This document provides an overview of library basics at Middlesex University. It discusses logging into the university systems, finding keywords for research topics, using the Summon discovery tool to search for resources, refining searches, accessing full-text materials both on and off campus, and getting help from librarians. The workshop covers keywords, Summon, subject-specific databases, interlibrary loans, citations, and social media for staying updated on the library.
How to find information for your projects
How to develop an effective search strategy when you need to find information for an essay or project
The range of resources available and how to use them to find good quality and relevant information
Evaluating information for quality and relevance
Managing references
Research from Uni of Huddersfield shows that correlation between library usage and good grades.
More information about the range of resources available on the Library Subject Guide plus useful online guides eg. how to find information for your project.
Group discussion:
What can you see in the picture…fruit
If type ‘fruit’ into database will get millions of hits, how can you break it down ie. search for something more specific to get more manageable results
Can you be more specific ie.
Type of fruit: apples, oranges, bananas etc
Location: Stall, market, outdoor market, fruit market, Britain
Detail: boxes, signs, astroturf, prices, colour of fruit, lights, pound £ signs, special offer etc
People in background: old, young, male, female > stall holder, customers, browsers etc
Think of related subjects eg.
retail, commercial, financial, point-of-sale
Shopping, shops, fish/meat/clothes market, shopping centres, high street
Town, city, centre, British town
Nutrition: vits and mins
Also:
Orange or Blackberry: fruit NOT telephone
Apple: fruit NOT computer
Thinking beyond the obvious, looking for the detail that might make a difference.
Hand out worksheet.
5 mins.
Feedback.
Need to carry out a literature search:
Finding the information available on a subject
Finding information to inform, underpin and shape your research
Finding what has already been written on a subject
Analyzing, evaluating and making judgements about the info found
Identifying the main trends
Finding appropriate information: the information needs to be suitable for your need ie. right level, current if important, sufficient breadth or detail etc
Show the students how to refine their search using:
FT
Content type
Subject terms
Publication date
Language etc
Have another go.
CS £1397 IEEE Xplore £61,000 Summon £16k
Access to quality academic information eg. Peer reviewed journal articles, conference proceedings , research etc
Information not available elsewhere
Up-to-date
Focussed/specific....not designed to sell you things, search results not sponsored
Full-text access
Access on/off campus
Personalize eg. In MyEBSCO, once signerd up you can:
Save preferences
Organise research within folders
Share folders
Save search history
Create email alerts/Rss feeds for searches and subjects
Can provide citation and journal impact info > more info on next slide
More information about the range of resources available on the Library Subject Guide plus useful online guides eg. how to find information for your project.
Inter Library Loan service: request copies of books and journals not held by MDX. £3 charge. Register as DL first. More info on our website.
SCONUL Access http://www.access.sconul.ac.uk/ The SCONUL Access Scheme provides reciprocal access and borrowing rights for staff and students to approximately 170 member institutions in the UK. Apply online.
Other libraries (specialist, catalogues etc):
British Library http://www.bl.uk/
COPAC http://copac.ac.uk/ COPAC is a union catalogue that gives access to the merged online catalogues of members of the Consortium of University Research Libraries (CURL). Twenty major university libraries currently contribute to COPAC.
Search25 http://www.search25.ac.uk/: helps you discover library resources across London and the South East. You can also see where the libraries are and find out how to visit them.
SUNCAT http://www.suncat.ac.uk/ SUNCAT, a union catalogue of serials (periodicals) for the UK, is a tool for locating serials held in UK libraries.