Searching for information

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

http://stormagicuk.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/needle_haystack.jpg?w=479

Feb 2015

So far so good

In previous sessions we looked at:

• What we have

• Why we have them

• What to use and when

• Being curious

• Keywords

• Search tips

Today we will look at..

• Searching for information

• Evaluating information

Why research?

Thinking about keywords Healthy Happy Kids: cooking, fabric care or air

purification

•Keywords

•Alternative

•Specific

•Related

Finding resourcesmyUniHub > My Study > My Library > Summon

Select Summon and

search for information for

your project

Streamlining your search

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mike_miley/2614472057/

design*

“Festival of Britain”

More search tips: http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/PDDESearchTips

Refining your search

Google vs Summon

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ennuiislife/3450743002/

Google

• Familiar and easy to use

• Finds too much information

• Fast results

• Access from any computer

• Access to some books and journals

• Designed to sell you things

• Search results sponsored

• Searches for info from any source

• Pay for academic information

Summon

• Easy to use

• Finds lots of academic info

• Fast results

• Access from any computer

• Access to lots of books and journals

• Designed to find you information

• Search results by relevance

• Searches quality resources

• Free access to full text

Get online help using resourcesMyUniHub > MyStudy > MyLibrary > Library Subject Guides

http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/PDE

Not everything is online!

http://www.slideshare.net/EISLibrarian/library-catalogue-how-to-request-a-book-general

Trends, forecasting and inspiration

http://www.trendhunter.com/

More websites: http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/PDDEWebsites

Trends, forecasting and inspiration

WGSN HomeBuildLife

MyUniHub > MyStudy > MyLibrary > Databases > W > WGSN HomeBuildLife

More websites: http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/PDDEWebsites

Consumer trends and insight

•Business Source Complete

•Global Market Information Database

•Keynote

Find out more: http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/ReportsPD

MyUniHub > MyStudy > MyLibrary > Databases

Other resources from MDX

• Britannica Online

• British Standards Online

• Lynda.com

• Cite Them Right

• Box of Broadcasts

MyUniHub>MyStudy>MyLibrary>Databases

Evaluating information

Imagine you are writing an essay on Robots

Have a look at the 4 items that you have been given and

consider the following:

• Which item is the most relevant to your essay?

• Which item would be no use?

• Which item has the most academic authority?

• Are any of the items biased?

• Which item is the most current?

• Authority

• Relevance

• Intent

• Objectivity

• Currency

Evaluating information

Keeping in touch

• Librarian Blog http://satlibrarian.blogspot.com

• Librarian Twitter http://twitter.com/SATlibrarian

• Library Facebook Middlesex University Library

• Library Twitter http://twitter.com/MDXLibrary

Need more help?

Vanessa Hill v.hill@mdx.ac.uk

Ask a Librarian http://askalibrarian.mdx.ac.uk/