This document provides information for students on accessing library resources and conducting research at the University of Leicester. It outlines how to access electronic resources off-campus using a CFS username and password. It also explains how to search the library catalog and databases, evaluate websites, cite references, and seek help from the information librarian.

1. Pen Green MA in Integrated Provision for Children and Families Jenny Hills Information Librarian University of Leicester Email jh118@le.ac.uk

3. Links to digital resources

4. Subject Rooms

5. E-Link

6. Catalogue

9. Email Email address is also provided when you register for CFS At the University of Leicester your email address takes the form of your username followed by @leicester.ac.uk or @le.ac.uk- for example abc5@le.ac.uk All library and university communications are sent to your UNIVERSITY email

10. Accessing your email off-campus Go to http://webmail.le.ac.uk/ Click on the Logon to yourmailbox link Select required options Type your CFS username and your CFS password in the appropriate boxes Click on Log On

11. Finding books Use the Library Catalogue to find books available at University of Leicester Libraries – https://library.le.ac.uk/ Login to the Catalogue using your Library No and PIN in order to - reserve books check your account to see how many books you have on loan and when due back renew books

12. Library No and PIN number Your Library No is the 10 digit barcode number on your ID card (usually begins 075……..) Your PIN number is sent by email and is a 4 digit number (this can be changed via the Library Catalogue)

13. Accessing electronic journals Leicester E-link lists all the journals which are available online at University of Leicester Libraries – http://www.le.ac.uk/li/ Use e-link to find references to specific journal articles – A Father’s Interactions with His Toddler: Personal and Professional Lessons for Early Childhood Educators Early Childhood Education Journal Vol 36 (2) Oct 2008 p127-134

14. Searching for information in journals You want to find some articles on ‘Working with parents or families in early years education’ Think about keywords and synonyms - work*parent* or famil* early years education (or early childhood education?) (* is used to find all different word endings)

15. Where to search for information? For any academic work you must be searching for articles in peer-reviewed journals or practitioner journals General searching using Google or Wikipedia is not enough and not recommended – no guaranteeof accuracy or quality

16. Use a database to search for articles Links to all databases available via the Leicester Digital Library web pages at http://www.le.ac.uk/library/digital/index.html British Education Index - indexes over 350 English-language journals and other forms of literature in the field of education and training. ASSIAis the main database for social work and indexes articles from about 650 journals relating to social and health care services. SCOPUSis an abstracts database covering articles from 14,000 peer-reviewed journals. Subject coverage includes Social Sciences and Education.

17. Searching the internet Lots of useful information out there but also lots of inaccurate and out-of-date material too Google does not discriminate! But there are ways to find good quality material ….………………

18. Subject gateways Gateways are developed by subject specialist staff and link ONLY to QUALITY, EVALUATED resources One of the most comprehensive is INTUTE Education http://www.intute.ac.uk/education/ See links under Pre-school education

19. Use Google Advanced Search Access from main Google search screen at http://www.google.co.uk/ Allows you to Search within a site or domain Use .ac.ukto find material from academic institutions in the UK Use .org.ukto find material from British organisations Use .gov.ukto find British government information and publications

20. Evaluating websites Who wrote the information and why? Is the author an expert? Who published it and why? Is the information biased? Is the information accurate? Is the information up-to-date?

21. Online tutorial For more information on evaluating websites you can look at the section entitled Judge on INTERNET SOCIAL WORKER at http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/tutorial/socialwork

22. Referencing A bibliographical reference should contain sufficient information for someone else or yourself to trace the item in a library. It is very important to be consistent and accurate when citing references. The same set of rules should be followed every time you cite a reference. Most academic writing requires you to use the Harvard system to compile the reference list for your assignment. Citations in the text should give the author’s name with the year of publication and then all references should be listed in alphabetical order at the end of the paper/dissertation. …Info taken from your Student Handbook

23. Harvard Method There are examples of how to reference using Harvard Method in your Student Handbook Student Support and Development Service at the University of Leicester also provides guidance and training - see http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ssds/sd/ld/resources/writing/ref-bib

24. When to reference? “All statements, opinions, conclusions etc. taken from another writer’s work should be acknowledged, whether the work is directly quoted, paraphrased or summarised”. …From Student Handbook

25. Plagiarism PlagiarismPlagiarism is to take the work of another person and use it as if it were one’s own in such a way as to mislead the reader. Sometimes plagiarism happens inadvertently, where students fail to read instructions about or do not understand the rules governing the presentation of work which require sources to be acknowledged.

26. Want to find out more? The University of Leicester Student Support and Development Service offers workshops and tutorials – see http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ssds/sd/ld/help-with/plagiarism Interactive tutorial on this site is very good.

27. Inter Library Loans For material not held at Leicester Quota for postgraduates is 15 requests per year Can be requested using the library catalogue Full details on library web pages at: http://www.le.ac.uk/li/services/interlibrary.html

28. Need further help? Contact Jenny Hills for help with literature searching, using databases, finding electronic journals etc Jenny Hills Tel 0116 252 3101 Email jh118@le.ac.uk