Animation
Whether you're a new student starting your first assignment, further on in your studies, or starting a research project, this page will help you find and use the best information for your subject. You will also find resources to help develop your academic, study and digital skills.
If you can’t find what you need here, please contact your Academic Support Team: library-SAM@salford.ac.uk
Key resources for Animation students
Books & Journals
The first place you should look is your reading list – you will find a link to this in your Blackboard modules. It lists all the core texts for your subject as recommended by your lecturers. All our other books and journals can be found in Library Search.
Databases
Whilst Library Search is your starting point when researching a topic, sometimes it’s helpful to restrict your search to one of our specialist sources.
- Box of Broadcasts - thousands of TV and radio programmes, including lots of current (and older) programmes on cultural topics. Also a great source for films that have been broadcast on TV.
- Kanopy - another good source for Films, but also includes some video on the history or animation/animators.
- Arts & Humanities Database - lots of articles on all kinds of cultural topics.
- JSTOR - a great range of books and articles on all kind of topics including Animation.
- Performing Arts Periodicals Database - articles from journals covering all aspects of the art and entertainment industry.
- Taylor & Francis Journals - provides articles on all sorts of subjects, but includes quite a lot of material on animation.
- Science Direct - A huge database covering a wide array of topics including broadcasting, media and communications technology.
- Wiley Online Library - another big database, but it includes articles and book chapters from sources that include visualisation and computer animation.
- Google Scholar - always worth checking for academic books and journals. To get the most from it, make sure you’ve added Library Access to your browser.
Useful links
There is wealth of information on the internet, just remember to evaluate what you find carefully. These are just a few of examples.
- BBC Research & Development Reports - a useful source for the latest developments in broadcasting technology
- Screenskills.com – invaluable for information on jobs, industry-based events, online workshops, training, and networking opportunities.
- BBC Sound Effects Library – over 16, 000 sound effects available for non-commercial projects.
- BBC Writers Room Script Library. - a wonderful resource for up-to-date TV scripts and there is lots of other useful scriptwriting guidance on the site as well.
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning offers thousands of professionally produced online courses covering technical, creative and professional skills and including lots on creating video and on using specific media software.
Always use our institutional login to log in – you will need your University email address and password.
The first time you log in, you will be taken through a setup process to discover courses tailored to your interests.
Find out more in our video: Using LinkedIn Learning at Salford.
Newspapers
These are a great source for reviews and comment on film, television and other communication media.
Sources to try include Gale OneFile News and Newsstream. Check our Newspapers web page to see which papers we have access to.
Browse your reading list
Your tutors select books, articles, videos and other resources for your reading lists and the Library buys them so you don't have to.
Find the lists for your modules in Blackboard, or in Library Search.
Referencing
APA 6th (Harvard) style is the main referencing style in use at the University. We've compiled an easy to follow list of guidebooks and examples to help you get to grips with complexities of referencing.
Newspapers
Newspapers are a valuable source of information. They provide insight into what interests and concerns people both now and in the past.
The Library provides some excellent newspaper sources that allow you to search simply and easily across many newspapers at once.
Dissertations and Theses
During the course of your studies, you may find that you need to search for dissertations or theses.
You can use Library Search to help you find them and there are a number of different ways to search, depending on what you want to find.
New Animation Students
Book a one to one
If you’ve tried our eLearning and classroom sessions and need more help, you can request a one to one appointment for information finding, academic and writing or digital skills. Select your chosen time slot and book on through Advantage.
Book on a workshop
We offer a wide range of face-to-face skills training. If you need to improve your IT skills, learn how to find information for your assignments or improve your study skills this is a great place to start.
All workshops are bookable through Advantage by clicking on the workshop title. Where a session has no remaining spaces you can add yourself to the waiting list.
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