1. Project & dissertation
resources and advice
MST8011:
Finding and
Managing
academic
information
Moira Bent
Faculty Liaison
University Library
Librarian

2. But first….we’ve changed…

4. Biology 570s

5. Literature reviews – essential for projects
Inform your research Contextualise your Identify gaps
work
Summarise, synthesise, Track key
critically evaluate issues/debates/people
Pic credit: Flickr Commons: US National Archives; Microsoft clipart

6. It needs to
be
thorough….
…but
selective
(CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) flickr.com/photos/sunlightfoundation/2385174105

7. Information overload?
Maps
Experimental data
Books
Chemical
and
Government reports
Internet E-Books physical
data
Information
resources
Commercial material Digital images
Journal
Theses
articles
Statistical data
Conf
Papers
University Library

8. Don’t sink under
the weight of all
the information!
University Library

9. Having a search strategy keeps
you afloat
• Main
• Logical terms
approach
• Related
• Use proper terms
strategies Search
Keywords • Synonyms
Techniques
Limits Info type
• How much? • Primary data
• What date? • Secondary
• How quickly? sources
• Which language • Maps/images
University Library

10. Search a
more
specialised
resource
More Found Apply
specific limits
search too (date, type
terms
much? etc)
Eg LIMIT to
Journal articles
after 2004
Combine
terms with
Eg biodiversity ‘AND’
AND fish
Flickr Commons: LSE Library

11. Search a
less
specialised
resource
Use Can’t Truncate
different your
search find search
terms enough? terms
Eg Conserv* finds conserve,
conservation, conserving
Combine
Eg sea OR ocean OR marine terms with
‘OR’

12. Start
Narrow broad
down
Keep
refining
Recipe for success!

13. Maybe you’re
looking in the
wrong place
altogether?
Or perhaps it
doesn’t exist at
all?
Flickr Commons/LSE Library and (CC BY 2.0) flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/4812269151

14. LibrarySearch is a good place to start
Includes the library
catalogue and a range
of electronic resources
Full & mobile views

15. Use Library Search
 To find printed books in the Library
 To find electronic books
 To get a general overview of a topic
 To find a few journal references for an essay
DON’T rely on Library Search as the only source for your literature
review – not all our resources are included.
University Library

16. Use your Library Guide to identify
key databases:
libguides.ncl.ac.uk/biology

17. LibrarySearch is fab!
Why use specific databases?
 To download results to EndNote
 Proquest
 Unique content for biology
 Search in images, figures and tables
 Use taxonomic terms
 Set search alerts
 Scopus
 Unique content for biology
 Set search alerts
 Search within results
University Library

18. Finding websites
http://www.intute.ac.uk
• Portal to quality information on the internet
• Resources selected by subject experts
• Provided for UK academic community
http://scholar.google.co.uk/
• Google’s search engine for academic literature
http://www.scirus.com
• Scientific search engine – filters out non-scientific sites
University Library

19. Now you have all
the info you
need – relax!
University Library

20. Keeping ahead
Alerts
Citation
searching
Social media
Flickr Commons: US National Archives; San Diego Air and Space Museum

21. Citation alerts
 Save your search strategy as an email alert
 Get alerts for your favourite journals too
 Receive an email every time a new article is added to
the resource which matches your search
 Receive an email every time a new issue of the journal
is published
 You can usually determine the frequency (daily, weekly,
monthly, etc...)
University Library

22. Keeping up to date: Email alerts
Individual databases – for topics
• Scopus, Proquest, Science Direct
Zetoc – for journal TOCs
• http://zetoc.mimas.ac.uk/
• British Library's TOC for journal articles & conference
proceedings.
• search 1993 =
• 28,000 journals & 45m articles & conference proceedings
• email alerts by subject / journal TOC
• set up RSS feeds for journals
University Library

23. Keeping up to date: RSS feeds
For web based content – web pages, EJs
Information sent to a “reader” – your personal web page
Relies on you checking your reader regularly – you may need to change
your work practices
Easy links to original information
University Library

24. Getting started
• Find an RSS reader/viewer e.g. Google Reader,
Reader Netvibes
• Find a site with an RSS feed
Feed
• Click on and paste the link into your chosen RSS
Link reader
• Go back to your RSS viewer at regular intervals
Read for your ‘news’ – it’ll be there waiting for you
University Library

25. Can't find the
Use Inter Library
resources you
Loans for journal
need for your
articles & books
research?
Use ‘Books on Time’ to recommend a
book purchase

26. Contact us....
Moira.bent@ncl.ac.uk
Lib-sage@ncl.ac.uk
@nulibsage
facebook.com/NULibraries
libguides.ncl.ac.uk/biology
Flickr the Commons: Smithsonian Institution

27. Things to do
7 steps on the
Literature
Project tab of
search
the Library
proforma
Guide
Online guidance and
resources:
Biology Library Guide