A training session presented to the Management Accounting Honors students at Stellenbosch University.

1. Library Training:
School of Accountancy
PeplerHead
FacultyLibrarian:EconomicandManagementSciences
peplerh@sun.ac.za

2. In this session we’ll be looking at
Search techniques (Identify Keywords & use Boolean;
Quick& Easy Search Technique; Pearl Growing Search
Technique)
Distinguishing between sources (referencing)
 evaluating sources
Finding credible academic sources
Plagiarism
2

3. Library Guides
3
Find appropriate databases
on your specific library guide

4. 4
Searching for sources
How to search effectively

5. Step 1: Identify your keywords
5
Write down your topic:
The influence of the internet on real estate agencies
Main Concepts:
internet
Real estate agencies

6. Step 2: Identify Synonyms
6
Internet Web
Real Estate Agencies Property agencies
The influence of the internet on real estate agencies

7. Step 3: Combine Keywords
7
Boolean Operators - AND / OR / NOT
AND – returns results with both keywords
OR – returns results with one or the other keyword
NOT – returns results excluding specific keywords

8. Step 3: Combine Keywords
8
Boolean Operators - AND / OR / NOT

9. Step 3: Combine Keywords
9
Boolean Operators - AND / OR / NOT
Quotation Marks “ ” – keep keywords together, for
exact phrase searching
Brackets ( ) – keep concepts together, used for
synonyms

10. Step 3: Combine Keywords
10
Search phrase:
Internet AND “real estate agencies”

11. Finding credible academic sources
Reliability:
From a reputable source/institution- publisher, University, Research Unit,
Company
Authority:
Creator is an expert in their field, and affiliated with a reputable institution
Validity :
The research was conducted in a manner that is commonly accepted in the
field, and is evident in the article
Accuracy:
The information can be verified
11

12. Reliable internet sources
Any Website ending in:
.org; .gov; .edu; .ac
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13. Good news
Using Academic Databases provided by the library will
assist you in finding relevant, credible information for your
assignments. Examples:
Google Scholar
Science Direct
SUN Search (Library Catalogue)
Emerald
13

14. 14
Distinguishing between sources
Book Journal Article
Report

15. 15
Book
A published work on a specific topic,
usually contains chapters. Can be
hardcopy or electronic. Written by a
specific person (author), or under an
editor. It will have:
• Publisher
• Place of publication
• Year
• ISBN

16. 16
Book - Example
Search the library Catalogue for book on
Management Accounting

17. 17
Book Chapter
Be careful of chapter in books that you
find electronically
Example:
Reflexivity and Development Economics
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9780230250598_
4

18. 18
Academic Journal
A periodical or serial publication in
which information on a specific topic
is published in article format. It can
be electronic or hard copy. It will
have:
• Title
• Publisher
• Year
• Volume number
• Issue number
• ISSN

19. 19
Journal - Example
Search Meditari Accountancy Research

20. 20
Academic Article
Topic specific information within an
academic discipline, published in a
Journal. It can be electronic or hard
copy. It will have:
• Source Title References
• Article title
• Abstract (summary)
• Year
• Volume number
• Issue number
• Page number

21. 21
Article - Example
Cashel-Cordo, P., & Craig, S.G. 1990. The
public sector impact of international
resource transfers. Journal of Development
Economics, 32(1),17-42.
Authors Journal title
Year Volume and issue
Article title pages

22. 22
Report
A document that presents
information in an organized format
for a specific audience and purpose,
reporting something that has been
observed, done or investigated. Can
be annual or once off. It will have
• Report title
• Author
• Corporate body/Company
• Year

23. 23
Report - Example
World Health Statistics 2018:
Monitoring Health For the SDG’s

24. 24
Databases – what is it?
A database is an electronic index (list) to journal or
magazine articles, containing citations, abstracts
and often either the full text of the articles, or links
to the full text.
It allows you to search for information using:
Keywords
Titles
Authors
Subjects

25. Journals/Magazines
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26. Journals/Magazines
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Search
Journal/Magazine

27. Journals/Magazines
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See access details

28. Journals/Magazines
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Select specific database

29. Journals/Magazines
29
Search within journal
Search
through
journal
issues

30. Journals/Magazines
30
Search within journal
using keywords

31. Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the theft and use of the ideas, material and
other intellectual property of others that are passed off as
one’s own
This can take multiple forms
31
OBVIOUS FORMS:
Buying / borrowing a paper and
copying it
Hiring somebody to write for you
Cutting and pasting text
Direct translations
Citing sources you didn’t use
LESS OBVIOUS FORMS:
Not giving proper credit
Not referencing images, etc.
Improper paraphrasing
Failing to give a proper reference
Not acknowledging outsourcing (eg.
Data)

32. Plagiarism - Examples
32
In 2016, Melania
Trump used
parts of a 2008
speech by
Michelle Obama
at her
Republican
National
Convention
speech

33. Plagiarism - Examples
33
JK Rowling has also been
accused of stealing
plotlines from various
stories to write Harry
Potter

34. Spot the plagiarism
34
Is this plagiarism?
Timmer asserts that the fundamental role of prices in
a market economy is to serve as signals for
allocating both consumption and investment
resources (Timmer, 2002: 1507). This is important,
because of the…

35. Spot the plagiarism
35
Is this plagiarism?
Timmer asserts that the fundamental role of prices
in a market economy is to serve as signals for
allocating both consumption and investment
resources (Timmer, 2002: 1507). This is important,
because of the…
Different font, so copied and pasted
No quotation marks
Reference in wrong place

36. Spot the plagiarism
36
Is this plagiarism?
Dorward comments that even the impoverished are not likely
to gain much directly as self-employed producers of trade
agricultural assets, with restricted access to land and capital
and relatively low farm earnings (2004: 4).
Even here the poor are unlikely to gain much directly as self-
employed producers of tradable agricultural commodities,
with limited access to land and capital and relatively low on-
farm incomes – original text

37. Spot the plagiarism
37
Is this plagiarism?
Dorward comments that even the impoverished are not likely
to gain much directly as self-employed producers of trade
agricultural assets, with restricted access to land and capital
and relatively low farm earnings (2004: 4).
Even here the poor are unlikely to gain much directly as self-
employed producers of tradable agricultural commodities,
with limited access to land and capital and relatively low on-
farm incomes – original text

38. Spot the plagiarism
38
Is this plagiarism?
“In his 1991 review, Sherman Robinson highlights the
theoretical tension between the neoclassical paradigm and
AGE models with financial behaviour” (Hertel, 2002: 1376).

39. Referencing
39
Know the Referencing Style that you are using
Make sure what you are referencing, different material types
are displayed differently in the bibliography
Makes sure that your in-text citations match your bibliography
Most important, be CONSISTENT

40. Referencing - Help
40

41. Referencing - Help
41

42. Referencing - Help
42

43. Research help
43

44. 44
Thank you – Any Questions?