The document provides guidance on finding and managing information for a final year university project. It discusses using the library search tool and specific databases to conduct thorough yet selective literature reviews. It recommends developing search strategies using keywords, phrases, Boolean operators and truncation. The document also outlines services for reserving books, requesting items through interlibrary loan, and recommending new book purchases.

1. Finding and managing information
for your final year project
Moira Bent
Faculty Liaison Librarian
University Library

2. You asked about….
 How the Library’s changed
 LibrarySearch – what’s that?
 Building up complex searches
 Which resources?
 EndNote
University Library

3. We’ve changed…

4. The Robinson Library has
changed…

7. Literature review – essential for projects
Inform your research Contextualise your work Identify gaps
Summarise, synthesise, Track key
critically evaluate issues/debates/people
Pic credit: Flickr Commons: US National Archives; Microsoft clipart

8. It needs to
be
thorough….
…but
selective
(CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) flickr.com/photos/sunlightfoundation/2385174105

9. A search
strategy can
help you get
started University Library

10. Keywords and phrases?
What kind of info?
Which databases?
Check keywords and revise
Did you find what you need?
Which are the best?
In print?
Online?
Inter Library Loan?
University Library
Image from http://potsdam.libguides.com/content.php?pid=367113&sid=3005275

11. Mindmapping
University Library

12. Use search techniques
Use a phrase
• “environmental policy”
Use AND, OR and NOT to make logical connections
• conservation AND land
• (Regeneration OR redevelopment) AND (UK OR Great Britain OR
England)
Use truncation
• Conserv* finds conserve, conservation, conserving (and also
conservatory!)
University Library

13. Building up a search
UK OR GB OR
England
Redevelopment
OR Expansion Polic* OR
OR legislation
regeneration
University Library

14. Books: print
and
electronic
Journal
Company articles and
information conference
Resources papers
to help
you
Social
Official
media and
information
news

15. Library Search is a good place to start
Includes data from the
library catalogue and a
range of electronic
Full and mo resources
Full & mobile views

16. Use Library Search
 To find printed books in the Library
 To find electronic books
 To get a general overview of a topic
 To find a few journal references for an essay
DON’T rely on Library Search as the only source for
your literature review – not all our resources are
included.
University Library

17. Library Search is easy!
Why use specific databases?
 CAB and Scopus – journal articles
 Unique content not covered by Library Search
 Index of search terms
 Lexis for newspapers
 Environment online for official documents
 To download results to EndNote
University Library

18. Use your Library Guide to identify key resources:
libguides.ncl.ac.uk/environment

19. Maybe you’re
looking in the
wrong place
altogether?
Or perhaps it
doesn’t exist at
all?
Flickr Commons/LSE Library and (CC BY 2.0) flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/4812269151

20. • For books on loan
• Place a “hold” on books which are on loan
Reserve • Borrow when book is returned
• For articles and conferences we don’t have
• Apply for an Inter Library Loan
Request • 25 requests @ £1.50
• New books to buy
• ‘Books on Time' service to recommend
Recommend new books for the library to buy