Bibliographic databases offer focussed searching for content on a particular topic, allowing the discovery of relevant journal articles, conference proceedings, book chapters and more. They are very useful to consult when carrying out your own research because:
Bibliographic databases are helpful when you want to start exploring beyond your reading list or are researching a new topic.
On this page you will find recommended databases and guidance on how to search for and access databases.
Database:
A collection of structured and organised data that is stored, searched and accessed electronically.
Bibliographic database:
A searchable platform that contains descriptive records of articles, books, conference proceedings, audio-visual material, maps, newspapers, and more.
Abstracting service:
Used to refer to a bibliographic database, the service provides abstracts of publications.
Indexing service:
Used to refer to a bibliographic database, the service provides descriptors to help organise and navigate publications.
Full-text:
This means you can read the item in full from beginning to end, not just the abstract or summary.
Oxford subscribes to lots of databases you can use for free. You will likely find you need to use several databases for a thorough search of your subject area. The tabs at the top of this section take you to key databases for Film Studies and a link to browse all databases in Film Studies.
You can also search for specific databases via SOLO. Note, some key texts may be available via a database but not individually listed on SOLO.
For those seeking advice on accessing databases, we recommend the following guides:
Below are key bibliographic databases applicable to those studying Film Studies at Oxford.
Depending on the database provider, you may need to use your Oxford Single Sign On to access materials.
Focuses on visual arts, and indexes a number of film journals, including Cahiers du Cinéma, Cinéaste, Film Comment, Film Quarterly, Journal of Popular Film and Television, Jump Cut, Sight and Sound, Studies in Russian and Soviet Cinema.
A fully searchable library of more than 500,000 works of literature, mostly in English, full-text journals, and other key criticism and reference resources. It also includes articles on film theory, criticism and individual directors (search for directors via the ‘Author Pages’ search link).
Provides searchable indexed records from over 4,000 humanities journals from 1926 to the present, including a number of film journals.
In some cases, the database will provide the full text of an article. If the full article is not available via the database, search SOLO for the journal title to see if the journal is available in print or electronic format at Oxford. For articles from journals not held at Oxford, it is possible to make an inter-library loan request.
To find articles on specific topics within Film Studies, there are a number of databases available via the A-Z Databases page which index film journals and other publications. Search the databases listing for the name of the database you want to use, or browse using the Film Studies category in the drop-down Subject menu. To access many databases and other e-resources when you are not logged on to the University network, you will need to use your Oxford Single Sign-on.
To browse a list of databases for Film Studies, follow the link below which takes you through to Databases A-Z.
Oxford Bibliographies Online - Cinema and Media Studies provides short essays and detailed bibliographies on individual topics in cinema studies, including a number of national cinemas (eg British, French, German, Japanese) and several individual directors and films.
If the Bodleian Libraries don't have a database you are looking for, you can make a recommendation by completing the form below (Oxford Single-Sign On required).