Researching information

1
Researching information

• A survival guide

2
Objectives

• List sources of information
• Identify advantages and disadvantages of each
  source
• Know how to use a search engine
• Use an OPAC
• Access and search online resources e.g.
  encyclopaedias,newspaper archives
• Find and use online journals
• Reference sources

3
Traditional Sources

• Books
• Journals
• Newspapers
• Reports
• The Media
• Organisations
• Individuals

4
THE INTERNET!!!

• Do you really know how to use a search engine?
• PROS
• Often up to date
• Can find information on anything
• CONS
• Can give too many results time consuming to
  sort through
• Can return lots of irrelevant/misleading
  information
• Anybody can say anything that they like
  Wikipedia?
• CHOICE OF SEARCH WORDS IS CRUCIAL

5
Search Principles

• What exactly is the topic youre researching?
• What are the 4 keywords that describe it?
• Are there any similar words?
• Are there more specific keywords?
• Can you combine the keywords/eliminate others
  using operators or quotation marks?

6
Online library resources

• Journals
• E-books
• Subscribed sites
• How do you search your libraries resources?
• Use an OPAC
• Use a librarian!