This document provides an introduction to academic research methodology and sources in the library. It discusses what qualifies a source as scientific and some things to be wary of, such as fraudulent sources. It also covers internal and external library resources like academic databases, paywalls, and open access sources. Finally, it discusses how to successfully manage source research through developing search strategies, using reference management software to organize sources, and producing outputs.

1. Introduction to academic research methodology in the library
From good sources
Steven Laporte
Oktober 12, 2016
University Library VUB
steven.laporte@vub.ac.be

2. 1-10-2016 | 2
“I have always imagined
that paradise will be a
kind of library.”
Poema de los dones - Jorge Luis Borges

3. Overview
1. About sources
 When does a source qualify as a scientific source?
 Some pitfalls

4. Overview
2. Internal and external library resources.
 Academic databases
 Paywalls and Open Access
 External sources

5. Overview
3. Successfully Managing source research
 Research question
 Keywords and searches
 Resource Management
 Output

6. About sources

7. Source = information + physical medium

8. When does a source qualify as a scientific?
How to recognize a reliable source:
1. The carrier
o Unknown website/suspect url
o Blog
o Newspaper article
o Peer-reviewed journal

9. When does a source qualify as a scientific?
How to recognize a reliable source:
2. The author:
o Where does the author work?
o What is the educational background of the author?
o Other publications
o Is the author often cited?

10. V.b. Avi Sion
 Sent to the library unsolicited
 Author name looks like an alias
 Linked to an ‘odd’ website: http://www.thelogician.net/
 Claims a PhD, but from which university?
 NO bibliography

11. When does a source qualify as a scientific?
How to recognize a reliable source:
3. The publisher:
o Other publications?
o Connected to a scientific institution?
o Finish

12. V.b. Lap Lambert academic Publishing
 Unsolicited
 Website: https://www.lap-publishing.com/
 No academic partners
 Negative reviews:
http://scholarlyoa.com/2012/11/05/lambert-academic-
publishing-a-must-to-avoid/
 No peer-review

13. When does a source qualify as a scientific?
How to recognize a reliable source:
4. Publication date?
o Dependant on the subject
o Recent?

14. When does a source qualify as a scientific?
How to recognize a reliable source:
5. Reviews?
o Judgement
o Source of the review

15. When does a source qualify as a scientific?
How to recognize a reliable source:
6. Citations and bibliography
o Position within a research network
o Traceability of the facts cited
o Identification of the author's own contribution
o Repeatability of the investigation

16. When does a source qualify as a scientific?
How to recognize a reliable source:
7. Financing
o Independence of the investigation

18. Peer-review?
 Review by peers / colleagues
 Criteria
o Originality
o Accessibility
o Solid evidence of findings
 Careful editing process

19. Vb. Verdachte bron
“Doctrine of Signatures”
http://www.ajpct.org/index.php/AJPCT/article/view/114

20. Impact factor?
 ="Weight" of a scientific journal:
o The more articles from a given scientific journal in other journals are cited, the higher
the impact factor
 "Weight" of the researcher : h-index
o More objective
o Criticism

21. Basic attitude = Skeptical
… especially when the material found supports your thesis

22. some pitfalls
 “Publish or perish”
 Display only positive results?
 Fraud

23. V.b. fraude: SCIgen (http://pdos.csail.mit.edu/scigen/)

24. Internal and external library resources

25. Internal and external library resources
 Library no longer has a monopoly
 Library resources + expertise
 Signpost
 Infrastructure

26. Catalogs
 books, magazines and audiovisual materials
 Information about their repository (location attribute)
 Ex.: www.unicat.be

27. Book classification

28. The VUB central library

29. Academic databases :

30. Which database should you use?
https://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/ubwebsite_database_subj_en.html#34

31. Online databases: Where to start?
Library catalogue:
http://biblio.vub.ac.be/vubissmartweb/Vubis.csp
Overview databases:
http://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/ubwebsite_database_alpha.html
Library general information
http://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO

35. Paywalls and Open Access
 Paywall= pay for access
o IP-adres
o VUBnet NetID and password
 Open Access
o Free access
o What business model?
oEx. PLoS one, Doaj, arXiv

36. Examples of external sources
 Images
o http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online
o http://closertovaneyck.kikirpa.be/
o https://archive.org/details/paulotlet
 Audio
o http://research.culturalequity.org/rc-b2/home-audio.jsp
 Lectures
o http://videolectures.net/
o http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm
o Itunes University

37. Successfully Managing source research

38. Keywords
o Synoniemen
o Vertalingen
o Enkel- of meervoud
o Narrower term
o Broader term
o Related term

39. Searches
 Boolean search terms
o AND OR NOT

40. Resource Manager
 Use a reference manager

41.  Storing and organizing references (citations)
 Editing of bibliographic data
 Exporting bibliographies
 Management of full-text docs
 Integration into word processing software
What can you do with a reference manager?

42. Alternatives
 Thomas Reuters
 Web app en desktop
 Latest version: X7
 Prijs: € 217.74
 Search external databases

43. Alternatives
 Thomas Reuters
 Online only
 Free
 Limit of 50.000 references
 2GB webspace

44. Alternatives
 Open-source
 Web app and desktop
 Center for History and New
Media of George Mason University
 Free
 300MB webspace
 Originally an add-on for firefox

45. Alternatives
 ProQuest
 $100 / year
 Integration with other ProQuest products
and partners

46. Alternatives
 Elsevier
 Free
 2GB
 Social networking
 cross-platform/cross devices
 Desktop- and webapplication

47. Elaborated example: Mendeley

48. The web-module

49. My library (webmodule)

50. Desktop module
 Work offline
 “Drag-and-drop”
 Save files locally
 Additional functionalities
 Syncing

51. Collecting references
Compatible sites for the web importer

52. Reference managers: use
Results ICT survey summer 2013

53. Links to reference managers
Endnote http://endnote.com
EndnoteWeb https://www.myendnoteweb.com
Zotero https://www.zotero.org
RefWorks http://www.refworks.com
Vergelijkingstabel Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_reference_m
anagement_software
Introductie-filmpjes Mendeley http://www.mendeley.com/videos-tutorials
Hulpdocumenten Mendeley http://resources.mendeley.com
Compatibele sites voor de web importeur
Tutorial Informatievaardigheden AUHA
http://www.mendeley.com/import/
https://anet.ua.ac.be/wiki/auha/StartScherm

54. Questions?