Getting Started with your Research

1
Getting Started with your Research

• Aims
• By the end of the session you should be able to
• Select relevant keywords or search terms for
  successful information searching
• Identify relevant sources of information
• Fully utilise library services and sources of help

2
Defining the Subject

• Clarify your topic
• How can you break it down
• Define your scope
• - Publication date
• - Range type of documents
• - Geography
• - language

3
Keywords

• Synonyms
• Related terms
• Alternative spelling or American terms
• Singular/plural
• Acronyms and abbreviations
• Broader and narrower terms

Rust/corrosion
Global warming/climate change
Colour/color lift/elevator
Elephant/elephants
United Kingdom/UK
Marketing/Branding
4
What Information Sources shall I use?
Specific or Primary Sources
Research
Statistics Specialist databases
Books DVDs Journal and Newspaper Articles
General or Secondary Sources
Encyclopaedias Yearbooks Dictionaries Wikis
5
Where to look for Information Sources

• Subject Guides
• - online
• - print
• Digital Library Subject Pages

6
You dont have what I need

• The library may not necessarily have all the
  information that you need.
• Order books and articles on Inter-library Loan
• Visit other libraries
• Allow plenty of time!

7
Further Help

• Book an appointment with your subject team
• - advice on specialist information sources
• - selecting appropriate subject terms
• Other Lunchtime in the Library session
• - How Do I reference
• - Lunchtime Surgery bring along your questions

8
Session Evaluation

• Library website Training sessions - Cambridge