BA Graphic Communication
Meet your Librarian – Kirsten Pairpoint
About Kirsten
Kirsten Pairpoint is the Subject Librarian responsible for Design for Publishing, Graphic Communication, Graphic Design, User Experience Design and Illustration, as well as Research Degrees. She studied Graphic Information Design at the University of Westminster and worked at the National Art Library at the Victoria and Albert Museum where she curated the Annual Illustration Awards.
How can I help you?
You can book one to one tutorials with me to help you with your research or referencing, please contact me via email or you can drop into the library office (DS103) to have a chat!
I work Wednesday mornings and all day Thursday and Friday.
As a team, we also provide research and referencing drop-in sessions to assist you in the run-up to written work hand-ins, keep an eye on Instagram (@norwichuni_library) for times and dates.
Reading Lists
This reading list has been provided by your course leaders and is aimed at all levels of your course. You will see there are five books that are listed as essential reading, and the rest as highly recommended.
Don’t forget, you can find a lot more than is listed here by searching the Library online.
e-book Collections
Try these virtual shelves which link you to ready-made collections of e-books on specific subjects.
Useful online collections for BA Graphic Communication
Books about Zines (ProQuest)
Design
Graphic Design (ProQuest)
Information Design (ProQuest)
Posters (ProQuest)
Print Books
Books on Graphic Communication
With the exception of short loan books, items in the main collection can be borrowed for three weeks.
Graphic Communication books in the Library’s main collection are held between Dewey Decimal numbers 750 and 756, and include titles on Typography, Book and Magazine Design, Information Design, Packaging Design and more.
Find out how to search for library catalogue books on Discovery.
Online Resources
As well as printed materials, the Library also has a wide selection of online resources to help you with your research.
Useful online resources for BA Graphic Communication
Resource Type
TV, Video and SoundLocation:
Off-campus On-campusBox of Broadcasts
BoB is an up to date television streaming service available to all students and staff. BoB allows you to view recently aired programmes from over 65 channels and there is a searchable archive of 3.3 million broadcasts. You can also record programmes aired in the last 30 days which will be stored on the service permanently, meaning you can watch them again and again. Best of all, you do not need a TV license to use this service.
This service is not available outside the UK. You will need to register with BoB when you first try and access it.
Video resources to support accessing and using BoB are available on the VLE.
Further resources on how to use BoB Â (opens in a new window)
Resource Type
E-JournalsLocation:
Off-campus On-campusBritish Periodicals 1681-1939
This database provides access to the searchable full text of hundreds of periodicals from the late seventeenth century to the early twentieth, comprising millions of high-resolution facsimile page images. Topics covered include literature, philosophy, history, science, the social sciences, music, art, drama, archaeology and architecture.
Resource Type
E-BooksLocation:
Off-campus On-campusO’Reilly
Access to over 21,000 technical e-books and videos to assist with IT and programming needs. Other areas include art and design with publishers like Laurence King included and books about well being too. Aimed specifically at Higher Education users with an interface that allows for personalising and comes with an app which is free to download.
Short videos on how to access and use O’Reilly are available on the VLE.
Further guides on using O’Reilly are available on their webpages (opens in a new window).
You can download an O’Reilly app to enable you to save material. Information on how to download the app is available (opens in a new window).
Resource Type
Trends and Market DataLocation:
Off-campus On-campusStatista
Statista offers over 1.5 million statistics from over 18,000 sources, available immediately in easy to use graphs you can use in your own reports and presentations. Statista includes market data, industry reports, forecasts, opinion polls and infographics.
A video guide to using Statista is available on the VLE.
Further usage guides are available on Statista’s site (opens in a new window).
Resource Type
Maps and Images TV, Video and SoundLocation:
Off-campus On-campusSubculture Archives
An educational & cultural research resource of primary sources exploring 100 years of youth culture through the scenes, styles, and sounds that forged them. From Rave, Punk, Rockabilly to Grime. From the world’s leading collection of youth culture history.
Publications
Publications, also known as magazines, journals or periodicals, are regularly published with up to date articles, images, and editorials. These can be available in print and online.
Useful online publications for BA Graphic Communication
Resource Type
MagazineLocation:
On-campusWhere to access:
PrintStatus:
CurrentAdbusters
Adbusters describes itself as “a global network of artists, activists, writers, pranksters, students, educators and entrepreneurs who want to advance the new social activist movement of the information age. This is their advertising-free, activist magazine.
Resource Type
MagazineLocation:
Off-campus On-campusWhere to access:
Print OnlineStatus:
CurrentCreative Review
The magazine focuses on commercial creativity, covering design, advertising, photography, branding, digital products, film and gaming. The magazine is published bimonthly in print and also has an online magazine and a podcast.
Online full text available up until 10/01/2016.
Resource Type
JournalLocation:
Off-campus On-campusWhere to access:
OnlineStatus:
CurrentDesign and Culture
Design and Culture reflects the state of scholarship in the field of design and nurtures new or overlooked lines of inquiry that redefine our understanding of design.
Resource Type
MagazineLocation:
On-campusWhere to access:
PrintStatus:
CurrentElephant
A quarterly art, design and culture magazine.
Resource Type
MagazineLocation:
Off-campus On-campusWhere to access:
Print OnlineStatus:
CurrentEye : The International Review of Graphic Design
A quarterly printed magazine about graphic design and visual culture.
Research Reports
For the BA3a unit you are required to produce a Research Report.
The Research Report gives you the chance to explore an area of interest to you and your practice. It should build on the ideas you laid out in the Research Report Proposal you handed in as part of the BA2b unit.
The guidelines for all courses are available on the intranet: Research Report Guidelines (opens in a new window)
You can see examples of high quality research reports from previous years’ Norwich University of the Arts students via the link below:
All reports linked to this course
Useful Graphics-Friendly Websites
Here are a few ideas for blogs and websites that you might like to browse for information, inspiration and ideas.