Download - Forum for the Future Sept 2013
Finding research evidence
Forum for the Future
http:// unihub.mdx.ac.uk / study / library
In this workshop we will look at...
• How to find information for your project
• Developing an effective search strategy
• Resources available and how to use them
• Evaluating information
• Keeping up-to-date
• Managing references
Using the right information source
Library Subject Guideshttp://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/wbl
myUniHub > My Study > My Library
Thinking about keywords
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rossjamesparker/89414788/
The real thing
• Keywords
• Alternative keywords
• More specific keywords
• Related subjects
Your project exercise
So far so good
So far we’ve looked at:
• Choosing the right resource
• Coming up with useful keywords
Next:
• Searching, evaluating, and keeping up-to-date
Accessing resourcesmyUniHub > My Study > My Library
Select Summon and try out your keywords.
Summon questions
Citation indexes• Which articles have cited an earlier article
• Find articles on similar/related subject
• How many times an article has been cited
• Best journals in your field
Web of ScienceMyUniHub > MyStudy > MyLibrary > Databases > W
Keeping up-to-date with your subject
• Journal databases
• Table of Contents Alerts
• Google Alerts
• Blogs
More information in Library Subject Guides
Is it any good?
But is it any good?
In pairs discuss:
3 criteria for evaluating the quality of information
• Authority : Who is the author? What is their knowledge base/qualifications? How have they carried out their research?
• Relevance : Is this what I need? Will it answer my question? Is it at the right level?
• Intent : What is the purpose of information e.g. financial gain, propaganda, academic etc?
• Objectivity : Balanced view? Opposing views represented? Links to supporting information?
• Currency: How old is this information? When was it last updated and by whom?
Evaluating information
But it’s not in the Library!
• Inter Library Loans
• Alumni at old uni
• More information:
http://bit.ly/visitingotherlibraries
Referencing and PlagiarismmyUniHub > My Study > My Library > Library Subject Guides
http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/plagiarismreferencing
Managing your references• Use bibliographic management software
• RefWorks
• myUniHub > MyStudy > MyLibrary > Databases > R
• More information http://bit.ly/RefWorkshelp
Keeping in touch• Librarian Blog http://wbllibrarian.blogspot.co.uk/
• Librarian Twitter https://twitter.com/WBLLibrarian
• Library Facebook Middlesex University Library
• Library Twitter http://twitter.com/MDXLibrary
• MDX App http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/support/app/index.aspx
Need further help?
Adam Edwards and Adam Miller
Ask a Librarian
http://askalibrarian.mdx.ac.uk/