This document provides guidance on finding resources for research and outlines several strategies and tools. It discusses defining a search strategy including keywords and subject areas. It also covers using library resources, search engines like Google with advanced search features, Google Scholar, and open educational resources. Specific websites are listed for searching, libraries, referencing, and accessing open educational resources through repositories like OER Commons, OpenLearn, Khan Academy, and Jorum.

1. Finding resources
2014 Content

2. • Define your search strategy
• Using search engines (google tips)
• Using your library’s resources
• Referencing and citation
• Open Educational Resources (OER)
Overview

3. Define your search strategy
Planning your essay/topic for research
»http://www.xmind.net/
»http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9vXWl-ChU8
What keywords can you use to describe your topic (consider
synonyms or variant spellings)
»http://www.onelook.com/reverse-dictionary.shtml
What subject area might your topic fall under
»http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Main_Page
»http://pp5lw2jm6m.search.serialssolutions.com/?L=PP5LW2JM
6M

4. Define your search strategy II
• Do you need primary or secondary sources
• Popular or scholarly publications
• Up to minute information or resources that
cover a specific time period
• Covering a specific geographic area or that
were published in a particular place
• What language is the material required in

5. Fact or Fiction
Presentation
Relevance
Objectivity
Method
Provenance
Timeliness
www.open.ac.uk/infoskills-researchers/resources/S5_PROMPT_Checklist.pdf

6. Googleofferings
Advanced search tools -
http://www.google.com/advanced_searchGoogle
Scholar - http://scholar.google.co.uk/
Google News - http://news.google.co.uk
Google Blog Search -
http://www.google.co.uk/blogsearch?hl=en-GB

7. Activity 1
Time to Google Better !
Spend some time finding out about a topic of
your choice using the advanced search
features or some of the alternative Google
tools.

8. www.jisc.ac.uk/content

9. www.suncat.ac.uk/

10. Sources in
your library…
www.abcol.ac.uk/facilities/library/

11. Honour thy creators
www.abcol.ac.uk/facilities/library/library-publications.cfm

12. 12
https://auth.nls.uk/ldc/

13. 13
https://auth.nls.uk/ldc/browse.cfm?by=subject

14. What are Open Educational Resources?
Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching and learning
materials that are freely available online for everyone to use,
whether you are an instructor, student or self-learner.
Examples of OER include: full courses, course modules,
syllabi, lectures, homework assignments, quizzes, lab and
classroom activities, pedagogical materials, games,
simulations, and many more resources contained in digital
media collections from around the world
OER Commmons
http://bit.ly/oerinfokit
Last accessed October 2013
14

15. www.open.edu/openlearn/

16. www.khanacademy.org

17. http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm

18. www.oercommons.org

19. www.apple.com/education/resources/

20. http://www.jorum.ac.uk/

21. www.resourceshare.ac.uk/

22. Hands on Activity
Select a collection of your choice
containing OERs and see what you can
find to support an area of the
curriculum you offer.