Design 119 Starting research project

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Design 119 Starting research project

• Nigel May
• Academic Support Manager

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Searching for information

• Where do you start?
• Using books rather than the web
• Using the Library catalogue Voyager
• Locating journal articles
• Using the web
• The importance of citing and referencing your
  work

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Where to start

• Clarify and understand what exactly you have to
  do.
• Deconstruct your essay/project title
• Select out the important keywords and concepts
• Think about related keywords (synonyms)
• Think about using more specific or more
  general keywords

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Keywords

• Example- Power Generation
• Related-
• Power supply Energy supply etc.
• More Specific-
• Electricity Supply
• More General-
• Technology Technological

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Why keywords are important

• Do not search for the essay title alone
• If one set of keywords dont deliver you with
  information, try a different set
• Remember to use plurals and be aware of US
  spelling
• There is no excuse There was no information

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Why books are as important as the web.

• All books will have been through an editorial
  process and information validated.
• Information is written within a much broader
  context
• The author is clearly identifiable
• Sources/references will be clearly identified
• Date of Publication easily identified
• Information can never to changed

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Using the Library Catalogue - Voyager

• Voyager terminals in the Library
• Student Portal MyCourse Library pages
  Electronic Resources
• When searching for particular books use -
• Simple Search - Keyword
• When searching for books on a subject use-
• Advanced Search

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Library Pages - via the Portal
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Voyager Advanced Search
Note the use of related keywords Use of the ?
Wildcard ethic, ethics, ethical Any of these
will ensure the search looks for one or other of
the terms.
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Voyager Search results
Note Shelfmark 3 letter suffix Ordinary loan
3 weeks Status available book is on the
shelf
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Journal articles

• One of the major ways that engineers communicate
• Most journals require articles to peer-reviewed
  before they are published.
• Information in journals has been verified and
  checked
• Sources of information are clearly identified

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Locating Journals on Voyager
Remember that you are only searching words in the
journal title you will not find specific
articles in Voyager
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Journal Title keyword - results
Journal titles that have Engineering design in
the title. Shelfmark Electronic copy available
MAY deliver full text of the articles or only
abstract
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Finding journal articles

• You cannot find them using Voyager
• You could identify a journal title of interest
  and browse through past copies.
• The best way is to use Electronic databases
  available via the Library E-Resources web page

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Finding Journal titles via Voyager
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Journal title search on Voyager - results
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Following the links to Full text articles
Link to full text articles Note only available
between 1995 2002 If Full text not delivered
check the E-Journals A-Z list for the journal
title and follow the links. (See next slides)
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E-Resources via the Library pages
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Electronic Resources
Range of E-Resources available Try them out for
yourself
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Abstracts in New Technology and Engineering

• Covers literature from 1981 to date
• Updated monthly
• From 350 academic trade publications
• Includes New Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer
  New Scientist etc

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Abstracts in New Technology and Engineering plus
others
You can select other databases that might help
identify related journal articles e.g. BHI
Social , Political issues DAAI Design issues
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Keyword search using ANTE, BHI, DAAI
Use the Advanced Search option Identify the
related keywords Use the wildcard to find
similar words ethic, ethics, ethical
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ANTE, BHI Search Results
Number search results Newspaper for full text
of article you will need to use the
E-Newspapers Full text Linking if the link does
not deliver Full text go back to E-Journals A-Z
List Check any journal title against Voyager
Journal Title search
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Using the web - evaluating

• Think about the-
• Accuracy who wrote it? Are they qualified?
• Check the HOME PAGE
• Authority where is the host sited?
• .edu .gov .org
• Objectivity is there a bias? Are there adverts?
• Currency do the links still work? Is the site
  dated?
• Referencing know how to reference websites/
  webpages

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Referencing your work advice on the PORTAL
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Detail in the Referencing Guide
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Conclusions

• Think about the keywords you will be using to
  search word stems, synonyms, broader and
  narrower terms.
• Get to know how to use Voyager and how to find
  books in the Library.
• Know how to find journal titles on Voyager
• Use the E-journals, E-Newspapers and E-Databases
  on the E-Resources pages
• Know how to look for journal articles using
  E-databases

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Further Conclusions

• Understand the purpose of evaluating all web
  resources used.
• Understand the important of the HOME PAGE
• Referencing your work - know where to find advice
  on the PORTAL
• Remember that searching for information needs
  planning and takes time.

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Finally

• Help is available-
• This presentation will be available in the Module
  Folder
• The Library Enquiry desk staff will provide
  general guidance Library LEVEL 1
• Ask colleagues for help/advice
• You can contact me direct
• nigel.may _at_plymouth.ac.uk