Anthropology Subject Guide

Introduction

• This page is maintained by Heather Dawson, Liaison Librarian for Anthropology: h.dawson@lse.ac.uk
• It is designed to offer you help in making the most of LSE Library resources. Do send me an email if you need any further assistance!

Quick links

Use these to get started quickly. More in depth advice is given in the sections below.

Search the LSE Library catalogue to find book, journal titles and links to electronic resources

Search for journal articles using Cross Searcher from a range of LSE Library's subscription resources, or browse the full list of subscription databases

Go to our list of recommended free web sites for Anthropologists (via the LSE Library delicious account)

Also, here are my recommended starting points (via Pageflakes - click on the Anthropology tab)

Finding books on your Reading List

The place to start is the Library Catalogue. The Catalogue provides references to all the print and electronic books held by the LSE Library.

Top tips

• Use the Course Reading Lists option to check for books on your Reading List
• Note down the classmark of the items you need. In particular note if they are located in the Course collection or Main collection. You can check locations and  loan entitlements in the Student Guide to using the Library
• Reserve items which are already on loan.

Here are some key classmarks for Anthropology. However, note that due to the interdisciplinary nature of the subject relevant books may also be found in the sociology, politics and economics sections of the Library.

• LSE library also has an extensive collection of Anthropology Archives which you might like to use. These include collections and many photographs from famous Anthropologists Sir Raymond Firth and the papers of Bronislaw Malinowski. For more information on these search the LSE Archives catalogue.

Collection policy

• Read the full text of the LSE library's Collection development policies. These documents are used to guide our acquisitions. Feel free to suggest additional book purchases by using our online form.

Finding books not held at LSE

• LSE staff and students can become members of  Senate House Library and SOAS Library. This allows you to borrow books from their collections.
• Search for books held in Universities in London and the South-East by using the InforM25 service. Most other University of London Libraries allow reference (non-borrowing access). For further details on arrangements see our Using other Libraries webpages.
• Find out about books in the main UK research libraries (including the British Library and Oxford and Cambridge Universities by using the COPAC catalogue.
• Books from other libraries can also be requested via the Interlending and Document Delivery Service at LSE.

Electronic Resources for Anthropology

The Electronic Resources page contains information on all of the electronic resources the Library has access to. 

All subscription and important resources are listed on the Library Catalogue. You can also see just resources relevant to Anthropology. and some are searchable via Cross Searcher. (select the anthropology section). There are also many web resources that can be accessed using the Library's Delicious account or using the Delicious tag cloud on the Free Resources on the Web page.

Finding journals

The place to start is the Library Catalogue. The Catalogue provides references to all the print and electronic journals held by LSE Library.

Top tips

• Use the Journal title browse option to locate the title you need.
• Two entries may appear if the title is available in both paper and online formats. Note the years available in both may be different, so remember to check both records.
•  Expand the record to view the classmark of the journal or a link to its electronic format
• The link to full text ejournals appears in the Click here for full text field which is in the centre of the catalogue record. Enter your LSE Network username and password to log in. See how using these slides

Here are some key journal titles for Anthropology

Journals not held at LSE

• If LSE does not have the printed or electronic version of a journal then you can check to see if other libraries have it using the Union List of Serials (University of London Colleges) or COPAC (British Library and other research universities across the UK)
• Use the Inter-Library Lending system for journal articles that you cannot easily get to yourself by clicking on the "Requests and inter-lending" button on the Library Catalogue and select the "Request a journal from another library" option

Finding journal articles

LSE Library subscribes to a number of key databases which will enable you to do keyword searches for journal articles for your dissertation. These provide many more references than you will find on Google Scholar

• The Library  provides a searching service for LSE staff and students called Cross Searcher that searches the content of a number of selected databases and resources. This can be used to find journal articles, and where available, links through to the full text, using the LSE article finder orange button:
• Article databases, including those in Cross Searcher and many more, are also listed on the Library Catalogue.
• Click here to see databases relevant to Anthropology. You might also want to try the resources for Development Studies.
• Key databases for Anthropology are the International Bibliography of the Social Sciences - IBSS (which provides references to articles published since the 1950s it includes many in European languages such as French and German), The Web of Science (Also offering articles since the 1950s . These are more North American based and cover a wider range of humanities, science and social science subject areas.) AnthropologyPlus  (bibliographic references to journal articles, reports, essays and book reviews relating to all aspects of Anthropology. The material is compiled by the Tozzer Library, University of Harvard and covers materials published from the 19th century to the present day)
• You might also want to extend your research to include these free journal indexes via the LSE Library delicious account.

Top tips

• Always follow the links from the LSE Library web pages. Links to journal articles taken from Google may not work!
• Log in using your LSE Network username and password
• Find out how to conduct keyword searches for articles using the Moodle courses The Library Companion for Students and The Library Companion for Researchers. Try the section on searching for journal articles.

Finding Newspaper articles

The LSE Library subscribes to an online newspaper database called Nexis which contains the full text of a large number of Uk and foreign newspapers from 1980 onwards. Access this by searching for NEXIS on the Library Catalogue log in using your LSE Network username and password.

Other foreign language collections include: the Latin America Database and the MidEast wire.com. These can also be located from our Library Catalogue

Top tips

• To look at today's headlines do a Google search and consult the homepage of the newspaper.
• But for more in depth academic research always use NEXIS. Connect to it using the links from the Library catalogue. Links from the newspaper homepages and Google searches may not work!
• Find out how more about the other LSE Library newspaper databases. Our Moodle courses The Library Companion for Students and The Library Companion for Researchers. have handouts on how to search for newspaper articles. These provide descriptions of the key LSE databases plus a list of useful free internet resources.

Finding quick reference materials

The Reference Collection on the first floor of the library contains printed dictionaries, directories, encyclopaedias.

Here are some key titles:

We also have a growing collection of online dictionaries and encyclopaedias that you can use off-campus. Consult our Reference Collection guide for a more detailed list.

Top Tips

• Try the The Oxford English Dictionary to check your spelling. Locate it using the LSE Library catalogue then log in using your LSE Network username and password.
• Use Oxford Reference Online to find foreign language and grammar dictionaries. Locate it using the LSE Library catalogue then log in using your LSE Network username and password.
• Use the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography to find biographical information on over 50,000 men and women who have shaped the history of the UK from earliest times to the present day. Locate it using the LSE Library catalogue then log in using your LSE Network username and password.

Theses

The Library has paper copies of doctoral PhD theses produced by LSE students. Search for these on the LSE Library catalogue use the option set search limits. Then select from the Collection option Theses. MA theses are not held in the Library. They may be held in your academic department.

Top tips

• Save time by searching our specialist databases Index to Theses (for abstracts to all PhD theses submitted in British and Irish institutions since 1715!) and Digital Dissertations (for information on theses from North American Universities since the 19th Century) Access them on the catalogue here. Log in using your LSE network username and password.
• Note you can request an item via our Interlending and Document Delivery services.
• An increasing number of universities are making full text theses available via the Internet. See theses in our recommended links via the LSE Library delicious account.

Research

Increasing numbers of institutions are developing Institutional repositories  undertaken by academics and students in universities worldwide where you can find examples of abstracts and many full text papers, conference reports and articles by staff and researchers.

LSE Research Online contains examples from LSE staff. Try browsing to find examples from your department.

Top Tips

• Keep up to date with news developments in your field. A good starting point is the ESRC website which is a central funding body for UK research in the social sciences.
• You might also like to browse the websites of key professional organisations in your subject area. There is a collection of links to the main Anthropological associations on our delicious account. use them to find conference listings and news.
• Learn how to set up research and current contents alerts via the Moodle courses The Library Companion for Students and The Library Companion for ResearchersLogin using your LSE Network username and password.

Multimedia (video and online audio) Resources

Film Collection.
The library has a small but growing collection of commercial videos, DVDS  and TV programme recordings. Find them on the Library Catalogue selecting the Set Search limits option  and limiting to the Medium Videorecording. Material can be viewed using equipment based in the Library or borrowed  for the same length of time as Course Collection texts

Multimedia
The LSE Library subscribes to a number of key databases containing multimedia films and images. These include the Education Image Gallery (with over 50,000 images from the Hulton Archive, Photodisc and the Getty Images® News Service covering key events and multiple subject areas including history, entertainment, sport, science, fashion, politics, music, conflict, film, art, leisure and women's studies) Find them using the databases page.

Top tips

• Remember that an increasing number of programmes, films and images can now be found on the Internet. Look at our recommended video search engines via the LSE Library delicious account. They include also include online links to academic lectures and documentaries.
• For further advice for searching for image collections on the Internet try our guides via the Moodle courses The Library Companion for Students and The Library Companion for Researchers. Login using your LSE Network username and password.

Government and intergovernmental organisations Publications

• The LSE Library has a special collection of materials from key intergovernmental organisations. These include publications, statistics and reports from the United Nations, IMF, World Bank and Food and Agricultural Organisation. For further information on paper and electronic holdings see our specialist guides.

Internet sites

Sites recommended by LSE Library staff many web resources that can be accessed using the Library's Delicious account or using the Delicious tag cloud on the Free Resources on the Web page. 

Top tips

• Try browsing our recommended sites for Anthropology.
• Intute is a particularly good free catalogue of academic websites for UK social scientists
• Use the Anthropology professional associations links to find key organisations for your area they often have newsletters with information on funding, new research and publications.
• Use the Bibliographies list to find free sources of references to Anthropology articles to supplement the resources you have already found via Cross Searcher.
• Learn how to search the Internet effectively by trying our guides via the Moodle courses The Library Companion for Students and The Library Companion for Researchers Login using your LSE Network username and password.

Other libraries

• LSE students and staff can use most other libraries of the University of London for reference purposes. For a full list of agreements see our Using other Libraries web pages.
• Of particular interest is Senate House Library which contains some anthropology textbooks and the School of Oriental and African Studies Library (SOAS) which has more extensive journal holdings on Africa and Asia than the LSE. Students may borrow from this Library. To get a card simply go there with your LSE ID Card. it includes off campus access to many of their electronic resources.
• Other useful Libraries in London include the British Library Newspaper Library which is a public library containing a vast collection of UK and foreign newspapers.
• British Library of Development Studies - key UK library based at the University of Sussex.

Citing and referencing

The Library has a useful collection of online guides on citing and referencing. They include a podcast.

Top tips

• Save time by noting down the full citation of any books and journals that you use when you read them, rather than at the end of your course!
• Find out if your department has a preferred style and learn to use it correctly. The library has lots of online guides to help you.
• If you have many references to manage. Learn how to use Endnote (bibliography management software), which can work with Microsoft Word to format your references automatically. You can also export references automatically from many online databases. The library offers regular training courses on this software
.

Help

• Try the Moodle courses The Library Companion for Students and The Library Companion for Researchers where you will find many useful guides
• Book a training session

Contact Heather Dawson, Liaison librarian for Anthropology.

^