So you’re looking for some past exam papers? Well, the College institutional repository is the place to find them, but if you forget that URL, you can always find a link to the Exam Papers on the Library homepage:
Before you try searching for the exam paper of your desire, do make sure you log out as a guest at the top right hand side and log in with your Royal Holloway username and password…
To find exam papers, you can either search for the course code, e.g. IY5501 or you can browse by Department.
And the good news? All exam papers can be downloaded as PDFs!
If you have any questions, please let us know! Happy revising and good luck in all of your exams!
So, term has started and you know you’ve got some reading to do and you need to start finding those books and articles. Well, the Library is here to help! We have a fabulous reading list systems which stores all the reading lists we receive from the department. It then links directly to the Library Catalogue to show you how many copies we have and where to find them!
This post will show you how to:
Find reading lists for your course
Use reading lists to find library resources
Download your reading lists
Reading List Guide
Check out our PowerPoint here to find out all you need to know about accessing and using reading lists.
Could you introduce yourself, and let us know your job title?
My name is Rachel White and I am the Information Consultant for English, Media Arts, Drama & Theatre and the Centre for the Development of Academic Skills (CeDAS).
Rachel Sleeman
How long have you been at RHUL Library?
I started at Royal Holloway in April 2016. I am looking forward to the new academic year and meeting all of the students!
What is your role within the Library?
My role is to support several departments (English, Drama & Theatre, Media Arts and CeDAS) and to ensure the library has the resources the students and staff need. Another important part of my role is teaching information literacy skills. This involves showing users how to use resources, how to search effectively, how to recognise resources that are suitable to use and managing the information once you have found it.
Have you always worked in Libraries?
Yes apart from a some part time jobs before and during University. I’ve worked in various libraries including a specialist library in The Met Office, Further Education Colleges and Universities.
What did you want to be when you were little?
There was a very short period where I wanted to be a lorry driver! Not sure why this was especially as I don’t think I am the best driver, my Peugeot is plenty big enough! Since finishing University and getting my first part time post in a library as a library assistant all I have wanted to do is to work in libraries.
Long Distance Clara
Do you have any heroes and if you do, why are they your heroes?
Not sure about hero but I do love JK Rowling! I am a massive fan of Harry Potter and the novels she has written under the guise of Robert Galbraith. I also love the fact that she has recently dropped off the Forbes billionaire list due in part to the large amounts of money she donates to various charities.
What did you study?
I studied English Literature at Swansea University
Do you have a favourite book, and why?
I have lots of favourite books and would struggle to pick just one! I remember there were two books that I studied at University that stayed with me. One was Dracula by Bram Stoker and the other was The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. I loved both of these texts but did struggle to sleep after reading them both!
If you had a superhero alter ego, what would they be named, and what would your super power be?
Not sure what my superhero alter ego would be, but I definitely know what super power I would like! I would love to be able to disappear on the spot and turn up anywhere in the world instantly (apparating for any Harry Potter fans).
Describe working in the library in 3 words
Varied, rewarding, interesting
What advice would you give to a new student?
My advice would be to make use of the library resources and if you are unsure about anything at all contact your information consultant, we are all more than happy to help!
It has been awhile but this week’s resource is MediaPlus.
MediaPlus is a collection over 100,000 videos, audio clips and still images that cover a variety of subjects: everything from archaeology and medicine to history, philosophy, music, drama and performing arts, media studies and the social sciences.
Material on MediaPlus is freely available for use and can be downloaded, edited and shared. Just create a personal user account to start saving clips and creating playlists!
For example: Say you were researching the history of the steeplechase . A quick search brings up a number of options including this film dating from 1924 of steeplechases in nearby Eton.
Whether you just watch the film for some background to the sport or you take a screenshot to insert in your dissertation or you make a clip to show during a presentation- the possibilities with MediaPlus are endless!
Need guidance? Excellent YouTube tutorials are available that show:
MediaPlus can be found on the Library Website under A-Z Databases.
This database is made up of 100s of audio books covering a wide range of areas such as fiction, history, business, drama and much more. You are able to browse by collection, author, recent additions or search for an author/title.
The audio books are available to stream online and many copies are available in abridged and unabridged versions. You can also save your place in the audio book by setting up boomarks.
There are also audio books available in French, German and Portuguese.
This is a fascinating resource which gives you an insight into life in London during the 18th, 19th and early 20th Century. Included in this resource are digital images of rare books, interactive maps, essays and online galleries.
Explore this resource and see London as you have never seen it before!
Eighteenth Century Drama is a new resource at RHUL and contains a vast amount of primary sources and information relating to the theatrical world in the 18th Century.
There are 3 main parts to Eighteenth Century Drama:
The Larpent Collection of plays – collection of 2,500 plays submitted for license between 1778-1824, and the diaries of Larpent’s wife and professional collaborator, Anna.
The London Stage, 1660-1800 – this section documents theatrical performances in 18th Century London, compiled from playbills, newspapers and theatrical diaries.
Bibliographical Dictionary – lists London performers, from well -known names to little known musicians and performers.
This is a brilliant resource that really gives you an insight into the theatrical world of the 18th Century.
Access this resource via our eResources A-Z page. Find out more about this resource and take a tour here.
Have you seen our new resource, Digital Theatre Plus?
Digital Theatre Plus productions. digitaltheatreplus.com
Digital Theatre Plus is an online video resource which provides access to a range of productions: Shakespeare, classic plays, new writing, classical music and opera. It will be useful for students studying Shakespeare, adaptations and those interested in playwriting.
It is easily accessible from the English Subject Guide under ‘Multimedia Resources’.
Once you’ve accessed the site, you can stream productions in full, or break them down by scene, act, or speech – and the database also includes interviews with the cast and creative teams behind a number of the productions. Digital Theatre Plus are always adding to the collection, and you can sign up for updates or follow them on Facebook.
If you’re watching from home please use CampusAnywhere to access the site without having to log in, but if you’re on campus you should find that you can watch any of the productions.
Any problems or questions, please contact Kim in the Library on k.coles@rhul.ac.uk.
We just received an email on narrowing down search results – “I’m searching for books on the idea of performance but I always get thousands of results which are based around performance meaning how well something is performing such as a business etc. Do you have any suggestions for how I can search for more relevant materials?”
So I thought it might be useful to put the answer into a blog post – as we’ve all been there.
Things to Try to get better search results
1. Change your keywords.
If your search for ‘performance’ brings back unrelated items, try changing what you search for. Synonyms might include ‘drama’, ‘theatre’, ‘performing arts’ etc.
Try adding more keywords e.g. ‘audience participation’, or a particular theorist, theory or performer you’re interested in.
LibrarySearch is pretty general – if you’re after items on a particular subject, go to your subject guide and try the Finding E-resources link for a list of more specific databases.
4. Who’s cited what?
When you finish a recommended article, or book, go to the back and take a look at what they referenced when writing it – then look these up and carry on!
You can also use Google Scholar to see who’s cited the article or book you’re reading now – and see what they said on the topic.
Look for the ‘Cited by’ part, and click it to get information on other articles and books.
Click ‘Cited By’ to see other articles which reference this one above.
Try LibrarySearch to get hold of articles or books, and if it’s not there, don’t panic – we can get it!
5. Ask your Librarian!
Whether it’s a presentation or PhD thesis, you can always arrange a meeting with your librarian to go through the subject and searching with you, so don’t be afraid to ask.
