The Library purchases high-quality online subscriptions to support your assignments.  This page will help you get the most out of our resources. 

Download the University VPN system to access these anytime, anywhere! 

Reading Lists

Your reading lists are full of lecturer recommended, quality reading for each module and should be your starting point for assignments. You can access your reading lists in Moodle or the link below leads to the complete set of reading lists for your department, arranged by course:

 

Key Starters for Assignments, Projects and Dissertations

Books often provide an excellent overview of a topic and are a great resource when starting an assignment.

To find print books:

  1. Search the Library Catalogue 
  2. For each book, note the floor, number and letter code: FIRST FLOOR 364 NEW - save time by taking a photo!
  3. Most criminology books are in the 360s in area 1A on the first (middle) floor of the Library. You will find psychology in the 150s on the ground floor.


To find ebooks:

  1. Search the Library Catalogue 
  2. Filter your search on the left hand side to 'Electronic Books'.  
  3. Click on the title of the ebook to load the full record, then use 'Online access' to view.

If you want to search within ebook packages, you will find those most relevant to you in the next 2 sections.

  • Credo Reference

    (Searchable in EBSCO Discovery)

    Explore Credo for trusted reference sources like dictionaries - a great alternative to Wikipedia! 

    Watch these short videos to get started:

    1. Search tips
    2. Using the automated mind map

  • Ebook Central

    (Searchable in EBSCO Discovery)

    Access around 200,000 ebooks across all subject areas. Get details about using the EPUB reader and citing without page numbers.

  • SAGE Catalyst

    (Searchable in EBSCO Discovery)

    A collection of over 500 full-text social science textbooks from SAGE.

  • Oxford Research Encyclopedia: Criminology and Criminal Justice

    Read authoritative, peer-reviewed, regularly updated entries written by experts covering criminology and criminal justice across the world. Topics include criminal behaviour, theory, juvenile justice, victimology, cybercrime, policing, race, ethnicity and crime and much more.

    Watch this short video outlining the benefits of this source.

    For search tips watch this video.

  • Think about what you need to find.
  • Look at your topic and identify keywords and phrases which will help you find relevant information.
  • Ask yourself whether other words are often used to describe parts of the topic e.g. teenagers, youths, adolescents and note these down for your search too.
  • Decide what type of information you need and where you are going to search. The details in the Online resources section above and the other sections on this subject page will help you with this.

It is important to understand the type of information you need when researching for your assignment.  For example you may want to start by finding definitions or background information. You may have been asked to find journal articles. Alternatively you may be seeking professional information, statistics or research findings. Once you have decided what type of information you need, you can use the Ocean of Information to help you understand the value of different sources and how to access them. When using the Library's Discovery Service to search, you will find that you can get a list of sources to choose from by clicking Add filters under the search box, then moving down to Source Types in the column which pops out on the right.

Evaluating your sources is also crucial when writing a piece of academic work - the Evaluating information section on the library website will guide you through this process.

Now that you are in university, your lecturers are expecting you to use academic/scholarly resources. This means that you will need to learn how to use the library resources effectively as relying on Google will not get you a decent grade. Work through the following steps to become acquainted with our resources:

Step 1 - Watch the Doing a Literature Search video (shows you how break down your research topic and teaches advanced search techniques that can be used in the Library's Discovery Service)

Step 2 - Watch the The New Discovery Service video (this is KEY for successful research at the university level)

Step 3 - Watch all four of the Finding Resources in Lexis and Westlaw videos (you will have to utilise both legal databases in for your work)

Step 4 - Explore journals relevant to your topic and reliable resources (these are the kinds of resources your lecturers are expecting you to use in addition to books)

Step 5 - Think about using an assignment calculator to stay organised and on track (I recommend Studiosity’s Assignment Calculator)

Step 6 - Book an appointment with your librarians if you need help.

If this is your first time referencing with APA 7, go through these resources in order:

Step 1 - Watch the Referencing Tips video (this will provide the foundation for a good referencing routine)

Step 2 - Go through the Academic Writer Tutorial: Basics of Seventh Edition APA Style interactive webpage (explains the fundamentals)

Step 3 - Look at the Sample APA 7 Essay (Annotated) (this demonstrates how your essays should be formatted)

Step 4 - Explore Ref@P (this is the official university-wide guidance for referencing)

Step 5 - Explore the Learning Support Tutor's pages and get in touch. They will help you improve your writing style and flow

Step 6 - Use the Library drop-in or chat or book an appointment with your librarians if you need help with referencing or using online library resources

 

Warning: do NOT use reference generators as these are NOT APA 7 compliant and you will lose marks.

PLEASE NOTE: These are assignment calculators offered by other universities. They may offer materials that are unavailable at UoP. 

Falmouth University & University of Exeter Assignment Calculator

Studiosity’s Assignment Calculator

University College Cork Assignment Calculator

University of Minnesota Libraries Assignment Calculator

Research Methods

  • Sage Research Methods

    Access books and videos about quantitative and qualitative research methods and many more social science research topics. Use the Tools drop-down at the top centre of the screen to access a handy Project Planner which is full of FAQs about what you need to consider at each stage in a project/dissertation. Tools also contains a Methods Map which is ideal for quickly finding details about a particular research method.

APA Referencing

Referencing Tips (video)
This video will cover referencing tips for students at any level. It will also show students where to go to find more help with referencing.

Academic Writer Tutorial: Basics of Seventh Edition APA Style (interactive webpage)
By the end of this tutorial, you should be able to understand and implement the following basic elements of APA Style: paper elements, format, and organization academic writing style grammar and usage bias-free language guidelines mechanics of style tables and figures in-text citations, paraphrasing, and quotations reference list format and order.

The annotations draw attention to relevant content and formatting. All references to specific sections of the APA 7 guide can be found for free on Ref@P.

Examples of how to reference UK legislation and cases, government webpages, reports and command papers as well as international legal sources.

(pdf file 113 kb)

Use this infographic to follow steps to developing good citations for your essay.

(pdf file 197 kb)

The reference list contains all the works you cited in the text of your paper. Use this checklist to make sure you have all the required information and necessary formatting.

(pdf file 228 kb)

Complete the following checklist for each sentence in your paper that relies on another source. Remember to cite all ideas, findings, results, or other information that is not your own and is not common knowledge.

(pdf file 163 kb)

There are two common types of plagiarism: (a) improper use of someone else’s words and (b) improper use of someone else’s ideas. Both forms of plagiarism involve using someone else’s words or ideas without appropriately acknowledging the author or source.

(pdf file 196 kb)

(pdf file 442 kb)

Introductory Library Videos

The New Discovery Service
Get ready to uncover how to use the new Discovery Service from the Library. Here you’ll see a brief overview of how the new interface looks and how you can use it for your research. This video builds on skills learned from the Doing a Literature Search video below.

Doing a Literature Search
This video covers the five steps of the literature search process. The video also covers some search techniques and recommends other videos for further viewing.

Effective Reading
When and how you should skim, scan, and read in depth. Useful techniques for research and weekly readings.

Library Introduction for SCCJ Distant Learners
This video will introduce the subject librarians, the key features of the library's website, and how to navigate to some of the library services.

Reading Lists
Covers everything related to your reading list, including how to access lists via Moodle and the library website and what to do if you're using the VPN or not using the VPN.

Referencing Tips
Referencing tips for students at any level. It will also show students where to go to find more help with referencing.

How to Find Cases in Lexis and Westlaw
Demonstrates how to find UK cases using the two legal databases, how to locate permalinks, and also provides some referencing information.

How to Find Commentary in Lexis and Westlaw
Mentions the different kinds of commentary, demonstrates how to find commentary using the two legal databases, how to locate permalinks, and also provides some referencing information.

How to Find Journals and Journal Articles in Lexis and Westlaw
Demonstrates how to find journals and journal articles using the two legal databases, how to locate permalinks, and also provides some referencing information.

How to Find UK Statutes in Lexis and Westlaw
Demonstrates how to find UK statutes using the two legal databases, how to locate permalinks, and also provides some referencing information.

Finding Articles

  • For most assignments, our Discovery Service will give you enough sources to work with. This short video shows you how to get the best from Discovery for Criminology.
  • Finding, reading and referencing relevant journal articles will help you get the highest marks.
  • See below for other ways of finding articles which will give you fewer, often more targeted results:

  • Criminal Justice Abstracts

    (Searchable in EBSCO Discovery)

    Search over 400 peer-reviewed journals covering all aspects of criminology and criminal justice, including forensics, policing, prisons and probation.

  • PsycInfo

    (Searchable in EBSCO Discovery)

    Abstracts of articles covering subjects including psychology, health, business, education, law, linguistics, medicine, neuroscience, pharmacology, social work, sociology and sport.

  • Science Direct

    (Searchable in EBSCO Discovery)

    Access 1000s of Elsvier articles and book chapters from our subscribed content on scientific, technical, and medical research.

  • Scopus

    Large abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature covering all subject areas.

  • SocINDEX

    (Searchable in EBSCO Discovery)

    A key source for tracking down articles across the social sciences. This database is available on the EBSCO platform allowing you to search this database alongside others within Discovery.

  • Web of Science

    Part of Web of Knowledge, includes records for thousands of scholarly publications. Search across three main citation databases (Science/Social Science/Arts & Humanities). Defaults to Smart Search - for advanced features click on Advanced Search instead. 

  • Westlaw

    Primary and secondary legal resources for the UK as well as EU materials and Westlaw International. 

    Help with Login screens

Scholarly, peer-reviewed journals are highly regarded as a source of academic information because they include expert opinions, research findings and references to follow up.

They are written by specialised professionals and academics (such as your lecturers) from around the world.

Finding, reading and referencing relevant journal articles will help you get the highest marks.

Newspapers and Magazines

  • Global Newsstream

    Full text articles from UK and international news sources - coverage varies but can run from the 1980s to today. As well as newspapers, you'll find news wires and BBC Monitoring reports.

  • PressReader

    PressReader lets you access UK and international newspapers, plus a wide range of magazine content. Everything is full colour with archives varying in length depending on the publication.

    Login guidance

  • Daily Mail Historical Archive, 1896-2016

    Use with care as this tabloid is known for its strong views but it can help with some assignments and certain dissertation topics. Search for stories or use the browse feature to flick through the paper on particular days, including special editions published in connection with Queen Victoria, George V, Elizabeth II's coronation and Winston Churchill. Use Global Newsstream if you want Mail stories beyond 2016.

  • The Guardian and Observer Archives

    Access stories and photos from The Guardian (1821-2003) and The Observer (1791-2003). Use Global Newsstream if you want to search these titles beyond 2003.

  • Mirror historical archive 1903-2000

    (Searchable in EBSCO Discovery)

    Founded in 1903, the Mirror plays a pivotal role in the history of journalism. Peaking in 1967, with a daily circulation of 5.25 million, the newspaper has had a history full of highs and lows. Today, it is the only mainstream left-wing tabloid remaining in the UK. Gale's Mirror Historical Archive, 1903-2000 features more than 800,000 pages of brand-new, full text searchable, scans of the complete run of the Mirror from 1903-2000, including the Sunday Mirror.

  • The Telegraph historical archive 1855-2016

    Launched in 1855 as an affordable newspaper, by 1876 The Telegraph was the largest-selling newspaper in the world. The newspaper was directed at a wealthy, educated readership and is commonly associated with Conservative views, despite its more "liberal" beginnings. In 1942, the newspaper published the cryptic crossword puzzle responsible for recruiting Allied codebreakers during the Second World War.

    The Telegraph Historical Archive has over 1 million pages of content and includes the Sunday edition from 1961 onwards. The archive offers a fundamental insight into UK domestic and international affairs and culture.

     

  • The Times: Digital Archive 1785-2024

    The Times Digital Archive is an online, full-text facsimile of more than 200 years of The Times, one of the most highly regarded resources for eighteenth to twenty-first-century news coverage. This newspaper archive allows researchers an unparalleled opportunity to search and view the best-known and most cited newspaper in the world online in its original published context. Read by both world leaders and the general public, The Times has offered readers in-depth, award-winning, objective coverage of world events since its creation in 1785 and is the oldest daily newspaper in continuous publication. With more than 12.5 million articles available, the archive supports research across multiple disciplines and areas of interest, including business, humanities, political science, and philosophy, along with coverage of all major international historical events. 

    Watch this video showing you how to make the most of the features available.

Reliable Resources

  • Transcripts of Judicial Proceedings in England and Wales: A Guide to Sources

  • UK Parliament Hansard

    The official report of all parliamentary debates.

When using newspapers, it's always a good idea to check the validity and bias before you use them. Here are some helpful websites to do just that:

Full Fact
A team of independent fact checkers and campaigners who find, expose and counter the harm it does.

Media Bias/Fact Check
There are currently 7100+ media sources, journalists, and politicians listed in the database... and it is growing every day!

  • Global Newsstream

    Full text articles from UK and international news sources - coverage varies but can run from the 1980s to today. As well as newspapers, you'll find news wires and BBC Monitoring reports.

  • PressReader

    PressReader lets you access UK and international newspapers, plus a wide range of magazine content. Everything is full colour with archives varying in length depending on the publication.

    Login guidance

  • BoB: On demand TV and radio for education

    An archive of UK television and radio programmes from free to air channels (1998 onwards). For use in the UK only. Find some great tips about how to use BoB in these short videos.

  • Kanopy

    A unique collections of films including award-winning documentaries, training films and theatrical releases on every topic imaginable. Content can be searched or browsed.

  • Sage Research Methods

    Access books and videos about quantitative and qualitative research methods and many more social science research topics. Use the Tools drop-down at the top centre of the screen to access a handy Project Planner which is full of FAQs about what you need to consider at each stage in a project/dissertation. Tools also contains a Methods Map which is ideal for quickly finding details about a particular research method.

  • SAGE Video

    This collection includes policing, courts, and corrections content for comprehensive coverage of all branches of the criminal justice system.

Dissertations and Theses

(pdf file 260 kb)

This is an example of what information you need to include in your cover page and declaration page.

(docx file 109 kb)

Download this form and attach it to your dissertation.

If you have received a first and would like your dissertation added to the library database, please make sure the correct declaration has been made and have your supervisor email the entire PDF with the declaration page to dissertations@port.ac.uk.