key skills – library research
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Key Skills – Library Research. David Sowerbutts [email protected]. Note. In this Powerpoint presentation the symbol ∞ indicates a hyperlink to the service mentioned or to a description of it. Key Skills – Library Research. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Note
In this Powerpoint presentation the symbol
∞indicates a hyperlink to the service mentioned or to a description of it
Key Skills – Library Research
“Able to research appropriate periodicals, websites, books and other references to draw together the required information”
The Library’s Electronic Resources
Almost all of the Library’s electronic resources can be accessed from off site via the Library web pages
For electronic journals start from the Library OPAC
If prompted for a password use your ITS login rather than an ATHENS password unless other instructions are given
ConneXions
Introduced during Summer 2004 Develops links between Library OPAC and
bibliographic databases Provides links from many of these databases
to full text (where available)
Types of Material
Periodicals – printed and electronic Abstracts and Indexes (Bibliographic Databases)
Websites Google - try the Advanced Search screen ∞ Google Scholar (under development) ∞ Vivisimo (http://vivisimo.com) ∞ Gateways
Books Abstracts and Indexes (Bibliographic Databases) Library catalogues ∞
Newspapers Data Sources “Grey literature”
Databases (v. Internet)
Peer-reviewed MaterialRestricted accessCovers print as well as electronic
(usually)More sophisticated searching
Internet (v. Databases)
Generally, not evaluatedElectronic/digitisedLarge number of items but some “quality”
material not includedDifficult to assess results of searches
Understanding Databases
Subject ScopeInclusivity
Number of sourcesType of materialLevel of material
Date rangeGeographical bias
Understanding Databases
Search defaultsFeatures provided
Abstracts?Option to create subsets?Printing/Saving/E-mailing?Links to full text?Links to local catalogue?
Remember to use the help screens
Databases: Getting Started
Library home pagehttp://www.dur.ac.uk/library/ ∞click on Databasesor use Subject Information pages for
Economics or Business ∞
Database Searching
KeywordHierarchical StructureCoded Concepts
Keyword
Random matches patterns not concepts
Scope Title only Abstract Full text
Syntax Semantics
Ambiguities Alternatives Language problems
Keyword
Truncation (Stemming)Aggress*
Word combinationUsually Boolean
Boolean Searching
SyntaxSimilar to formula in MathematicsBUT symbols not used as consistentlyBUT “default” values vary between
databases
Boolean Searching
ANDOR
Either and BothNOT
To be used only with care
Word Combination Defaults
Interest Rate*may be searched as
Interest and rate* (e.g. Library OPAC)Interest or rate* (e.g. some search
engines)Interest rate* (e.g. Web of Science)
Adjacency and Proximity
AdjacencyPhrase searchingWords next to each other “same” and “sent”
ProximityWords within a given distance
Silence w3 lambs
Semantics
AmbiguitiesAlternativesThe whole and parts
Public sector employeesExcluding meaningsLanguage problems
Romans; Email
Semantics
“Where would I find information on currency?”
“I want some articles on operations to cure problems of the teeth”
Refining Searches
Financ* and Asia* not (Burm* or Myanmar)
Racis* and Polic* not (London or Metropol*)
Racis* and (Police or Policing) not (London or Metropol*)
Refining Searches
Truncation (stemming)Econom*
WildcardEconomic behavi*r
Wildcard and truncationEconom* and Tan?an*
(Examples from Web of Science)
Citation Searching
SCHULTZ, T.: Declining economic importance of agricultural land. Econ. j. 61,1951,725-740
Pre-dates Web of ScienceBUT Web of Science can be used to
trace subsequent references to it and thus find more recent research on the same topic
Hierarchical Structure
EconomicsFinancial Economics
Taxes and TaxationConsumer taxes
V.A.T.
Coded Concepts
Usually a notation for a hierarchical structureArrangement of books in a LibraryApplication to databases (e.g. EconLit)
Internet Gateways/Portals
Selected Unrestricted Electronic Resources
Often classifiedMay be evaluated/annotatedSOSIG (http://sosig.ac.uk) ∞See also other links from Subject
Information pages ∞
Newspapers
May include current debate on some possible project topics
Electronic archives for some available from Library’s “News, weather…” page ∞
Infotrac: Custom Newspapers provides multiple title searching ∞
Newspapers
Lexis-Nexis ∞ “Executive” is a prime source for Financial
and business news “Executive” can also be used for major
overseas newspapers “Professional” is useful for UK regional
newspapers
Data Sources
A selection is available from the Subject Information pages for Economics ∞ and for Business ∞
ESDS ∞ is increasing its coverage of major international datasets Simple individual registration needed (use
ITS login)Work through an access guide before using
the service
“Grey Literature”
Working PapersSometimes available free via EconPapers ∞
or IDEAS ∞Official Publications
International bodiesNGOsGovernmentsOften free on web site of organization