psy3330 literature searching for your dissertation: lecture
TRANSCRIPT
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Literature searching for your dissertation
unihub.mdx.ac.uk / study / library
PSY3330
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What we will cover today
• Finding Tests – where and how
• Simple searches: Summon vs Google
• Keywords and search operators (* “ ” etc)
• Advanced searches: WOS and PsycINFO
• Referencing
• Where you can get help
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Example of coursework marking criteria
10% Introduction
15% Overview
30% Critical analysis
15% Discussion
10% Conclusion
10% Referencing
10% Quality etc
Maximum marks for a well referenced and accurate description of [subject] using suitable references
Maximum of 10 marks for a list of references which is both relevant, and correctly given in APA style
Maximum of 10 marks for quality, style of writing and presentation
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Finding resourcesmyUniHub > My Study > My Library
Access all sorts of online resources here!
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Or author/test name search
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Click here to limit to full text
TESTS
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Psychology department test library
— Myunihub > My study > My Learning > PSY3330— NOT in Sheppard Library!— Find index of tests (word document) — Download and complete Test Request form.
Hand or Email to Nicky Brunswick • TG61 – [email protected] (Wednesday – Friday only).
– Subject: ‘Test Library Request’– Give name and Student ID and copy in your supervisor
— She will collect the test when possible — You will not get the test immediately
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Look for tests from previous studies in journal articles
—They may be in the appendix
—You may find the authoritative test by Googling (confirm with tutor)
—Email academics: They may send you the test, and often lots more useful info too!
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Simple searches
Google Scholar• Simple search function• Searches many journal
websites• Not all full text
(but can set up to access MDX journals through Unihub)
• Up to date articles from the big publishers – not so good coverage of small journals
• Hard to filter • Searching all subject areas
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Summon vs Google Summon
• Simple search function• Google for University
resources• Searches many journal
databases and subscriptions
• A lot of full text• Up to date – largest databases
updated daily/weekly• Easy to filter to Psychology
journals
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SynonymsCriminal Drug addiction Treatment
Criminal* “Substance abuse” Therapy
Offender* “Illicit drugs” Counsel*
Convict* “Illegal drugs” Program*
“Criminal population”
Inmate*
“Criminal justice system”
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Narrower Terms
Criminal Drug addiction Treatment
“Youth offender*”
“repeat offender*”
“first time offender*”
“violent offender*”
HMP
“serial offenders”
“vulnerable offenders”
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Other ways to narrow your topic
• People or participants:– Racial/cultural/nationality groups– Age– Type of participant
• Way you measure it• Sub-factors (E.g. Media effect on
self esteem):– Fashion and Beauty media– Effect on body image or self worth– Among Women / students
– Among students in UK/Dubai/Mauritius
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Keywords activity
• Piece of paper per row with a topic on it
• Each person add either a synonym or narrower term for
that idea or concept
• Pass the paper along your row
• Can it make it all the way along the row without running
out of words?
• Remember UK/US spellings and you can Google for
synonyms!
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Databases for research articles myUniHub > My Study > My Library > Databases
Search for database by letter, then name
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Get better results & find things faster• Spelling US v UK:
• behavior / behaviour • counselor / counsellor
• Truncate *: • Offend* = offending, offender, offenders • Counsel* = counselling, counsellor,
counsellors• Behav* = behavior, behaviour, behavioural,
behavioral
• Phrases (exact words in that order)• “substance abuse”• “cogntive behav* therapy”
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Web of Science – Results MyUniHub > MyStudy > MyLibrary > Databases > W > Web of Science
Gives you a hyperlinked
list of articles which cite this article
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Citation searching
• Which articles have cited an earlier article• Updates to the research study you’ve been looking at• Find articles on similar/related subject• How many times an article has been cited• Best journals in your field
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Repeat and improve = improved results• Try different things• React to your searches – why is there too much/not
enough?• Follow citations• Expand your keywords as you go • Alternative or new keywords in results— Re-run your searches
• More of this in week 7 workshops
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Getting full text of journal articles
• Troubleshooting guide can be found here http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/psyaccess
• Double check library catalogue• Copy journal title into search• Choose ‘journal keyword’ • Find record • Find correct date
• Go to Author’s website/institution’s repository
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Cite them right
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examples Gives you a formatted example to type over
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Managing your references• 2 choices of referencing software at MDX
• Flow – simple to use, limited functionality, fine for essays
• Refworks – slightly more complex to use but more functional
• Both will allow you to import citations from databases and both will format your reference list for you.
• Go to Psychology Library Subject Guide and find the section on referencing
libguides.mdx.ac.uk/psy/referencing
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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
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More help
• Book onto a dissertation workshop in week 7
• Links in My learning > PSY3330
• If working on a group project try and come in
your groups
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Need help?
• Psychology Library Subject Guide
http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/psy
• Librarians in the StudyHub (1st floor) Monday – Friday 9-5
• Viv – your librarian [email protected]