Finding research evidence

http:// unihub.mdx.ac.uk / study / library

MSc DEMM PDE4222 Oct 2014

In this workshop we will look at...• How to find information

• Developing an effective search strategy

• Resources available and how to use them

• Evaluating information for quality and relevance

• Managing references

Thinking about resources

Find out moreMyUniHub > MyStudy > MyLibrary > Library Subject Guides

http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/PDE

Thinking about keywords

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rossjamesparker/89414788/

The real thing

• Keywords

• Alternative keywords

• More specific keywords

• Related subjects

IMechE Students’ Design Challenge

Finding resourcesmyUniHub > My Study > My Library > Summon

Select Summon and search for information for your project

Refining your search

Journal DatabasesmyUniHub > My Study > My Library > Databases

Choose subjects for a list of relevant journal databases

British Standards OnlineMyUniHub > MyStudy > MyLibrary > Databases > B> British Standards Online

News, trends, inspiration, forecasting

MyUniHub > MyStudy > MyLibrary > Databases > W > WGSN HomeBuildLife

Summon and journal databases provide:

• Access to quality information

• Information not available elsewhere

• Up-to-date

• Focussed/specific

• Full-text access

• Access on/off campus

• Personalize

• Citation and journal impact info

Citation searching• 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 KnowledgeMyUniHub > MyStudy > MyLibrary > Databases > W > Web of Knowledge > Web of Science

Get online help using resourcesMyUniHub > MyStudy > MyLibrary > Library Subject Guides

http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/PDE

Materials Room

http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/specialcolls

Keeping up-to-date with your subject

• Zetoc Alert

• TicTOC

• Google Alerts

More information on Library Subject Guide:

http://bit.ly/KeepingCurrentPDE

It’s not in the Library!• Inter Library Loans http://bit.ly/InterLibraryLoans

• Sconul Access http://www.access.sconul.ac.uk/sconul-access

• Other libraries http://bit.ly/visitingotherlibraries

But is it any good?

Evaluating informationImagine you are writing an essay on Robots

Have a look at the 4 items that you have been given and consider the following:

• Which items are the most relevant to your essay?

• Which items would be no use?

• Which item has the most academic authority?

• Which items might have bias?

• Which item is the most current?

• Authority

• Relevance

• Intent

• Objectivity

• Currency

Evaluating information

Referencing and PlagiarismmyUniHub > My Study > My Library > Library Subject Guides >

Prod. Des. & Des. Eng. > Information Skills > Referencing and Citation

http://bit.ly/PDref

Managing your references• Use bibliographic management software

• RefWorks and Flow

• http://bit.ly/BibManSoftwareMDX

Keeping in touch• Blog http://satlibrarian.blogspot.com

• Twitter http://twitter.com/SATlibrarian

• Library Facebook Middlesex University Library

• Library Twitter http://twitter.com/MDXLibrary

Need further help?

Your Librarian is:

Vanessa Hill v.hill@mdx.ac.uk

http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/support/unihelp/