Information Services and Systems

Literature Searching

MNEM10 Research methods

November 2013

Information Services and Systems

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

• Select the best academic sources for your assignments

• Plan a literature search & select search terms• Use the following specialist tools effectively:

- EBSCO Business Source Complete;- ProQuest Business Collection (includes the International Bibliography of the Social Sciences);- Web of Science.

Information Services and Systems

How to find information for your next assignment.

Different types of publication =

different types of information.

Information Services and SystemsTextbooks, dictionaries and

encyclopaedias

• Getting started• Get an overview of

the topic• Definitions of key

terms• Understanding the

essay question

Information Services and Systems

Journal articles• The most important

source of information

• In-depth• Latest international

research• Scholarly• Theories

Information Services and Systems

What is a peer-reviewed journal?• The best quality information.• Also known as “scholarly

journals”• Articles written by researchers

are scrutinized before they are published.

• Experts examine the methodology, the analysis, the data and the conclusions before the paper can be published.

Information Services and Systems

Reports

• Facts and figures• Industries• Market research• Countries• Economies• Companies• Commodities

Information Services and Systems

News• Current events• Latest economic crises• Latest mergers and

take-overs• Stock prices• Use quality news

sources, e.g The Economist, Financial Times

Information Services and SystemsA Search Strategy

Price dynamics in the housing market in China and UK: a study using regression analysis

Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3 Concept 4Price dynamics Housing market Regression analysis China /UK

Can you think of alternative search terms?Think of broader terms, narrower terms, related terms and synonyms.

Information Services and SystemsA Search Strategy

Price dynamics in the housing market in China and UK: a study using regression analysis

Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3 Concept 4

Price dynamics Housing market Regression analysis China /UK

Price volatility Housing prices Linear regression Chinese

Price variance House prices Statistical analysis United Kingdom

Price stability Real estate prices Mathematical models

Great Britain

Information Services and Systems

Effective search tips to get more relevant results

• Combine terms using AND, OR, NOT • Use phrase search• Use the truncation symbol• Use the wildcard symbol

Information Services and Systems

Boolean OperatorsAim Boolean Operator Search Examples Retrieval Formula

To narrowyour search results

AND Housing prices AND regression analysis

Only retrieves records containing all terms

To broaden your search results

OR Regression analysis OR linear regression

Price volatility OR price variance

Retrieves records containing either one or

more terms

To exclude a term from your search

NOT taxation NOT income

Wales NOT “New South Wales”

Excludes records containing the second

term

Information Services and Systems

The Phrase Search

Examples:“regression analysis”“Bank of England”“United Kingdom

Information Services and Systems

Truncation symbol *

Entrepreneur*

Entrepreneur

EntrepreneursEntrepreneurshi

p

Entrepreneurial

Information Services and Systems

Wildcard symbol ?

Globali?ation

Globalization

Globalisation

Information Services and Systems

Choosing the right search tool: where to start

You can use iFind Research to:

• To locate journal articles if you have the full reference

• To search for articles on a topic

• Select & access key databases & resources for your topic

Information Services and Systems

Free!

Access via Library

Subscription

Everythingpublishedon yourtopic

Not everything

will beavailableFull Text!

Information Services and Systems

No Full Text Access – what can I do?

• Document Supply Services – books and journal articles can be obtained from the British Library for you

• Visiting other libraries – SCONUL Access scheme –nearly all UK university libraries take part.

Information Services and Systems

Key databasesEBSCO Business Source Complete

and ProQuest Business Collection

• Journal articles on business and economics• Country reports• Product reviews • Industry reports and market research

Information Services and Systems

Key database

Web of Science via Web of Knowledge

Useful for: • Carrying out research across disciplines

For example: economics of sport economics of manufacturing and technologyEconomics of arts and culture

Information Services and Systems

Next week...

We will cover ...

• Statistics & Datasets

• Company Financial information

Information Services and Systems

Need help? Just ask!

buslib@swansea.ac.uk/swanuni.iss @swanuni_iss

http://buseconlib.wordpress.com/