PLM2000: Library Information and Research Skills

1. PLM2000: Library Information and Research Skills Subject Librarian for Media: Tom Cullis Email: t.p.cullis@mdx.ac.uk Telephone 020 8411 5044 (Hendon) / 6410 (Trent Park) Normal working pattern: Hendon Thursdays and Fridays Trent Park Mondays and Tuesdays Library Guides: http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/advertisingpublicrelationsmedia http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/mediaculturecommunications

2. Where to find: – different types of information • Books - Library Catalogue • All types of learning resource - Summon • Chapters or text in books – Google Books, Amazon (look inside) • Academic journal articles – Databases • Newspaper articles – Proquest Newsstand database • Adverts – Creative Club

3. Access to Library online resources Begin at the UniHub HomePage: http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/ • To activate access to our subscribed resources, login via MyUniHub • Once you are logged in, select the My Study button. • Scroll down to find the My Library section (below study skills)

4. Search Tools 1: Mdx resources • Summon:  a resource finder that scans all Mdx resources: academics journal articles, trade press, newspapers, books in library. • Identifies a range of resources and references. • Takes you directly into most resources. • Online Databases and Indexes within Middlesex University via Athens. • Advanced search options • Library catalogue.

5. Mdx Databases and Indexes • Sage Journals Online (Media and cultural studies, social sciences) • Media, Cultural and Communication Studies Collection (T&F) • Business Source Complete (advertising, marketing, PR) • Film and Television Literature Index • Proquest Newsstand – Text of UK newspapers since c1995. • Creative Club (Adverts)

6. Sage Journals Online Media, Culture and Comm Collection (Informaworld) Summon Business Source Complete (EBSCO) Proquest Newspaper database Library Catalogue

7. The information landscape Printed Books Printed Journals Open Web Amazon Google Books Wikepedia Blogs Online Library Catalogue A T HEN S P A Y W A LL E Library Academic Quality Websites Google Scholar Databases EJournals EBooks

8. Middlesex Library subscribes to Eresources. Access these will be allowed, by the publishers, only if the correct route via MyUniHub or Athens is followed. E Library NO access denied or $ charge Open Web Browsers Internet Explorer Mozilla Firefox Search Engines Google including Books and Scholar A T HEN S P A Y W A LL EPublisher Portals: LION JSTOR EBSCO Dawsonera Taylor & Francis YES free access Databases EJournals EBooks

10. From Topic to Keywords • Less is more – avoid typing in too many words, the database has to find all of them. 2-4 words are usually enough. • Databases, library catalogues and Google are all indexes. • Suitable keywords depend on the index – each tool has its own strengths and weaknesses. • Google seems to find everything, but in practice often finds online retailers or bloggers referring 2nd or 3rd hand to an idea, publication, company or person. – Specific keywords and phrase searches may be needed. • Academic Databases work best with fewer, more selective keywords.

11. Keywords example: truncation • By adding an asterisk * after the stem of a word, all the above word endings will be found • Glob* will find globalization, globalisation, global, globalized, globe • Brand* will find: Brand / Brands / Branding / Branded • Truncation does not work in A-Z search mode, only in keyword search

12. Keywords: “Phrase searching” • A database will search for an exact phrase, with the words in the same order, if quotation marks are placed around a string of words. • “Marketing plan” • “Cool Britannia” • “Creative industries” • “Social marketing” • “Emotional branding” • “Social media” • “Search engine marketing” • This does not work in A-Z search mode on the library catalogue

13. Alternative keywords: synonyms • Synonyms Another word for a similar thing: • Example 1: women’s magazines / fashion magazines / glossy magazines • Example 2: NGO, non-profits, charities, voluntary • Wider subject for Blogs: • Online journalism, New media, Alternative media, Digital media, Online News, citizen journalism

14. Library Catalogue search results

15. Verbs, actions and agency – search problems • Topic: Women in the media • Do we mean the study of: • “Representation of women in the media” • OR: • “Work done by women in media occupations” • The meaning of actions, viewpoints and relationships are not easily expressed in searches. • Often searches will only find results if topics are broken down into smaller component themes, and then re-combined. • Use lateral thinking to find alternative keywords and parallel contexts. • Do not expect an exact match to your topic or to find all your research questions answered in a single journal article.

16. Search strategy • Widen Search • If you are getting too few results from your keyword searches • Expand from title to general keyword search on the library catalogue. • Try different keywords or combinations • Use less keywords • Use Truncation* (search by word stem plus*) • –represent* finds: representation, represented, representing • Narrow search • If you are getting too many results • Add another keyword to define the context • Use a more specific keyword such as a name • Switch from general to title keyword • Use “phrase searching” (quotation marks around words)

17. Database Search Fields: General and Specific • One way of modifying a search is to change the search field. • Full Text: the database scans every word in journal articles. The widest, most general search mode. • Abstract: Only words from the article summary or abstract are scanned. A middle way, narrower than full text, wider than title keyword. • Title keyword: only words from the article title are scanned. The narrowest most specific search field • Advanced search options allow for combinations of search field for different aspects of a topic, using boolean AND, OR, NOT relationships between words on different lines.

18. Information in context • Official or government sources and reports. • Likely to be reliable but may still reflect some political agenda. • Statistics always contain some bias in method or purpose. • Journalism – news values of the editor skew coverage and content. • Sources are often not referenced. Leader columns have no specific author. • Blogs and Wikis: no quality control, may be opinion or fiction. • Who is talking? Why are they saying it? What do they leave out?

19. Internet Research: Assess the frame of all information • What is the most important concept or idea in the search? • Identify keywords emerging from this concept or idea. • Find synonyms for these keywords. • Determine the specific weaknesses and strengths of the search engine. • Prepare a research plan. • Refine and redefine the search in problems are experienced. Repeat the process with new keywords. • List from Tara Brabazon, The University of Google

20. Evaluation of search results and information. • Who authored the information? • What expertise does the writer have to comment? • What evidence is used? • What genre is the document: journalism, academic, blog, polemic? • Is the site / document / report funded by an institution? • What argument is being made? • When was the text produced? • Why did the information emerge at this point in history? • Who is the audience for this information? • What is not being discussed and what are the political consequences of that absence? • List from Tara Brabazon, The University of Google

21. Churnalism and Corroboration of sources • Can we believe the news? • http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/feb/23/churnalism-pr-media-trust • Larry the cat. Daily Mail story: “But that’s my auntie’s cat”. • Misinformation and fabrication can easily spread like a virus, especially on the Internet.

22. Troubleshooting database access problems • Your internet browser is incompatible – switch browser. • Mac users – switch from safari to Mozilla Firefox. • PC users – swop between Internet Explorer and Firefox if one is not working. • Only Middlesex subscribed E-journals and databases are available. Some databases list content we do not have access to. • Middlesex access might be only for some years. • If in doubt check title in E-journals or email Tom Cullis.