Course resource help for Modern Languages

• If you're new to the Oxford Brookes Library, check our quick guides For new starters
• Find out How to get help using the Library
• Find out about Library services for users with a disability and Alternate formats
• Check a PDF floor plan of the Headington Library The main section for language resources has now moved up to Level 3 of the Headington Library.

Going to university is a huge step but there is lots of support available. Here are links to support services and useful resources for self-care:

• Life and study balance - find out about the Library Wellbeing Zone, Sensory Study Space and collections of self-care resources.
• Managing yourself and your time (part of our Study Smarter series)
• Student support and wellbeing - how to contact your Student Support Co-ordinator and other services. 
• Inclusive Support Service

Check the Study Smarter section to find online resources and recommended books on study skills topics, including:

• Managing yourself and your time
• Reading, lectures and note taking
• Writing essays, reports and other assignments
• Group work and presentations
• Preparing for exams
• Skills for dissertations and independent research

You can access LibrarySearch:

• On the Library home page
• Use the Quick Access link at the top of this page or the links in the section below.
• If you're in Moodle, use the Library link in the top menu

How do I search for books and eBooks?

Use LibrarySearch to look for books and eBooks available in Brookes Library. Just type in the author, title or subject that you are interested in. Limit your search results to books.

Check the video guide (right) for tips on how LibrarySearch works.

Finding print books

Print books have a 'call number' which tells you where the book is shelved in the Library, for example this book Fundamentals of Translation by Sonia Colina is at 418.02 COL. The main section for languages books has moved up to Level 3 of the Headington Library.

• Finding your material shows you how to understand call numbers and look for books on the library shelves
• Borrowing and returning tells you about borrowing print books
• If the book is on loan to another user or at one of our other libraries, you can put a hold on it (quick video guide). If it's on the shelves, it's quicker for you to go and get it yourself.
• See the section Resources for specific languages for more information about resources for French, German, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish and English.
• For more information, check the guide Finding books for Modern Languages available as a PDF.

Use LibrarySearch to look for books and eBooks available in Brookes Library. Type in the author, title or subject that you are interested in. If you want to just see eBooks, you can limit your results by using the filters on the left. 

Here is an example of a library eBook: Ethnography for Education. Follow the 'View eBook' link to connect to it. Log in when prompted with your Brookes student number and password. 

Our eBooks are on various web platforms, for example this one is on  ProQuest Ebook Central. You'll see there are options to:

• Read the book online
• Download individual chapters as PDFs (NB you will be restricted as to how many pages you could save from the whole book).
• Download the whole book for a limited time (between 1 and 21 days).

In order to download many of our eBooks - including ones on ProQuest - you need to have the Adobe Digital Editions programme or app on your computer/device. You can download this for free.

O'Reilly eBooks

O'Reilly is another eBook platform but it works differently to most other e-resources. If you need to access an O'Reilly eBook, check this quick guide to how to login; steps 4-6 show you what to do when you reach the O'Reilly site.

Academic journals are key sources for your university studies.

• Articles published in these journals are written by specialists in the subject and they provide an insight into current thinking, debate and research in the field. 
• Journals can be good sources of up to date information on current topics which may not be covered by books. 
• Articles can cover a specific topic in depth, e.g. a case study. 

This guide Anatomy of a Journal (PDF) from the Open University explains clearly what a journal is, and how they differ from books.

Peer reviewed journal articles

You will often be asked to consult peer reviewed articles for your research. These are high quality scholarly articles that have been checked by other experts in the field. 

The peer review provides feedback so that researchers can revise and improve their papers before publication. It also acts as a quality check, ensuring that articles meet high standards expected in the discipline and required to maintain the reputation of the journal. Find out more about the purpose of peer review and how it works in this Explainer: what is peer review?

LibrarySearch is a good place to start looking for journal articles on a topic. Just type your keywords or a phrase in the search box. At the results screen, use the the filter options on the left to limit your search to peer-reviewed articles.

We recommend you also use databases, especially for more in-depth research because LibrarySearch doesn’t cover all of our e-resources and you may get better results on a more specialised database.

If you have the details of a specific article (for example from an author's bibliography) you may be able to find it through LibrarySearch by typing in some key words from the article title and an author. If the article doesn't come up, you'll need to look up the journal instead to see if we have it  - see the section 'Look for a specific journal' below.

Here is an example of an article from an academic journal which follows a very common structure:

Thurnell-Read, T., Brown, L. and Long, P. (2018) 'International Students’ Perceptions and Experiences of British Drinking Cultures’, Sociological Research Online, 23(3), pp.572-588. 

Always start with the abstract: a summary of the article’s content that appears at the beginning. Look at this to help you decide if an article is relevant for your own research. 

Journal articles often have this structure: Introduction - The research study - Discussion/conclusions. 

1. Introductory section: the author will usually set their article in the context of previous research. Notice all the in-text citations, e.g. (Gill, 2002). These are sources that the authors read before conducting their own research. 
2. The research study: this will form the main part of the article
3. Discussion/Conclusions: Where the author highlights what they found out. 

When you're searching for sources, you don't have to read the article in full at this stage. Scan through the abstract, introduction and conclusion to see if it's relevant to your own research topic. If the article looks useful, download the PDF and read it later, making notes as you go. Don’t forget to record all the details of the article for your reference list.

Looking for a specific journal

• Go to the Library home page and select the 'Journal titles' tab.
• Type in the journal title.
• Find the journal on LibrarySearch and click on the title.
• Click on the 'Access journal' link to connect to the journal home page.
• The journal site may offer a search function and will also allow you to browse. If browsing, use the year, volume and issue numbers to find the correct journal issue. Articles in each issue will be listed in page order, so use the page numbers to find the specific article.

Looking for a specific article

You may want to do this if you're following up a reference found in a bibliography:

• Try looking up the article on LibrarySearch. Use the author's surname and a few keywords from the article title.
• If you can't locate the article in this way, follow the steps above to look up the journal title and check if we have access to the journal and issue you need.

If we don't have the journal or issue you want, you can use the interlibrary loan service to request a free copy of the article.

It's a good idea to keep track of your sources as you find them, so that it's easier to reference them later. Check this guide for How to save and cite sources in LibrarySearch (Google slides)

Always check Cite Them Right to see how your references should look in the Harvard style required at Brookes.

• Library eBooks - Cite Them Right says to reference these in the same way as print books 
• Journal articles - make sure you have a record of: Author(s); Title of article; Title of journal; Year of publication; Volume number (if given); Issue number (if given); Page numbers. You may also want to note the DOI.

Why should I use databases?

LibrarySearch is a good starting point but it doesn’t include all of our e-resources. We have lots of specialist search engines called databases that will help you trace a wide variety of additional sources. Many databases focus on journal articles but others contain newspaper articles, business information, even images and TV programmes / films. 

How do I use databases?

Check the section  how to use databases (below) to find:

• Links to recommended databases like Academic Search Complete, Business Source Complete, Factiva and BoB
• How to search databases effectively

Using Google and Google Scholar

• Google Scholar is a freely available search engine that focuses on scholarly sources. Check our guide Searching Scholar to find out how to ensure it recognises resources you can access for free via Brookes.
• Get more from Google - tips on using Google and Google Scholar more effectively.

Assessing the quality of web sources

Remember that you need high quality reliable sources for your university work. Take a look at our guide to Evaluating Web sources for tips (Word & PDF versions available).

Useful websites

• The online publication The Conversation contains articles written by academics for a general audience on topics currently in the news and contains links to freely available resources, including statistics. This can be a good starting point for getting ideas on how to approach a research topic.

• Selection of useful websites for Modern Languages

Referencing web pages

Check Cite Them Right Online for guidance on how to reference web pages and how to reference publications of international organisations in the Harvard style used at Brookes.

Always check the assignment brief to see whether any use of AI is permitted. If you have used AI, make sure you fill out the declaration form.

Key Brookes links:

• Artificial Intelligence  - Centre for Academic Development (CAD) guidance
• Use of Artificial Intelligence - Academic Integrity module on Moodle

Can I use generative AI tools like ChaptGPT to produce references?

Take care when using chat tools as they will often invent plausible but non-existent references. These tools don’t carry out a search of the literature for you and they may generate references using real people, journals & words from titles, but which do not exist.

Are there AI tools that could be useful for research?

There are other AI tools like Research Rabbit, Keenious and SciSpace which are designed to help you to find literature and understand how different sources relate to each other. To find out more, check the Library page Use AI tools for research.

Using images in your presentations and coursework

Check this guide Using images in your assignments (Google slides) which covers:

• Understanding copyright
• Finding free to use images
• Crediting and referencing images

Collections of images

For high quality photographs & other images, try these digital image databases mentioned in the guide above:

• Bridgeman Education - a digital image database highly recommended if you want to find images of Japan, from art works to historical photographs of Japan and its people.
• JSTOR image search (incorporating ARTstor) - provides high-quality images from around the world, including artworks, maps, photographs, and more.

Collections of high quality, free to use photos and images - all mentioned in the guide above:

• Unsplash
• Pexels
• Pixabay

Box of Broadcasts (BoB) is an online archive of films, TV and radio programmes. You can create your own clips from programmes and include them in presentations. Learn more from the BoB Video Tutorials

Doing presentations

• Guide to Using images in your assignments (Google slides) 
• Useful resources on Doing groupwork and presentations (part of our Study Smarter series)

Doing exams

• Past exam papers are available for download by Brookes students and staff from RADAR. Check this quick video guide Finding past Oxford Brookes exam papers on RADAR
• Useful resources on Preparing for exams (part of our Study Smarter series)

Module reading lists

Your module reading lists will tell you what sources you need to read before class and also provide further readings that may be helpful for assignments. Most reading lists are available online via the relevant Moodle course. You can also:

• browse online reading lists for French modules here 
• or search the full collection of reading lists.

Books and language learning resources

Books and other resources for learning languages have moved up to Level 3 of the Headington Library.

Some key sections for students of French are:

• 418.02 Translation
• 420 English language
• 440 French language
• 443 French dictionaries
• 445 French grammar
• 448 Learning French, French usage
• 448.2421 French study texts and easy readers

French reading books - a list of French readers, short story anthologies and modern novels

Other useful areas of the Library:

• 840 French literature (Level 4, Zone E)

For more information, check the guide Finding books for Modern Languages available as a PDF.

Online dictionaries

• OED online version of the Oxford English Dictionary.

• Oxford Reference Online This is a collection of Oxford University Press reference books on a variety of subjects, including bilingual dictionaries. Individual titles from the collection are also listed on LibrarySearch.

French newspapers and magazines

Factiva is an international news database and a key resource for Modern Languages. It covers worldwide, national and local news sources, including French titles such as L'Expansion, L´Express, L'Humanité, L'Indépendant, Libération, Le Point, Le Temps, La Tribune and many others. 

Find out more about how to use Factiva

French films

In the Library:

• French cinema including films on DVD is shelved at 791.430944  (Level 4, Zone D)

Online:

• BoB (Box of Broadcasts) is a service which gives you access to thousands of recorded TV, radio programmes and films from an online archive.

Module reading lists

Your module reading lists will tell you what sources you need to read before class and also provide further readings that may be helpful for assignments. Most reading lists are available online via the relevant Moodle course. You can also:

• browse online reading lists for German modules here
• or search the full collection of reading lists.

Books and language learning resources

Books and other resources for learning languages have moved up to Level 3 of the Headington Library.

Some key sections for students of German are:

• 418.02 Translation
• 420 English language
• 430 German language
• 433 German dictionaries
• 435 German grammar
• 438 Learning German, German usage

Other useful areas of the Library:

• 791.430943 German cinema including films on DVD (Level 4, Zone D)
• 830 German literature (Level 4, Zone E)

For more information, check the guide Finding books for Modern Languages (PDF).

Online dictionaries

• OED online version of the Oxford English Dictionary.
• Oxford Reference Online This is a collection of Oxford University Press reference books on a variety of subjects, including bilingual dictionaries. Individual titles from the collection are also listed on LibrarySearch.

For more resources, check the page Course resource help for Japanese Studies

Module reading lists

Your module reading lists will tell you what sources you need to read before class and also provide further readings that may be helpful for assignments. Most reading lists are available online via the relevant Moodle course. You can also:

• browse online reading lists for Japanese modules here 
• or search the full collection of reading lists.

Books and language learning resources

Books and other resources for learning languages have moved up to Level 3 of the Headington Library.

Some key sections for students of Japanese are:

• 418.02 Translation
• 420 English language
• 495.6 Japanese language
• 495.6321 Japanese dictionaries
• 495.65 Japanese grammar
• 495.68 Learning Japanese, Japanese language usage
• 495.686 Graded readers including the Brookes series Let's Read Japanese

Japanese texts: easy readers & fiction - list of resources for students of Japanese who want to read Japanese texts

Japanese literature in translation - list of shorter Japanese fiction, essays and novels translated into English, available from Brookes Library.

Other useful areas of the Library:

• 895.6 Japanese literature (Level 4, Zone E)

Japanese newspapers and magazines

Factiva is an international news database and a key resource for Modern Languages. It covers worldwide, national and local news sources, including Japanese titles such as The Daily Yomiuri, The Japan Times, Kabushiki Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun, The Nikkei Weekly, Sankei Shimbun and more. Searches can be made in Japanese if your keyboard has the capability.

Find out more about how to use Factiva

Japanese films and manga

In the Library:

• Browse this list Japanese films and manga to find out what's available.
• Manga texts in translation are shelved at 741.5952 (Level 4, Zone B) 
• Japanese cinema including films on DVD is shelved at 791.430952 (Level 4, Zone D)
• Japanese anime including films on DVD on DVD is shelved at 791.43340952 (Level 4, Zone D)

Online:

• BoB (Box of Broadcasts) is a service which gives you access to thousands of recorded TV, radio programmes and films from an online archive. Find out more about using BoB for Japanese Studies including playlists of Japanese resources and films.

Module reading lists

Your module reading lists will tell you what sources you need to read before class and also provide further readings that may be helpful for assignments. Most reading lists are available online via the relevant Moodle course. You can also:

• browse online reading lists for Chinese modules here 
• or search the full collection of reading lists.

Books and language learning resources

Books and other resources for learning languages have moved up to Level 3 of the Headington Library.

Some key sections for students of Mandarin Chinese are:

• 418.02 Translation
• 420 English language
• 495.1 Mandarin Chinese language
• 495.1321 Chinese dictionaries
• 495.182421 Learning Chinese, Chinese usage French grammar
• 495.1864 Chinese study texts and easy readers

For more information, check the guide Finding books for Modern Languages (PDF).

Module reading lists

Your module reading lists will tell you what sources you need to read before class and also provide further readings that may be helpful for assignments. Most reading lists are available online via the relevant Moodle course. You can also:

• browse online reading lists for Spanish modules here 
• or search the full collection of reading lists.

Books and language learning resources

Books and other resources for learning languages have moved up to Level 3 of the Headington Library.

Some key sections for students of Spanish are:

• 420 English language
• 460 Spanish dictionaries
• 465 Spanish grammar
• 468 Learning Spanish, Spanish usage
• 468.2421 Spanish study texts and easy readers

Spanish reading books - a list of Spanish readers, short story anthologies and modern novels

Other useful areas of the Library:

• 860 Spanish literature (Level 4, Zone E)

For more information, check the guide Finding books for Modern Languages (PDF).

Online dictionaries

• OED online version of the Oxford English Dictionary.
• Oxford Reference Online This is a collection of Oxford University Press reference books on a variety of subjects, including bilingual dictionaries. Individual titles from the collection are also listed on LibrarySearch.

Spanish newspapers and magazines

Factiva is an international news database and a key resource for Modern Languages. It covers worldwide, national and local news sources, including Spanish sources such as ABC, Cinco Dias, El Correo, Expansion, El Mundo, El Pais (1995-) and others.

Find out more about how to use Factiva

Spanish and Latin American films

In the Library:

• Spanish cinema including films on DVD is shelved at 791.430946 (Level 4, Zone D)
• Latin American cinema including films on DVD is shelved at 791.430972 (Level 4, Zone D)

Online:

• BoB (Box of Broadcasts) is a service which gives you access to thousands of recorded TV, radio programmes and films from an online archive.

Module reading lists

Your module reading lists will tell you what sources you need to read before class and also provide further readings that may be helpful for assignments. Most reading lists are available online via the relevant Moodle course. You can also:

• browse online reading lists for English modules here 
• or search the full collection of reading lists.

Books and language learning resources

Books and other resources for learning languages have moved up to Level 3 of the Headington Library.

Some key sections for students of English are:

• 418.02 Translation
• 420 English language
• 423 English dictionaries
• 425 English grammar
• 428 English language usage
• 428.24 Learning English
• 428.64 Collection of readers – simplified versions of English novels
• 428.2421 French study texts and easy readers

English Reading Resources: Graded Readers

Reading and viewing for pleasure

Other useful areas of the Library:

• 820 English literature (Level 4, Zone D)
• 821 English Poetry
• 822 English Drama
• 823 English novels

Online dictionaries

• OED online version of the Oxford English Dictionary.

• Oxford Reference Online This is a collection of Oxford University Press reference books on a variety of subjects, including bilingual dictionaries. Individual titles from the collection are also listed on LibrarySearch.

Newspapers and magazines

Factiva is an international news database and a key resource for Modern Languages. It covers worldwide, national and local news sources. 

Find out more about how to use Factiva

Films

In the Library:

• UK cinema including films on DVD is shelved at 791.430941  (Level 4, Zone D)
• US cinema including films on DVD is shelved at 791.430973  (Level 4, Zone D)

Online:

• BoB (Box of Broadcasts) is a service which gives you access to thousands of recorded TV, radio programmes and films from an online archive.

Who can access: Undergraduates doing dissertation or equivalent research (from the 2nd Semester of your 2nd Year) are eligible to apply for a Bodleian card.  

What they hold: The Bodleian is a copyright deposit library, which means that a copy of all British publications should be deposited in its collections by the publisher under copyright law. Check their Library catalogue SOLO

How to apply: Check How to access the Bodleian and other libraries. Note that there are different procedures if you apply during the vacation 

What you can access: You can use the main Bodleian Library of Oxford University, as well as the Taylor Institution Library. Your Bodleian card gives you access to print and e-resources but only within their library buildings. You will be given a Bodleian Libraries username and password which allows you to log into SOLO, library PCs and the ‘Bodleian-Libraries’ Wi-Fi network as well as using their Print, Copy and Scan (PCAS) service. For full details, check their guide What access do I have as a Bodleian Reader card holder 

Interlibrary loan service

You can use this free service to request a loan of a print book or to obtain a copy of a journal article that we don’t hold at Brookes. Find out more about the interlibrary loan service

Go further, get more

Check the Library's Go further, get more page for other options.

• LibrarySearch: Libraries worldwide
  You can use LibrarySearch to look for resources in Brookes Library and beyond. To look for books and articles held by other libraries, type your keywords in the search box and then use the menu on the left to change the settings from 'Oxford Brookes University' to 'Libraries Worldwide.' For many items you will see an option to place an interlibrary loan request.
• Jisc Library Hub Discover allows you to search materials held in many UK national, academic and specialist libraries.
• SOLO Search the catalogue of the University of Oxford

• The Library holds masters dissertations and some undergraduate dissertations for the Business School and these may be of interest to Modern Languages students. You can use LibrarySearch to look for them - see this blog post for tips: Finding business dissertations.
• Some Masters dissertations may be available online via the eDissertations collection on RADAR.
• The Library does hold all Brookes PhD theses in hard copy: these are listed on LibrarySearch and can be requested at the JHB Library Help Zone. Online versions of many Brookes PhD theses are also available via the eTheses collection on RADAR.
• If you are looking for a UK PhD/MPhil thesis, you may be able to obtain a copy online via the British Library's EThOS system. You can search across 250,000+ theses for free and download / order full text where available. You will need to register and log in if you want to download a thesis or to order digitisation of a thesis.