Resources
BA Projects
And MA Dissertations
The Resource Centre houses copies of all
MA dissertations, and BA projects graded 2.1 or above, dating
back to 1965 (these are kept in the seven filing cabinets along
the window wall of the centre, filed first by YEAR, then by
SURNAME). Details of all the projects are kept on
DATABASE, searchable via subject keyword,
methodology, name etc.
Alternatively, a hard copy alphabetical list (printer friendly),
can be requested in the Resource Centre.
Earlier projects (1965-1990) are kept in storage but can be
accessed on request.
Up to 3 projects or dissertations
may be borrowed for up to ONE MONTH
and must be signed out in the THE BLUE BOOK. They should be returned to the
plastic box underneath the TV/video unit and must be signed back
in the Blue Book. Please do not return them directly to the filing
cabinets.
PhDs
The Resource Centre houses a collection of over 250 PhDs completed in the
department since the late 1960s. ONE PhD can be borrowed for up to ONE
MONTH. Again, please sign out in The Blue Book.
The Video Library
The Video Library is constantly being updated, with the addition
of new films and documentaries covering wide range of issues in
the fields of sociology, criminology, anthropology and the
environment. Videos may either be borrowed, or they may be watched
in the Resource Centre (a TV and video unit is available), providing
the volume is kept low and other users are not being disturbed.
Borrowing and returning: videos may be borrowed for up to ONE
WEEK and must be signed out at the back of THE BLUE BOOK (projects
and dissertations are signed out at the front). A maximum of three
videos may be borrowed at any one time. They should be returned to
the plastic box underneath the TV/video unit and must be signed
back in the Blue Book. Please do not return them directly to the
filing cabinets. *NB: The video library is subject to copyright
regulations.
The Reference Library
The reference library houses various sociological textbooks,
including a significant number of Japanese and Chinese texts. It
is by no means a comprehensive collection and relies largely on
donations. It is a useful starting place, particularly for first
year students, and is also worth checking when the university
library is under pressure, but be mindful that some texts are a
little dated!
The reference library also has a sizeable collection of past
journals and reviews e.g. The Feminist Review, Sociology Today
etc. Again these are reliant on donations. As with course box
material, books and journals MAY NOT be removed from the room
under any circumstances.
All past projects and dissertations are recorded on the same
database - PROJECTS.mdb, available on all Resource Centre
computers, and searchable by author's name, year, subject
keyword (race, education, feminism, health etc), or methodology
keyword (interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, content
analysis etc).
The databases can be accessed via the 3 computers in the Resource
Centre (look for the TREE icons on the desktop). If you have any
problems locating or accessing the databases, ask a volunteer or
Rowena (5A.315)
Course Boxes
What are they? The course boxes are primarily used to provide
photocopied extracts of texts that are recommended or required
reading for respective courses, in order to maximise student
access to such reading at times when demands on library books are
high. The Resource Centre houses course boxes for the two 1st year
compulsory courses, SC111, SC101, the majority of 2nd and 3rd year
course options, and all MA options. The boxes are maintained by
the teaching staff responsible for each course.
Where are they? The course boxes are located as follows: RED
boxes (generally indicating 2nd or 3rd year material) live on top
of the main body of filing cabinets, GREEN boxes (generally 1st
year material) and BLUE Boxes (MA material) live on the shelving
adjacent to the Ph.D.'s.
Caution! Course box material MUST NOT be removed from the room.
The only exception to this rule is where an individual
lecturer/tutor has specified so, and then only provided there are
a sufficient number of copies. One copy should always remain.
Please spare a thought for your fellow students and NEVER remove
the last copy! It is difficult to 'police' the course boxes
and material does unfortunately sometimes go missing.
However, course box material may be photocopied, subject to
copyright restrictions...
NB: The course box contents are subject to
copyright
regulations.
Computers
Three computers are available for students' use. These provide
access via desktop icons to the database records for the
centre's collections (projects & dissertations, PhDs, videos,
reference books); also to services such as
ISPS, and to referencing software (Reference Manager and
Endnote), in addition to the usual word-processing, Access, Excel, Internet
and email facilities.
Audio-Visual
Viewing and Recording
The centre has its own TV & video facilities on a portable
table. Their main purpose is for students using the video library
- videos may be watched in the Resource Centre, providing the volume
is kept low and other users are not being disturbed. Occasionally,
the TV/Video unit is borrowed by staff or students for classes /
presentations respectively. Please make sure you OK this first.
The centre has two radio-cassette players which may be used in
the room, again providing the volume is kept low and other users
are not disturbed. They may be borrowed ON REQUEST for student
presentations etc. but must be signed out in the Blue Book.
Last modified on 24 May 2011