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.
Research databases provide references to journal articles, books, conference proceedings, reports and other types of material that match your search keywords.
The Library has numerous online resources including encyclopedias, online collections of full works of key philosophers and theologians and introductory topic materials. For example:
Use the Databases A-Z List to access all the resources available to you.
You can browse by subject (e.g. Philosophy) or type (e.g.maps, news, images etc.) or search to find your required resource.
JSTOR provides access to scholarly book, journal and primary sources via an easy to use search interface.
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.
The following video shows you how to use ebooks on the JSTOR service.
Using ebooks on JSTOR from JSTOR on Vimeo.
News sources can be invaluable research resources.
Find out more on the News LibGuide
Philosophy by
How should we live? What really exists? How do we know? This book introduces important themes in ethics, knowledge, and the self, via readings from Plato, Hume, Descartes, Hegel, Darwin, and Buddhist writers. It explains how different areas of philosophy are related, and explores the contexts of philosophical thought from the ancients to the present.
You can use the following catalogues to search for material held at other libraries:
The European Library - gives access to the collections of the 48 National Libraries of Europe and leading European Research Libraries.
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
University of Exeter LibGuide is licensed under CC BY 4.0
