Reading lists: Library guidance for students
Some guidance is given here but please contact your course tutor for information on a specific module.
- Finding your reading lists
- Finding material on your reading list
- Electronic books or journal articles
- We can help
Finding your reading lists
Your course tutor will advise you where to find the reading list for a particular module. Many reading lists are available in the relevant module on Learning Central or in your module handbook.
Clinical placements
Where a reading list is relevant to a clinical placement, library staff in Cardiff liaise with the Trust librarians at the appropriate locations so that you have the texts that you require at your placement library.
Finding material on your reading list
Before searching for material on a reading list, it is important to establish what type of material you are looking for.
Recommendations on a reading list will usually refer to:
A book written by one or more authors
For example: Williamson, J. and Milner, C. The world economy.
References may also include:
- date of publication
- the edition
- the publisher
- place of publication
- other information
For example: Williamson, J. and Milner, C. 1998. The World Economy. 2nd ed. London: Harvester Wheatsheaf.
To search Voyager for this book, type Williamson economy or Milner economy in the Search for: box. Check that Keyword Anywhere is selected in the Search in: box.
A chapter or section in a book
For example: Knudsden, H. 2003. European works councils. In: Foster, D. and Scott, P. eds. Trade unions in Europe. Brussels: Peter Lang, pp. 145-166.
If a book contains contributions (chapters or sections) by different authors, it will usually be compiled by one or more editors. The reference may include the author and title of the recommended contribution or just a chapter number or page numbers.
To find the chapter: European works councils by Knudsen in the book: Trade unions in Europe by Foster, you will need to search for title of the book NOT the article or chapter title.
Type trade unions Europe and the author Foster in the Search for: box and ensure Keyword Anywhere is selected in the Search in: box.
Or type Trade unions in Europe in the Search for: box and select Title Begins With in the Search in: box.
An article in a journal
For example: Epstein, P.R. 1999. Climate and health. Science 285 (5426), 347-348.
You will need to search Voyager using the journal title e.g. Science rather than the title of the individual article.
To search for the above example in Voyager, type the name of the journal Science in the Search for: box and select Journal Title Begins With or Journal Title Keyword in the Search in: box.
References to journal articles may include a date rather than volume number, year and page numbers.
For example: Blaug, M. 1987. The pros and cons of education vouchers. Economic Review May, 125-126.
Sometimes journal titles in references are abbreviated. You will need to search Voyager using the full title of the journal.
For example: T.A. Lee and D.P. Tweedie. 1975. The private shareholder. ABR. Autumn, pp. 280-291.
'ABR' stands for the journal 'Accounting and Business Research': you must use the full title in Voyager. Ask for help if you are not sure what an abbreviation stands for.
Electronic books and journal articles
Many reading list items, notably journal articles but also some books, are available electronically and a list may have direct links to these items. If not you will need to locate them via the library catalogue Voyager or, the eLibrary.
We can help
If you would like help locating items on reading lists, please call in at the library or contact your School Reading List Contact Librarian.