Library Services
SMLLC Academic Skills: Information & Research Skills
libguides.rhul.ac.uk/modernlanguagesNovember 2013
Russell Burke
Library Services
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Aims of the session
• Overview of Library Services available to support your essay research
• Step 1 - Plan and conduct a literature search
• Step 2 - Use LibrarySearch and subject specific resources to find information
• Step 3 - Use more advanced search techniques
• Step 4 - Manage references to generate bibliographies using RefWorks
• Access eresources off-campus
• Using other libraries
Library Services
My essay question / research topic:
What do I want to find out?
Library Services
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Library Services
Developing your search strategy
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“In the avant-garde films of the 1920s, everything we see, including the human being, is subservient to rhythm & movement.”
Main concepts Alternative terms1. avant-garde films Experimental, art,
modernist / cinema, filmmaking …
2. 1920s Early 20th Century, pre-war, silent era …
3. What we see on film
Mise-en-scène, frame(d), screen, shot, represented …
4. Rhythm & movement
Pace, flow, repetition, flow, editing …
Step One: Think about your own research topic & related concepts and write down the keywords that you need to search for
Library Services
Now that I know what I want to find out:
What resources would I use?
http://prezi.com/24tl5r36eel5/developing-your-search-skills/
Library Services
Selecting information sources
Modern Languages Subject Guide: libguides.rhul.ac.uk/
Online databases (eresources): libguides.rhul.ac.uk/Databases
LibrarySearch: librarysearch.rhul.ac.uk
Senate house library catalogue: ull.ac.uk
Other internet resources…
These can also be found on the main Library webpage
Library Services
Why can’t I just use Google?
http://prezi.com/q5jglgamre6c/evaluating-information/
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Step 2: Go to the Modern Languages Subject Guide and note down which resources or types of resources you think you would use to carry out your research
Library Services
Now that I know what I want to find out & where to find the resources:
How do I search for information on my
topic?
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Making the most of synonyms
Use wildcard characters ($ ? * -) to replace letters in search terms
Examples
theat* - finds theatre, theater, theatrical, etc.
wom*n - finds women, woman, etc.
NB: Help pages in online databases will explain which character is used as the wildcard
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Library Services
Combining keywords - too many results?
Narrow your search using AND
e.g. avant-garde AND film
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Results containing AVANT-GARDE
Results containing
BOTH TERMS
Results containing
FILM
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Combining keywords - too few results?
Broaden your search using OR
e.g. role OR function
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Combining keywords – phrase searching
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“French New Wave”
“À la recherche du temps perdu”
Step three: think about how you will combing keywords and enter your search queries (adjusting terms as you need to)
Library Services
Now that I have found information on my topic:
How do I know that it is what I want and good
quality material?
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Reviewing & evaluating your research
Do you have enough / too
much information
?
Is it relevant to
your research?
Does it answer the
whole question?
Is the information
current / within the date you require
Do you need to review
your underlying research question?
Library Services
Now that I have the information (books, chapters, journal
articles, webpages etc) that I need:
How do I manage & reference them?
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Keeping track of useful items
• Emailing links to yourself
• Using the e-shelf in LibrarySearch• Log in to LibrarySearch
• Click on the star icon beside useful results
• Go to ‘e-shelf’
• Create baskets, email, export results
• Most other eresources provide these functions
• Exporting references to RefWorks
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Library Services
RefWorks
Bibliographic management software
Capture, save and organise references
Access it via the Online Resources A-Z lists
Contains online self-help tutorials
Library RefWorks sessions:
Check the Library Information Skills Training Session on the Subject guide: http://libguides.rhul.ac.uk/
Step four: save the results that you need (references, abstracts, URL links, full text) and organise these so that you can find them when you need them
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Access online resources off-campus
Royal Holloway ‘Campus Anywhere’ (VPN)
The only way to access all of our electronic resources off campus is to install the Virtual Private Network (VPN) service, known as 'CampusAnywhere'.
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Using other libraries
You all get free access to Senate House Library (SHL)
Online registration for SHL’s eresources see the Library subject Guide for Modern
Languages
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Questions?
Russell Burke
Information Consultant
2-07 Bedford LibraryRoyal Holloway University of London
01784 414065
SEE THE LIBRARY SUBJECT GUIDE FOR MODERN LANGUAGES / SMLLC
Leo Reynolds. Flickr. CC-BY-NA