I did my undergraduate degree way back in the 1990s. When I wasn’t listening to The Smiths or watching Dallas, I spent hours looking for relevant books and articles in the college library. Returning over 20 years later to do a postgraduate degree, I found the research experience had been transformed by computer technology. Hard copy books and journals are obviously still relevant, but online resources often play a more significant role. With so much information readily available it is essential to know where and how to carry out efficient and useful research.
Getting Started It may seem obvious, but you should begin by searching your University library catalogue. This will enable you to locate books (both hard copy and e-books), journals and sometimes dissertations and thesis kept by the institution. If you do not have a specific author or title in mind, then a keyword search is the best way to start. Also you can ask for help from coursework writer online or find some online service that provide such services.
Many academic libraries provide invaluable subject guides directing students to relevant class marks, journals and online resources. For a good example see the guides offered by Leeds Metropolitan University.
Information Databases Most higher education institutions now subscribe to information databases which provide electronic access to academic publications. Databases make it far easier to locate relevant articles than in the old daysof leafing through dusty, heavy, bound journals. You can search across multiple information sources (such as journals and reports) and often get a direct link to full text. Examples include Emerald , IBSS and Sage Journals . There are some databases, such as Press Display, which index newspapers from around the world.
Searching Techniques Information databases usually have help pages which provide guidance on effective searching and it is recommended that you consult them as there tend to be differences between databases. However, there are a couple of key techniques which, when utilised, can enhance search results.
Boolean Logic. Using Boolean operators (And, Or, And Not) can refine a search and make results more relevant. Truncation. This is used to search for words with the same root, for example, by putting a truncation symbol * to the word read you can search for read, reading, reader, readership etc. The symbol used for truncation, however, may vary between database so (as mentioned before) it is useful to read the help pages. It is important to keep an accurate record of searches conducted (keywords used and results found) so that you don’t waste time by repeating yourself. To avoid being accused of plagiarism it is vital to also use a citation system such as Harvard referencing. The Internet Many of us regularly use a search engine such as Google or Yahoo to look for information on the Internet. However, in terms of academic research, it is important to become selective in the information we access. The Internet is largely unregulated and there is a chaotic mix of information, often lacking adequate authority and citation. Here is a list of web-sites which can help filter the good resources from the bad:
If you are going to use Google for academic research then ensure that you use Google Scholar as this limits the search to academic articles. Intute is a subject gateway providing a free guide to the best resources for different academic subjects. Unfortunately, from July 2011 (due to withdrawal of funding), the site is no longer adding further resources to its catalogue – but is still useful for its archive of material and will be accessible still for the next 3 years. Similarly, BUBL has ceased to be updated from this year. However, this site is a catalogue of Internet resources usefully organised by Dewey decimal classification system – so if you know where you normally find useful books on your library shelves then you can look at the same class mark online. Biz/ed has a learning zone of useful resources for business studies students, with topics as wide ranging as accountancy and travel. Using Resources at other Libraries Sconul Access enables higher education students in the UK and Ireland to use other academic libraries. You can access specialised collections at other institutions or to visit a University which is nearer your home during vacations.
There is also The British Library which has extensive digitalised collections (such as British Newspapers 1800-1900) in addition to holding a copy of every publication in the UK and Ireland. You can use the reading rooms in either London or Boston Spa, Yorkshire.
And don’t forget to look in your local public library for relevant hard copy and electronic resources.
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