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Classics and Ancient History Subject Guide: Home

Subject Guide - help and guidance on finding resources in your subject area

Welcome to the Classics and Ancient History Subject Guide

Use this guide to help you make the most of the library and information resources and services.
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New to the University?  Explore the Getting Started with the Library guide to learn all about the Library basics. 

Librarian

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Sarah Jones

BrowZine

Connect to the platform with your Exeter IT login, and create a free account to save and organise journals and articles.

Find out more

LibKey

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Use LibKey to help you get access to full text articles. 

Click the LibKey icon above to add the extension to your web browser. Select 'University of Exeter' as your institution and login using your Exeter IT login when prompted. 

Reading for leisure

Take a break from your recommended academic reading and explore e-books and audiobooks on the Libby app.

     

More information can be found on the Libby guide.

Library Search


Search across the print and online collections for books, chapters, articles, journals and lots more. 

For more in depth research in databases and archives, use the A-Z Databases List.

Where to start your search

It can be overwhelming when beginning research for an assignment or research project. There is so much information out there, it can be hard to know where to start.

A Google search can help you find lots of information quickly but the quality of that information will vary greatly.

Use the following tabs to help you begin looking for information on a topic using quality, scholarly resources.

Begin with an overview or introduction to the topic. 

Reference works, such as dictionaries, bibliographies and encyclopedias, can provide short summaries, useful when you are just starting your research and need a broad overview. Take a look at some of these resources:

Use introductory works such as those listed below to help develop your understanding of a topic or research area.

The next step is to look deeper into the topic with a book or e-book.

The best way to see what is available is to search via Library Search, but you can see some of the e-book collections listed below, which contain a large number of books relating to Classics and Ancient History:

When you want to research a topic in depth, get some criticism or commentary on a concept, or complete a literature review, then you will need to look at the academic journal articles.

How to find journal articles

  • Use Library Search to find out which articles have appeared in your research area.
  • Use research databases such as L'Année Philologique, JSTOR, and others from the A-Z Databases list

Take a look at the guide to searching JSTOR.

I'm looking for...


For full text access to works in Greek and Latin, as well as authoritative translations, try these:

​Help is available online for using the Thesaurus Linguae Graecae and the Thesaurus Linguae Latinae (Latin dictionary).

Please see our guide to Latin Language Resources.

We have developed guides for the following specialist resources:

Epigraphy  - Greek and Latin Inscription Resources

Numismatics - Greek and Roman Coin Resources

Art and Architecture - Resources for Classical Art and Architecture

Online tutorials

Effective Searching & Referencing

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.

  • It is  easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer breadth of information available to you.  
  • Invest time in planning an effective online search strategy so that you can quickly and easily discover relevant and high quality information. 

 

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.

Top Tip

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.

Academic Skills Support

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.

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