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Using the Library for Research - sessions given to Drama 2nd Year Undergraduates on 4th and 5th November 2013.
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DT2100: Library Skillslibguides.rhul.ac.uk/Drama
November 2013
Kim Coles
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Aims of the session
• Use LibrarySearch and subject specific resources to find information
• Plan and conduct a literature search
• Use advanced search techniques
• Manage references to generate bibliographies using RefWorks
• Access eresources off-campus
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My essay question / research topic:
What do I want to find out?
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“The role of women in Irish drama”
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What are the main concepts?
Are there any synonyms/alternative terms I could use?
Are they any limits I could use?
Role, women, Irish theatre
Role = part, function, purposeWomen = woman, actress, performer, playwright, character, typeIrish drama= Ireland, theatre, theater, performance, a specific kind of theatre, a specific play
Only in the last 10 yearsIn EnglishBooks, journal articles
Exercise One: Think about your own research topic and write down some keywords
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Now that I know what I want to find out:
What resources would I use?
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Selecting information sources
Drama Subject Guide: libguides.rhul.ac.uk/Drama
Online databases: 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
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Why can’t I just use Google?
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Exercise 2: Go to the Drama Subject Guide and note down which resources or types of resources you think you would use to carry out your research
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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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Too many results?
Narrow your search using AND
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Narrow your search using NOT
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Too few results?
Broaden your search using OR
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Combining keywords
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Exercise 3: Go to http://libguides.rhul.ac.uk/DT2100 and suggest some search queries in the Searching box
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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 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?
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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
• Exporting references to RefWorks
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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 from the Drama Subject guide: http://libguides.rhul.ac.uk/drama
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Questions?
Kim Coles
Information Consultant
2-07 Bedford LibraryRoyal Holloway University of London
01784 404107
Leo Reynolds. Flickr. CC-BY-NA
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