BIO2003Literature 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.

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

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

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

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

Books

Middlesex University Library catalogue Journals

To check availability, use the library catalogue. A journal may be available in print or online.

Example

Principles of Literature Searching

Define your question

Identify significant keywords

Identify related terms

Identify broader and narrower terms

Watch out for spelling and terminology e.g. English vs 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?

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

Most online journals and databases require University subscription - not freely available.

Need to log in to show you are from a subscribing institution

Access to e-resources from home Username and password the same as for the

Middlesex University Computer network Need to set the Institutional Cookie on your

computer

Saving a Cookie on your PC

Click here to save institutional cookie

Electronic Resources/Athens login

Click here before you log in if you haven’t set cookie cookcookieource

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

Useful databases

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

Medline - database of international biomedical literature Pubmed Central – freely available full text articles Science Citation Index Social Science Citation Index not full-text Science Direct – full text science database

Other useful resources

Law databases: Lexis Library & Westlaw– full text access to

international case law and legislation

Newspapers: Proquest - full text UK newspaper articles

Science Citation Index (SCI) Search Screen

Combining Searches in SCI

SCI Results Screen

SCI results may not provide full text

Checking the library catalogue

Full Text

Full Text

Science Direct

Restrict search to subscribed journals

Search results

The full text

A useful database for EH students

This database gives 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

Barbour

Login using E-Resources username & password

Barbour Document Library

Barbour Full Text

Remember:

Not all databases provide access to full-text journal articles

Use library catalogue to check availability

Some journals are also available in print – check library catalogue

You may use inter-library loan/other libraries

A Quick Search Demonstration

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

Hygiene & the transmission of cholera Health impact of asbestos exposure Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) & detection of

salmonella Land use and biodiversity Climate change and public health

Now it’s your turn

Try using one or more of the following:

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

To apply, ask at the enquiry desk

Referencing Remember to reference your work properly with

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

For information on how to reference your work, go to your modules in Oasisplus or your Library Subject Guide:

Referencing and Citation Style: Natural 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