Games Design
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 Games Design 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.
- ABI Inform Collection – provides business information on all sorts of areas including computer video games and digital media industries.
- Business Source Premier – a good source for journal articles, reports and books on digital industries.
- Box of Broadcasts - thousands of TV and radio programmes, including lots of current (and older) programmes on cultural topics, including those exploring the digital world.
- JSTOR - a great range of books and articles on all kind of topics including games design.
- Science Direct – A huge database covering a wide array of topics including broadcasting, media and communications technologies.
- 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
Screenskills.com – invaluable for information on jobs, industry-based events, online workshops, training, and networking opportunities.
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning offers thousands of professionally produced online courses covering technical, creative and professional skills and including lots on using media specific 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 cultural developments and products. 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 Lists
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 7th (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 Games Design 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.
Hands-on Essay Planning [online]
Starts: 29 Mar 2023, 1:00 pmFinishes: 29 Mar 2023, 2:30 pmRemaining places: 32This interactive session is aimed primarily at students who are new to essay planning but will also be useful for anyone hoping to improve how they plan and structure their written work.Battling Procrastination and Boosting Motivation
Starts: 29 Mar 2023, 2:00 pmFinishes: 29 Mar 2023, 3:00 pmVenue: Peel Park Campus, Chapman, Seminar Room 3Remaining places: 17This workshop will provide you with tips on how to battle procrastination and boost your motivation to study.A Short Introduction to Critical and Analytical Skills [ONLINE]
Starts: 30 Mar 2023, 1:00 pmFinishes: 30 Mar 2023, 2:00 pmRemaining places: 35This session is aimed at undergraduate and master's level students who wish to improve their critical thinking, reading and writing skills.
Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Exam session [On campus]
Starts: 29 Mar 2023, 12:30 pmFinishes: 29 Mar 2023, 1:30 pmVenue: Frederick Road Campus, Allerton, C811Remaining places: 8This is an EXAM SESSION for MOS certification. At the time of booking you must have scored over 70% in GMetrix's 'Testing' mode for your chosen application. Bookings not meeting this criteria will be cancelled. Candidates may also join this exam session remotely and take their exam off campus.Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Exam session [Online]
Starts: 4 Apr 2023, 5:00 pmFinishes: 4 Apr 2023, 6:00 pmVenue: MOS Exam - Certiport exam providerRemaining places: 10Have you met the criteria for booking an exam place? This is an online EXAM SESSION for Microsoft Office Specialist certification. When booking you MUST have scored over 70% using GMetrix's 'Testing' mode for your chosen application. Bookings not meeting this criteria will be cancelled.
Making the most of eBooks [online]
Starts: 17 Apr 2023, 1:00 pmFinishes: 17 Apr 2023, 2:00 pmRemaining places: 40This workshop will show you how to find and use electronic books (eBooks) in Library Search. This workshop will showcase eBooks and what they can do, and will include tips on using built-in tools to help save you time and advice on targeting your reading. This workshop is online.