTOR provides access to scholarly book, journal and primary sources.
The Mathematics & Statistics Resources on JSTOR guide will introduce you to the content available in this area. This collection includes literature from prestigious societies and organizations such as the American Statistical Association, & the Institute of Mathematical Statistics
JSTOR has a series of libguides on its content including this one on Climate Change: https://guides.jstor.org/climate
MathSciNet is produced by AMS (American Mathematical Society) and is the authoritative gateway to the scholarly literature of mathematics.
Use the QuickStart guide if you are new to this resources. This has lots of hints and tips to help you search effectively. You can also use the Help Index and FAQ sections for guidance.
SCOPUS is a large bibliographic database. The content is multidisciplinary and covers all subject areas not just mathematics so can be useful for investigating subjects that span maths, statistics and related areas.
SCOPUS have produced a series of tutorials to help you get started. They can be accessed here.
Web of Science is a large bibliographic database. The content is multidisciplinary and covers all subject areas not just mathematics so can be useful for investigating subjects that span maths, statistics and related areas.
NOTE: not all results will provide the full-text content. Use the "check for this at Exeter" option to find out if the Library provides access to the full text.
The quick reference guide will provide you with a brief overview of the service. The video below provides some great tips on how to improve your searching.
Use the Databases A-Z List to access all the resources available to you.
You can browse by subject e.g. Maths or type (e.g. maps, news, images etc.) or search to find your required resource.
Box of Broadcasts (BoB) is an extensive archive of free-to-air TV programmes and radio shows
Kanopy films and documentaries covering Mathematics. Full content for University of Exeter.
TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less).
You can explore TED Talks related to the topic of mathematics and statistics or take a look at one of the Maths playlists.
The Math Talks To Blow Your Mind playlist is a good starting point for understanding the sort of talks you'll find on TED.
You'll find talks on all sorts of other topics too. The latest and most popular talks are available from the TED homepage.
TED talks can be a great way to keep up to date with live issues in your area of research/study
Below is a popular talk from Hans Rosling, exemplifying the benefits of data visualisation.
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
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 study 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.
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
Click on the image to access the tutorials.
University of Exeter LibGuide is licensed under CC BY 4.0
