Searching for Information Peter Bradley: Subject Librarian for Health, University of Bath

1. Searching for Information Peter Bradley: Subject Librarian for Health, University of Bath Sport & Exercise Science Yr 1: Oct/Nov 2010

2. By the end of this session: • Confirm you know how to find recommended books & journal articles e.g. from reading lists/lectures • Learn how to find articlesbeyond your reading lists i.e. how to use databases: i. Limitations of Google ii. Selecting & entering keywords iii. Searching & saving results within specific databases: Web of Knowledge, PubMed… • Learn how to cite & reference information

3. Which resource do you use to find recommended books & journals? • The Library Catalogue • The Library’s Database

4. To find a recommended journal article, do you search the catalogue for: • The journal’s title • The article’s title

5. To find books beyond those recommended, in which catalogue field is it best to enter your search terms? • ‘Subject’ field • ‘Anywhere’ field

6. You can also use the Catalogue to place holds/reservations and renew/check loans • True • False

7. What are journals …& why use them? • Similar to magazines i.e. regularly published • However, they feature current academic research of potential use to students & researchers • More cutting edge than text books • If you reference journal articles:potentially higher marks! • Journals provided in print or/and online formats:date coverage of one format might not match the other • Journals can be organised by volumes & issues: A single volume contains multiple issues A single issue contains multiple articles

8. Accessing information for your assignments • Printed books & journals: mostly • on Level 4: normally shelved at 796+ numbers for books & Per 79 for journals • You should be able to access all • the Library’s online resources • both on and off-campus • For the vast majority of online • resources, you only need to your • BUCS username & password • on request

9. Accessing the Library website on-campusOff-campus: may need to click on a-z

10. Library Homepage:note PIN number link:need PIN to place a hold/reservation, check & renew books…

11. Searching for print & online books & journalsUse QuickSearch for a simple single search e.g. author & title word- or click on Library Catalogue for multiple searches

12. Library Catalogue: book search Can also useanywhere fieldto discover other books on a particular topic: then browse books of same shelf mark (check indexes & contents)

13. Search results: click on details for location & availability(you will usually need most recent edition)

14. If all copies on loan, place a reservation/ hold Location on shelves If no due-back date: copy is available: note floor location

15. Journal search:search for journal title (not article title)

16. Search results:where we provide both online & print versions, catalogue lists both (check date coverage: may differ between versions) Print version: click on ‘Details’ for PER shelfmark location Online version: look for‘electronic resource’

17. Online journal record:access journal via Full Text link provided & then locate the relevant issue & article

18. Example of a reference to a book author & datetitleedition, place publisher Hall, S.J. (2007).Basic Biomechanics.(5th ed). London: McGraw-Hill.

19. Example of reference to an article authors & datearticle title McHugh, M.P. and Nesse, M. (2008).Effect of Stretching on Strength Loss and Pain after Eccentric Exercise.Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise,40(3), 566-573. journal titlevolume/issue & page numbers

20. Exercise 1 In pairs, briefly scan the following two documents, write down any differences between the content, authorship, audience & style. Also, decide which document is more likely to be reliable or relevant to academic studies: 1. Go to Google and type: plyometrics training science Click aprox 1st result: from www.faqs.org • Open another window and go to the Library website: Search for the journal title Physical Therapy in Sport: Find the electronic/online version & enter journalwebsite: Find Volume 9, issue 4 and the article (starts p.185): Effects of a plyometric program on vertical landing

21. Which of the 2 documents is more appropriate for your studies? • World of Science document • Article from Physical Therapy in Sport

22. Searching for articlesbeyond your reading list… …searching databases

23. Why not just use Google? • Google doesn’t provide access to all online information & misses out many quality articles... & where there are quality articles can be difficult to find because too many results! • Google results feature many websites which lack quality / depth: many are written by amateurs rather than experts: Amateurs are less likely to be rigorous, accurate or use academic language i.e. less concern with standards & repute • Difficult to check the credibility of much information foundvia Google because the relevant web pages:don’t provide the author’s name so questionable authority& don’t provide a list of references acknowledging where the author got his/her ideas • Some sites lack objectivity e.g. trying to sell you something

24. What are databases... & why use them? • Databases collect information about articles from thousands of journals so more convenient than browsing • You need to search for articles beyond your reading list to prove you can use initiative & problem-solve: one of the functions of University is to set you up with this lifelong learning skill e.g. important to employers • Databases such as Web of Knowledge index articles from quality peer-reviewed journals where articles are only approved for publication if deemed accurate & logical Note:search more than one database: Each provides information about a different range of journals: some overlapping results between them & some unique content

25. Before you search a database:select keywords / search terms that you’ll need to enter • When you do a keyword search, a database looks for your chosen keywords within the record of an articlee.g. the article’s title & its abstract/summary • To choose keywords: identify 2 or 3+ concepts related to your assignment/project title e.g. investigate how plyometric exercises can effect the ability to sprint

26. plyometriceccentric exercise eccentric training For each concept: think of a separate set of alternative/narrower/broader keywords & alternative/plural spellings:check lecture notes etc… sprint sprinter sprinters sprinting…

27. UseANDwhere you want each result to include ALL the concepts you’ve identifiede.g. each result must include bothplyometric AND sprint Only interested in the overlapping results below plyometric sprint

28. Use ORto connect alternative keywords that describe one specific concept e.g. so each result features one OR other of: plyometric OR eccentric exercise plyometric eccentric exercise

29. plyometricOR eccentric exercise OR eccentric training sprint AND

30. Entering keywords: use truncation symbol* By adding a truncation symbol at the end of the stem of a word, you can find variations of that word: saves time!! Normally, you use an asterisk*$ dollar sign used within Library Catalogue For example: sprint*finds sprint sprints sprinting sprintersprinters sprinted

31. Entering keywords:wildcards?& American spellings You can also save time by adding a wildcard in place of a specific letter: the database will then search for any letter in the place of the wildcard For example: wom?n finds women,woman Also think of how English spellings differ to American spellings of the same word:you may have to enter both versions e.g. metre metercolour color fibre fiber

32. How would you best truncate the word athletics to retrieve variations? • ath* • athlet* • athletic*

33. How would you enter keywords on the topic of injuries in sprinting? • injur* AND sprint* • injur* OR sprint* • injured sprinters

34. Searching databases: Web of Knowledge, PubMed & PsycINFO

35. To access the databases: visit Library website:Go to Resources for your Subject: Health

36. Health resources

37. Fuller list of health databases:also note guides & tutorials

38. Searching • Enter each set of keywords for each separate concept in a separate search field e.g. Field 1:plyometric* OR “eccentric exercis*” OR “eccentric train*” Field 2:sprint* • If best to search for an exact phrase: use “speech marks”

39. Web of Knowledge homepage: basic keyword searchEnsure ‘topic’ is selected for all fields

40. Too many (irrelevant) results to handle?- can return to fuller search at later date

41. Limiting results:could limit date range /limit at least one field to title-only

42. Results default to most recent:can sort by relevance For more information about an article: click on its title

43. Full record: check abstract for summaryCan click on ‘cited by’ to find articles which refer to this article …i.e. find another perspective to build upon your argument

44. Full record might give you idea for additional/different keywordsSome records include links to ‘Related Records’ which share referencesFull article available to you? Sometimes states full-text or click

45. Look for possible link(s) to full online text of the articleIf unavailable: click Library Catalogue link for printed journals

46. Full article in Journal website(may need to click on a PDF / HTML link first)

47. Reading your article: evaluate its content • Consider the article in relation to other papers on the same topic area: don’t just rely on one perspective e.g. look for the full-text of articles it references • Consider its currency: this could be important if your research area is rapidly developing i.e. the date range of its references: not just the article’s own date • Older articles may still be crucial classic’ papers might still be heavily cited in recent articles • If you have doubts about any ‘facts’ presented in an article: check them against 2 or 3 reputable sources

48. Return to results list from the full record

49. Save & email records of interest: 1. tick selected results2. After checked each page of results, click Add to Marked List 3. After all results, click Marked List

50. Save & email results in HTML format: easier to read‘Save to file’ if saving to laptop, USB stick, Endnote Web...