Searching Information Resources for ProjectsOctober 2010

Debra Avent-Gibson

By the end of this presentation you should be able to:

• Understand structure of the literature and resources available for your topic

• Understand the importance of constructing a search strategy

• Be able to identify key resources

Where should you look? Created by Wordle.net

Research Process

1. Starting out

2. Search strategy

3. Review & evaluate

4. Locating your references

5. Writing up

Starting out: Thinking about your topic

Reference books and textbooks• Provide structure of subject area• Locate concepts and keywords

Mind maps and brainstorming

bubbl.us

Simplemind – ipod/iphone app

Mind map

Search strategy planning

• Select appropriate subject database• Use keywords for your search terms• Use refine and limit options

• Boolean operators – AND, OR, NOT• Truncation - *$?• Parenthesis – ( )

• Thesaurus

Review & evaluate results

• Read the abstract – is it relevant?

• Mark useful references and either save or email them

• Keep a list of your references and details of the search strategy

Locating your references

• Library Catalogue for print• Full text via the butt button• Material not held in the Library

Demo

Writing up

• Plagiarism

• Citing and referencing – acknowledging your sources

• Endnote Web

Library lunchtime sessions

Endnote Web - web-based referencing service• Collects, stores, imports, exports and shares

references• Creates reading lists, bibliographies and

references• Searches academic databases and

catalogues to find resources

Want to know more?

• Look out for the orange posters in libraries, departments and halls of residence

• Sessions this term running across the campus during October and November

• No booking required – just turn up• Check the websitehttp://www.bristol.ac.uk/is/library/findinginformation/induction_sessions2010.html

• Further sessions will run in Spring Term

Subject Team

• Faculty Librarian - Debra Avent-Gibson • Subject Librarians

• Meg Humphries (Aerospace and Civil)• James Webley (Computer Science, Eng Mathematics,

Electrical & Electronic, and Mechanical Engineering)

• lib-engineering@bristol.ac.uk

• Extension number 87942