Presentation from the 6th CILIP ARLG-SW Discover Academic Research and Training Support Conference (DARTS6). Dartington Hall, Totnes, Thursday 24th – Friday 25th May 2018

1. www.cranfield.ac.uk
Mapping the
Information Needs of
Researchers and
Research Students
Mandy Smith
Research Support Coordinator

2. Overview of presentation
• Cranfield University: an introduction
• Research Support Master Group
• Findings: researchers
• Findings: research students
• Outcomes of the project

3. Cranfield University: A premier
learning experience for professionals
• Come from outside the UK (110+ countries)
• Study part-time while in employment
20,000 CPD
760 Doctoral
4,430 Postgraduate
+ 50%

4. Cranfield Defence
and Security
Academic Provider to the MOD
through the Defence Academy of
the UK
Strategic relationships with
DSTL, AWE & BAE Systems
Leading contributor to Defence
and Human Capability Science &
Technology Centre
Urgent operational requirements
to support MOD and UK armed
forces
Security sector reform through
FCO, MOD, DFID and
international governments
Defence & Security Short Film

5. Cranfield Library
Service
• Barrington Library based at
Cranfield Defence and
Security
• Management and
Information Resource
Centre supporting the
School of Management
• Kings Norton Library based
at Cranfield Campus
Cross-campus Research
Support Master Group formed
in 2013

6. Mapping the
needs of
researchers and
research students
• A small sub-group was formed
consisting of two committee
members
• We conducted four interviews
with:
• Two researchers: one from
the physical sciences, one
from social sciences
• Two research students: one
from the physical sciences,
one from social sciences
Photo by Charles Deluvio 🇵🇭🇨🇦 on Unsplash

7. Findings:
researchers

8. Information required Information interventions
required
• Information about the
industry sector(s)
/markets/companies for
context
• Policy documents (internal
networks can be useful for
this type of information
need)
• Statistical data
• Information about legislation
• Grey literature e.g. UN, ILO,
EU, industry documents,
technical reports
• Standards, patents, etc.
• Journal articles (occasionally)
• Books (occasionally)
• Conference papers
(occasionally)
• Data management planning
• Information about different
routes to compliance and OA
options/ publishing costs
• Information about journal
rankings and impact factors
• Induction sessions for all new
staff outlining what is
available, in particular the
Research Infokit, CRIS, CERES
and OA pages
• Offer training on how to
locate grey literature and
provide links to grey
literature sources
• Inform staff about new
resources or when changes
are made to existing systems
• Provide an expertise
database listing subject
expertise, industry and
government connections
• Guidance on how to measure
impact through non-
traditional publications, such
as government and industry
documents
• Guidance on research data
management and data
management plans
Project stage:
Expressions of
interest /
Brief proposal
stage

9. Information required Information interventions
required
• Journal articles
• Books
• Conference papers
• Grey literature such as
technical reports
• Statistical data
• Policy documents and
legislation
• Standards
• Case studies
• Wikis
• Company reports
• Market research reports
• Newspapers (local, regional,
national press)
• Minimal information
interventions required unless
the information needed
cannot be accessed through
our subscriptions:
• Inter-library loans
• Purchase requests
• Assistance contacting
other institutions/
authors/libraries
Project stage:
Once the bid has
been awarded

10. Information required Information interventions
required
• Journal rankings and impact
factors
• Routes to compliance and OA
options, including research
data requirements and APC
charges
• Information about
conferences
• How to make research
outputs more widely
available
• How to measure impact
through non-traditional
outlets, such as policy
documents
• Guidance on where to
publish
• Guidance on impact factors:
• INCITES (JCR)
• Citescore
• Publish or Perish
• IRUS-UK
• Altmetrics
• Compliance:
• Open Access
• APCs
• Guidance on how to make
research data open access
• ORCID training
• How to safely promote
research outputs
• Copyright
Project stage:
Publishing and
dissemination

11. Findings:
research
students

12. Information required Information interventions
required
• Access to Library subscribed
content such as:
• Journals
• Conference papers
• eBooks
• A list of open access
resources for prospective
students to access
PhD stage:
Writing a
proposal

13. Information required Information interventions
required
• Need to know what the
library service offers
• Journal articles
• Books
• Conference papers
• Subject specific databases
• Grey literature, including
other theses
• Statistical data
• Policy documents and
legislation
• Standards, patents and IPR
advice
• How to access literature in
subject areas outside of their
core discipline
• Classified information
• Keeping up-to-date
• Referencing
• Organising and storing
literature
• Good RDM practice
• How to produce a data
management plan
• Introduction to the Library,
the Research Infokit and the
Document Supply Service
• Introduction to the Library
Reports Section
• Discovering Quality
Information session followed
by subject specific one-to-
one research support
• Keeping up-to-date guidance
• Guidance on referencing and
referencing management
software
• Guidance on systematic
literature searching
• IPR and copyright – including
copyright of own thesis
• Handling sensitive
documents
• Guidance on critical reading
and writing
• Introduction to CRIS, CERES,
OA and ORCID
• Research Data Management
training
• How to prepare and produce
a DMP
PhD stage:
Scoping study –
first year

14. Information required Information interventions
required
• Journal articles
• Books, e.g. research methods
• Conference papers
• Grey literature
• Statistical data
• Research data, e.g. UK Data
Archive
• Policy documents and
legislation
• Subject specific databases
• Standards and patents
• Papers and reports from the
Reports Section – including
sensitive material
• How and where to publish
• How to disseminate work
and make an impact
• Continued research support
from IS through one-to-one
sessions
• Literature review writing
guidance
• Acquisition of niche subject-
specific resources
• Guidance on impact factors
and where to publish
• CRIS, CERES, RDM, CORD and
OA (ongoing)
PhD stage:
Second year

15. Information required Information interventions
required
• How to keep literature
review up-to-date
• Company information
• Market research or sector
information
• Financial information
• Economic information
• Statistical data
• Journals, indexes, conference
papers, books, technical
reports, standards, etc.
• Papers and reports from the
Reports Section – including
sensitive material
• Inter-Library Loans
• How and where to publish
• How to disseminate work
and make an impact
• More one-to-one support
depending on the student
and the type of information
required
• Information on how to
publish post-thesis
publication
• Storage of research data
(licences, etc.)
PhD stage:
Third year

16. Outcomes of the
project

17. Questions?