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Basic Research Techniques. Unit 3. This unit aims to help you to:. 1- prepare for researching a topic. 2- identify appropriate resources. 3-use library resources effectively for research. 4-use electronic (computer-based)search techniques.
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Basic Research Techniques Unit 3
This unit aims to help you to: • 1- prepare for researching a topic. • 2- identify appropriate resources. • 3-use library resources effectively for research. • 4-use electronic (computer-based)search techniques. • 5-log(record)sources on cards and/or electronically. • 6- use online and offline reference facilities. • 7- quote and summarize sources as appropriate • 8- avoid unintentional plagiarism.
First thoughts (brainstorming) • Preparing to research a topic: • When you come to research a topic, you may be either know nothing about the topic or you know something, but you would like to know more.
Sources of information • Having brainstormed some questions or ideas, you now have the next problem: • Where are you going to find the information to answer the questions or follow up on these ideas?
Possible sources of information: • The golden rule for finding sources is to start “close to home.’’ • The closer your sources are to your tutor and your course, the more likely they are to be relevant.
Here are some possible sources of information, in preferred order: • 1- your tutor ( lecture notes, suggestions, booklists, etc). • 2- your course textbooks. • 3- bibliographies and lists of references in your course textbooks. • 4- other students in your class. • 5-books related to your subject in college or university library. • 6-bibliographies and references in books related to your subject. • 7-artlicles in library journals related to your subject. • 8- bibliographies , references in articles related to your subject. • 9- periodicals indexes. • 10- subject bibliographies. • 11- using databases/information services available through your college or university. • 12-using the resources of the internet/the World Wide Web.
Keywords and subject indexes/guides • Finding your source should not be difficult if you know:
1- Variants: Truncation • For example, you are interested in the topic: how computers are used in education. • The keywords here are computers and education. But what about using variants of the words computer and education? Or computing and education? • Some library catalogues get round this problem by allowing you to type in truncated words: so typing in comp* will get sources containing computer, computers, computing and computation. • Characters used for truncation are called “ wild cards,” typically these are ? or *
2- scope: Thesaurus * A book which lists words that are related in meaning in these ways is called a thesaurus. Thesaurus means thinking of other terms that are more or less the same ( it means synonyms). • For example, education is a wide term, and perhaps you are interested in a narrower scope such as universities or schools. • Or perhaps the term is too narrow; for example, computers. So you may think of other term like, information technology. ( information technology Computers / • universities education )
3- scope: Refining your research • Another way of expanding or contracting the scope of your enquiry is by using search terms • There are several different systems but most of them are based on the Boolean system. • This system is named after an English mathematician called George Boole. • It uses three basic search terms:
Some systems use addition signs replacing ‘ AND’ and minus signs replacing ‘NOT’: • + computers+ education. • - primary schools. • Another commonly used search term is quotation marks (“ “) to mean “ these exact words in this order must appear in the source” • For example, “ computers and education”
Library search: 1- books • Not so long ago, all library catalogues were card catalogues: that is the details of each book were recorded on an individual card, and these cards were usually arranged in four ways: • 1- alphabetically by author. • 2- alphabetically by title. • 3- by the shelf mark. • 4- alphabetically by subject.
Nowadays most colleges and universities use computerized catalogues, which basically operate in the same way as card catalogues, but are more convenient to use in many ways. • University library catalogues will have a Homepage. • This page serves as a kind of introduction to, or overview of, the library services. • Part of the Homepage will allow you to search the library catalogue by clicking on the catalogue search button. • See figure 3.2/ 3.3– page 66-67 • Do task 5
2- journals and other sources • Journals can be referred to as “periodicals” or “ serials”. • Some journals are “e-journals” and are now available electronically, over the internet. • How can you track down articles relevant to your research topic? • There are three useful kinds of sources:
These sources can be located: • 1-in the university library in hardcopy or on CD-ROM. But many such sources are now available electronically. • 2- through the university library homepage, which may lead you to Databases. • 3- by using a search engine, such as Google. • 4- by using an internet universal subject guide such as Yahoo. • 5- by using an Internet ‘virtual library’ such as the internet public library. • 6-if you know the name of an author by going to his or her web site. • * WARNING: be careful about using Internet resources. Not all of them are reliable academic sources.
Searching engines: Google • 1- you simply type on keywords for the information you need. For example, if you are interested in the usefulness of wind farms , you could type in usefulness wind farms. • 2- you first attempt will probably bring in too many “ hits” ( sources) for you to handle, and then you have to be more specific. For example, ( by specifying a region): usefulness wind farms Australia. So this will reduce the numbers of hits.
3- if you want to make sure that you access an academic source, you could try adding the domain name for educational institutions. • For example, usefulness wind farms site: ac.uk • 4- if you still have too many hits, you may have to think of other relevant and/or more specific keywords. • 5- another way of getting more limited but possibly more relevant hits is to use the Directories tab. This will lead you down through subject headings to a specific topic area. • For example, regional—oceania—Australia– science and environment– environment . • 6- you will find additional useful tips on Google’s own Help pages, on http://www.google.com /help/index.html
Logging Sources: • When you have found a useful source, it is very important that you log it, so that you will be able to include it in the list of references for your assignment. • { you should find out the following as soon as possible} : • 1- how your tutors want you to display references. • 2- find out if your university has software on its computer systems to help you with references such as Endnote. • 3- even if you do not have access to such programs, you can still log sources on your computer by simply opening up a file and recording any sources used.
Whether you are logging sources electronically, using a computer, or manually, using pen and paper, the information you want to record is the same in either case. • If you are logging manually , all the sources you have used should be recorded on cards ( source cards). • Keep the cards in a particular order ( alphabetical order of authors’ names). • The size of the card normally is : “ 5X3” (127mm X 76mm). • Note : a source listed in a list of References is called a “Bibliographical citation”.
Source for a book: • You must record and you will find them on the title page and on the reverse of the title page ( imprint page):
1- Author: • Record the author’s name in full. • If there is more than one author, record all their names. • You have to distinguish between the author (the writer) of a book and the editor, who has collected together a number of articles.
2- title : • It should either be printed in italics or underlined. • It should be recorded in full in your notes
3- publisher: • Do not confuse the publisher with the printer. • The publisher’s name is usually printed at the bottom of the title page.
4- date of publication: • Usually found on the imprint page. • Note that a book can be reprinted year after year and these dates should be ignored. • If it is A NEW IDITION that is matter, and it is treated as a new book.
5- place of publication: • It is useful to record the city where the book was published. • If more than two cities are listed, you can just list the first one. • It is useful to add one or more keywords for future reference. • It is useful to record on the back of the card the abstract/ index/ database where you found the reference.
Sources for a journal article: • The most important details that enable the article to be found quickly and accurately are:
Source for a journal article • Full title of the journal, volume number, issue number, date and page reference. • Issue: means the copy of a journal that comes out on a particular date. • Issues are collected into volumes (usually there is a separate volume for each year.)
Note: the title of the article is put into single or double quotes, but the title of the journal is usually in italics/underlined. • With journals that appear weekly and newspapers, it is customary to give the exact date rather than the issue number. • See page 74
Source for an article/part of a book • Distinguish between the author of the article and the editor of the book. • Show the difference by putting ‘Ed.’ after the editor’s name. • Title of an article is put in quotesbut the title of the book is in italic/underlined. • Page 74
Other sources • There are many different kinds of sources. • Your reader should have complete information to be able to access that source. • With electronic journal, it is better to record the date when you accessed the site. • Example from a journal which can be accessed online. • Page 75
Logging sources • 1- Book source: use the title and imprint page to record the information on the source card. (not all the information will be found on the title page but also check the imprint page). • Figure 3.5 and 3.6 pages 76-78 • 2- Journal source:Some useful information on the first page of the journal article. • Figure 3.7 page 80 • Note: not all journal articles have useful information at the beginning. • You may also have to note the first and last page numbers of the article by checking them directly.
Annotated sources • Sometimes it is a good idea to write a brief summary of a book or article to remind yourself of what it was about. • Example: page 81
Exploiting sources • The usual reason for logging a source is because you intend to exploit it, because you think it is useful for your research. • You will want to record this by making a resource note: is done electronically or manually. • 1- electronically. Type your source notes on to a word processor. • 2- manually. It is more convenient to make source notes manually and use cards (notecards). • It is easier and helpful when you want to rearrange your sources.
Source notes can take the form of: • 1- a direct quotation . • 2- a summary of the source or a section of it. • 3- your comments on, or reactions to, the source.
In order to avoid PLAGIARISM • 1-Distinguish between: • a) your own words and words that you are quoting from a source; and • b) your own comments/ideas that you have taken from your source. • 2- make the distinction clear by (for example) using different colored inks for quotations/source ideas/ your own ideas, by highlighting using different colors, underlining or drawing a box around your own thoughts/comments/ideas.
Guidance on quoting • 1- make sure you quote the writer’s words exactly. • 2- always acknowledge the author when you use someone else’s words. (or ideas). • 3- Indicate an omitted part by using three dots. If omitted part is long, you can put (…). • 4- anything you add to make the reference clearer should be in square brackets thus: [Shakespeare]. • 5- Extended quotations can be inset from the margin and/or printed in a smaller size or type. • 6- You don’t have to put all the source details on a source note.
Rules for exploiting sources • 1- have a reason for using a source, such as: • A-it supports your argument • B- you want to argue against it • C- it gives a definition that you want to use. • 2- If you use sources that give different points of view, say which you agree with and why. • 3- Don’t refer to sources to show how much you read. • 4- expect to find that some of the sources you come across will be irrelevant or redundant. • 5- When writing an assignment, whether you are quoting or summarizing. Always take care to make it very clear which words or ideas come from a source and which are you own. • Avoid plagiarism.
