This document provides an overview of library services and resources available to support academic research at Royal Holloway University of London. It outlines four main steps for conducting effective research: 1) planning your search strategy; 2) identifying relevant resources and databases; 3) searching for information using keywords and adjusting searches; and 4) managing and referencing results. Key resources mentioned include the Modern Languages subject guide, LibrarySearch database, RefWorks citation manager, and accessing materials off-campus using a VPN. Contact details are provided for library staff assistance.

1. SMLLC Academics Skills:
Information & Research Skills
libguides.rhul.ac.uk/modernlanguages
November 2013
Russell Burke
Library Services

2. Aims of the session
Library
Services
• Overview of Library Services available to support your essay research
• Step 1 - Plan and conduct a literature search
• Step 2 - Use LibrarySearch and subject specific resources to find information
• Step 3 - Use more advanced search techniques
• Step 4 - Manage references to generate bibliographies using RefWorks
• Access eresources off-campus
• Using other libraries
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3. Library
Services
My essay question / research topic:
What do I want to find out?

4. Library
Services
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5. Developing your search strategy
“In the avant-garde films of the 1920s, everything we see,
including the human being, is subservient to rhythm &
movement.”
Main concepts
1. avant-garde films
2. 1920s
3. What we see on film
4. Rhythm & movement
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Alternative terms
Experimental, art, modernist /
cinema, filmmaking …
Early 20th Century, pre-war,
silent era …
Mise-en-scène, frame(d),
screen, shot, represented …
Pace, flow, repetition, flow,
editing …
Library
Services

6. Step One: Think about your own research
topic & related concepts and write down the
keywords that you need to search for

7. Library
Services
Now that I know what I want to find out:
What resources would I use?

8. Selecting information sources
Library
Services
Drama Subject Guide: libguides.rhul.ac.uk/Drama
Online databases: libguides.rhul.ac.uk/Databases
LibrarySearch: librarysearch.rhul.ac.uk
Senate house library catalogue: ull.ac.uk
Other internet resources…
These can also be found on the main Library webpage

9. Library
Services
Why can’t I just use Google?
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10. Step 2: Go to the Modern Languages Subject Guide and note
down which resources or types of resources you think you
would use to carry out your research

11. Library
Services
Now that I know what I want to find out
& where to find the resources:
How do I search for information
on my topic?

12. Making the most of synonyms
Library
Services
Use wildcard characters ($ ? * -) to replace letters in search terms
Examples
theat* - finds theatre, theater, theatrical, etc.
wom*n - finds women, woman, etc.
NB: Help pages in online databases will explain which character is used as
the wildcard
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13. Combining keywords - too many results?
Library
Services
Narrow your search using AND
e.g. avant-garde AND film
Results
Results
containing
containing
BOTH
AVANT-GARDE
TERMS
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Results
containing
FILM

14. Combining keywords - too few results?
Library
Services
Broaden your search using OR
e.g. role OR function
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15. Combining keywords – phrase searching
Library
Services
“À la recherche du temps perdu”
“French New Wave”
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16. Step three: think about how you will combing keywords
and enter your search queries (adjusting terms as you
need to)

17. Library
Services
Now that I have found information on
my topic:
How do I know that it is what I
want and good quality
material?

18. Reviewing & evaluating your research
Library
Services
Do you have
enough / too
much
information?
Do you need to
review your
underlying
research
question?
Is the
information
current / within
the date you
require
Is it relevant to
your research?
Does it answer
the whole
question?

19. Library
Services
Now that I have the information (books,
chapters, journal articles, webpages
etc) that I need:
How do I manage &
reference them?

20. Keeping track of useful items
Library
Services
• Emailing links to yourself
• Using the e-shelf in LibrarySearch
• Log in to LibrarySearch
• Click on the star icon beside useful results
• Go to ‘e-shelf’
• Create baskets, email, export results
• Most other eresources provide these functions
• Exporting references to RefWorks
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21. RefWorks
Library
Services
Bibliographic management software
Capture, save and organise references
Access it via the Online Resources A-Z lists
Contains online self-help tutorials
Library RefWorks sessions:
Check the Library Information Skills Training Session on the Subject guide:
http://libguides.rhul.ac.uk/

22. Step four: save the results that you need (references,
abstracts, URL links, full text) and organise these so that
you can find them when you need them

23. Access online resources off-campus
Library
Services
Royal Holloway ‘Campus Anywhere’ (VPN)
The only way to access all of our electronic resources off campus is
to install the Virtual Private Network (VPN) service, known as
'CampusAnywhere'.

24. Using other libraries
You all get free access to Senate House Library (SHL)
Online registration for SHL’s eresources
see the Library subject Guide for Modern Languages
Library
Services

25. Questions?
Library
Services
Russell Burke
Information Consultant
2-07 Bedford Library
Royal Holloway University of London
Russell.Burke@rhul.ac.uk
01784 414065
SEE THE LIBRARY SUBJECT GUIDE
FOR MODERN LANGUAGES / SMLLC
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Leo Reynolds. Flickr. CC-BY-NA