BIO 2003Literature Searching

Searching, retrieving information and locating library materials

Kathy McGowan and Lesley Curtis-Brown

By the end of this session you should be able to:

Understand the range of library resources available to you.

Understand how to use the library catalogue and how to request and renew items

Locate useful starting points such as the Learning Resources web pages and Subject Gateways

Be able to use the relevant online subject databases to find out what has been published in journals.

What kind of information should I use and where do I get it from?

Books

Middlesex University Library catalogue

http://library.mdx.ac.uk/

Using the catalogue Requesting and renewing books

What kind of information do I use and where do I get it from?

Journals A journal may be available in print or available

online. To check availability, use the library catalogue. If available in print, catalogue will tell you which campus holds the journal.

If available online, there will be a blue link to the available online issues of the journal

Example

What kind of information do I use and where do I get it from?

Statistics – available online or through Library Subject guides

Newspapers - available through Proquest database on Electronic Resources webpage

Organisations/websites Grey Literature - scientific, technical and

institutional reports, conference papers and theses, often unpublished.

Getting started

A good starting point is the LR web site www.lr.mdx.ac.uk to link to:-

Library Catalogue - to see what is available at Middlesex University

Library Subject Guides - useful starting points and links created by your subject librarian

Electronic Resources - such as bibliographic databases and on-line journals

Also opening times, campus information & helpsheets, especially Referencing guide

Principles of Literature Searching

Prepare a search strategy Find general background information

before using more specific and recent resources

Identify significant keywords Identify related terms Identify broader and narrower terms Spelling and terminology - alternative

spellings/terms e.g American?

Evaluating Internet Resources - Questions to ask

Who has written the material?

Is this a reliable source?

Is it peer reviewed?

Is it accurate and up to date?

Evaluating & selecting internet resourcesFor more information try an online

interactive tutorial:

There are a number of subject-based tutorials

available from:http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/

Internet Subject Gateways A Internet Subject Gateway aims to provide

access to selected resources of high quality information (evaluated by subject specialists)

Examples can be accessed via the Learning Resources Health Subject Pages

Try using Intute (Bioresearch) and (BioethicsWeb)

For further help with web resources, please see Intute’s Online Tutorial for Biosciences

Intute Subject Gateways

How do I log in to use online journals and databases?

Most online journals and databases are subscription services which require you to log in as a member of a subscribing institution

This gives you access to the e-resources from home provided you have internet access

Your username and password will be the same ones you use to login to the Middlesex University Computer network

Please set the Institutional Cookie on your computer

Saving a Cookie on your PC

Click here to save institutional cookie

Saving a Cookie on your PC

Or click here before you log into a resource

DatabasesMost databases provide bibliographic details of

articles published in professional journals including.…

- Author and Title of an article

- Journal in which it is printed

- Volume, Part and Page Numbers of the article

- Abstract, a brief summary of the article

- Subject KeywordsIn some cases there will be a link providing access to the full text

and/or information regarding the Library’s print holdings

Some Useful Databases

These databases give up to date reports, guidance and regulations, including useful forms & checklists:

Barbour - full text health & safety, fire safety, food safety and environment and environmental health information

Croner – full text environmental conservation, planning & management, pollution control and health & safety

Barbour

Login using E-Resources username & password

Barbour Log In screen

Barbour Home page

Barbour Data Sets

Barbour Guides

Barbour Document Library

Barbour Full Text

Other useful databases

Use these Databases to find out what journal articles have been published on your topic:

Business Source Complete – full text Medline - database of international biomedical literature Sage Online – full text journal articles Science Citation Index Science Direct – full text science database Social Science Citation Index Zetoc – British Library’s electronic Table of Contents

Other full-text resources

Law databases: LexisNexis & Westlaw– full text access to

international case law and legislation

Newspapers: Proquest - full text UK newspaper articles

Remember:

Not all databases provide access to full-text journal articles

Use library catalogue/journals list to check availability

Some journals are also available in print – check library catalogue

You may use inter-library loan/other libraries

Science Citation Index (SCI) Search Screen

Combining Searches in SCI

SCI Results Screen

SCI results may not provide full text

Full Text

Full Text

Using Science Direct from home

Having set the cookie on your PC, click on Athens/Other Institution login on Science Direct home page:

Logging in to Science Direct

How to find materials you need

Remember to check the Library Catalogue for availability at Middlesex University. Alternatively, check the Journals List

Items not available in the University may be ordered through the Inter Library Loan service at a cost of £3 per request

Make use of other libraries you have access to - some organisations have useful specialist libraries.

A Quick Search Demonstration

To look for peer reviewed journal articles on one of the following:

Scores on the doors

Workplace noise

Antibiotic resistance and environmental pollution

Now it’s your turn

Try using one or more of the following:

Barbour Medline Science Citation Index Science Direct

Choose your own topic

SCONUL Access Scheme

SCONUL Access Scheme provides access to other academic libraries

For more information on the scheme visit the website

To apply, ask at the enquiry desk

http://www.sconul.ac.uk/using_other_libraries/access/

British Library Website

The British Library website has a link to its catalogue

You can use this to check if material you require is held at St Pancras Reading Rooms

Information on applying for a reader’s pass and the forms of ID required are on the website

http://www.bl.uk

Referencing You must reference your work properly with full

bibliographic details of all resources used, including books, journal articles, videos and websites

Keep a record of what you are using from the start of your literature searching

For information on how to reference your work, go to http://www.lr.mdx.ac.uk

Select Guides & Helpsheets, then Study Skills Select

Referencing and Citation Style: Health and Social Sciences

And finally...

Look on LR webpages www.lr.mdx.ac.uk

Password queries:http://webhelpdesk.mdx.ac.uk

Subject enquiries:Kathy McGowan

k.mcgowan@mdx.ac.uk