Finding information for your course
Most courses will have a course reading list to guide you. Follow the link from your course Moodle, or search Reading Lists.
If you don’t have a reading list to guide you use Library search to find books, articles and films. For help with using Library search see Library Search Guide.
Have a look at the Moodle course Introduction to the Library for Theatre Film & Television Studies students.
Finding information for your dissertation
Most subject areas organise a Library session for dissertation students. If this isn’t the case, or if you need more specific help, make an appointment to come and see me.
A detailed Moodle guide is available on Library Skills for dissertation.
The guides here will provide you with a general introduction to how to find information for your dissertation topic.
- Getting started with your Arts Dissertation
- Arts: finding books on your topic
- Arts: finding articles on your topic
- Arts: using subject databases
If you need to access material that we don’t hold in the Library you can request it via your Library account (Request material not held by this library).
Audio-visual resources
The Library has a wide range of streamed content and physical DVDs. For streamed content, have a look at the Box of Broadcasts database. This includes content from over 60 free to air channels plus archive material from nine channels. You can search BoB directly. The TRILT database [link]also gives details of programmes held in BoB.
We also have access to the Kanopy database, which offers access to a wide range of streamed films and documentaries.
If the content you need isn’t included in either Box of Broadcasts or Kanopy, you can check if we have the film or performance you need on DVD. Type the title and/or name of the director/playwright into Library Search. You can then restrict your results to DVDs and videos by clicking on Video recording under Format on the left-hand side of the screen (you may need to select More). You can also search specifically for DVDs and videos by choosing Full list of searches on the Library home page and then Video recordings. DVDs are located on Level 4 and have a small x at the beginning of their shelf-mark (e.g. Theatre xKH400.P7 2005). They can be borrowed in the same way as books. There is also a DVD player located on Level 4 in the Sound and Vision Lab.
The Language Resource Library also holds DVDs - details are available via Library Search.
Subject specific guides
These guides cover topics specific to Film and TV Studies.
Databases
Although Library Search is a good starting place for finding articles as well as books it is a good idea to look at subject specific databases as well. These help you focus in on your topic. Databases will find both resources that the Library has as well as some that are held by other libraries. See the list of databases to find out what is available for your subject. For more help with choosing a database contact your College Librarian.
Websites
The following websites offer useful resources for students of Film & TV:
- British Film Institute - This site offers a wealth of information and resources about British film and TV. Also available is online access to the catalogue of the BFI’s collections (one of the world's largest research collections of materials on British and international cinema, and television)
- British Universities Film and Video Council (BUFVC) - Offers access to useful services, databases, and publications, including the Researcher’s Guide to Screen Heritage, the Moving Image Project and the Television and Radio Index for Learning and Teaching (TRILT)
- Filmsite - Site offering interpretive and detailed plot synopses, review commentary, an unparalleled wealth of film reference material, and historical background for hundreds of classic Hollywood/American and other English-language films in the last century
- Internet Movie Database - Popular website covering both films and television shows, including information on who made them, who appeared in them, where they were filmed, awards they received, trivia, quotes, reviews etc
- Moving Image Archive - The National Library of Scotland Moving Image Archive (formerly the Scottish Screen Archive) offers access to over 2,000 clips and full length films as well as details of thousands of films and videos held at the Library
- Movie Review Query Engine - Contains reviews of nearly 100,000 films, taken from a variety of sources including newspapers, other websites and entertainment magazines
- Screenonline (BFI) - Immensely useful site for anyone interested in Britain’s film and TV history, and in British social history as revealed by film and TV. The site features thousands of stills, posters and press books and several hours of recorded interviews with film and television personalities, as well as rich and authoritative contextual material by expert writers, specially commissioned for Screenonline
Archives and Special Collections
The Library has extensive historical collections of early printed books, manuscripts and archives.
Citing references
Plagiarism and copyright
Attribution and avoiding plagiarism
SLD run academic writing classes designed to help students understand referencing and incorporate sources into your written assessments.
Copyright and IRP issues
Copyright is intended to protect the authors and creators of original material. Guidance on understanding copyright, lawfully using copyrighted materials is available on:
Get help
If you need subject specific help you can make an appointment to see me or you can e-mail me directly at morag.greig@glasgow.ac.uk.