Library Subject Guides
As an Environment & Geography student, you are expected to find and use high quality literature. You'll need to use a range of different sources and demonstrate your ability to find good results in order to impress your tutors and to develop your research skills. Our online Skills Guides have lots more useful information about planning and running your searches.
All journal titles are listed on YorSearch and can be found by doing a title search.
Click on the journal title to see the library’s print holdings or the 'view it' link to navigate through to the full-text journal online, if available. Electronic access may be offered by more than one link so check which years are available.
Lots more help on using YorSearch can be found on our webpages.
Books are a great place to start your research. They contain useful summaries about what's happening in your field and can help you to establish the key theories and background of your research. As well as books specifically covering your subject, the Library also holds lots of titles to help you develop your study skills.
Books contain references to other resources that you can explore for more in-depth information when you have understood the basics.
Environment is a highly interdisciplinary subject and you will find that the books you need are located in different subject sections on the Library. All our resources are listed on YorSearch, the library catalogue, but do always ask a member of library staff for help if you need to find particular items.
Each of your modules will have a reading list of suggested books - look for the Reading Lists link on each module site in the VLE.
Click to reveal a list of common shelf locations for Environment
You can access past exam papers which have been selected by Environment and Geography in our Digital Collections, which you can find linked to in the top pane in YorSearch.
To start a more detailed search for research papers, you'll need to use online databases. These are collections of resources that allow you to search from multiple journals at the same time.
Most databases allow you to enter elaborate controlled searches using special words and characters ("operators")...
Tips on what to try if we don't have access via the Library:
Try Google Scholar
Google Scholar includes links to freely available PDFs and alternate versions of articles.
Search institutional repositories
If the article you need was written by someone at a university, they might have placed a copy in their institutional repository. Look at their website for more details.
Apply for it using our free Interlending Service
We can source articles and books from elsewhere.
Visit other libraries
You can access items at other libraries. Apply to the Library for a SCONUL Access card so that you can access other UK university libraries or visit the British Library at Boston Spa. Book a place on our free weekly minibus.
Contact your Faculty Librarian
Stuck? Email lib-environment@york.ac.uk for advice.
