Finding resources for your assignmentsBSc Veterinary Nursing October 2014

Housekeeping

• How’s it going?

• Can you find the books on your reading lists?

• Can you renew and reserve books?

• Do you know who to contact for help?

• Library Subject Guides?

Today we are going to cover...

• Different types of resources for your studies

• Searching effectively for books and journal articles

• Evaluating information

• Using information ethically (citing and referencing)

Where’s the evidence?

Types of information

Task 1:

1. Each group will be given a pack of cards 2. The cards contain the names of 5 different

resources3. Match together the correct: Resource Type +

Definition+ “Good for” + “Not so good for”

Time: 5 mins

Books

What are they:

A written or printed work of fiction or fact.

May be electronic.

Good for:

Clear overview

Not so good for:

Up to date information

Web pages

What are they:

An information resource which can be easily created by anyone on any topic.

Electronic.

Good for:

Very up to date information

Not so good for:

Accurate and reliable

information

NewspapersWhat are they:

A regular publication containing current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising.

May be electronic.

Good for:

Daily information

Not so good for:

Balanced and well researched information

JournalsWhat are they:

A regular publication containing articles on a particular academic subject.

Presents new research.

Good for:

Latest research,

critically reviewed by experts

Not so good for:

Broad overview of a subject

Popular (trade) journalWhat are they:

A regular publication containing new products plus information for a business sector.

Good for:

Latest product news.

Not so good for:

Detailed and objective

reports.

Starting your search

Finding resourcesmyUniHub > My Study > My Library

Access all sorts of resources from here

Summon

Searches journals, books and more

Good starting point for your research

Covers ALL subjects taught at the university

VET1607 assignmentIn- course assignment brief: VET 1607

You must cover ALL of these learning objectives in order to pass this assignment.

Explain basic cellular structure and tissue organisation within the mammalian body.

Describe structure and function of the main mammalian body systems to include:– Gastrointestinal tract

A rabbit has been brought to the surgery suffering from ileus (a condition which causes the peristaltic motion of the intestine to cease).

• Describe the features of the gastrointestinal system of the rabbit from mouth to anus.

• Name the exocrine secretions in the lagomorph intestinal tract and explain their function.

Keywords - What are the main things we need to find information on?

• Rabbits

• Mammals

• Small animals

• Gastrointestinal system

• Digestive system

• Ileus

• Gastrointestinal conditions

• Gastrointestinal problems

• Anatomy & Physiology

Be broad / be narrow

Any synonyms or alternative words?

Task 2

• Use Summon and work through the basic example on the handout

• Then try searching for some information on your assignment topic

Library Subject Guides

• Keep it simple!

• Experiment with different words and concepts, remember different spellings and terminology

• Think about the limits – date? Type of resource? Subject area?

A few search tips

If you have too many

results

If you don’t have

enough results

- Add more keywords

(narrow it down)

- Be more specific

(e.g. labrador vs.

dog)

- Use phrases e.g.

“infection control”

- Add limits, e.g. date

- Use synonyms (e.g.

feline or cat)

- Be less specific

- Split the question up

into simple concepts

/ words

- Try variations of

words e.g.

nurse/nurses/nursing

A few search tips

But is it any good?

Is it what you need and is it trustworthy?

What criteria would you use to assess the relevance and quality of the information?

The C A R P test

C A R P• Currency - How old is the information? When

was it last updated?

• Authority - Who is the author / creator? What is their background?

Is the article published in a scholarly/peer reviewed journal?

• Relevance - Is this what I need? Will it answer my question? Is it at an appropriate level?

• Purpose - What is the purpose of the information e.g. financial gain, propaganda, academic research, etc.

Task 3

• Work in groups

• 4 resources and evaluation sheet

• For each resource, decide as a group if it meets the criteria.

• No need to read the whole thing!

Referencing – Task 4

• Is very important

• Acknowledges other people’s work (avoids plagiarism)

• Shows you’ve read around the subject

• Supports your discussion and arguments

• Gets you better marks!

• Enables others to find your references

Referencing – style guide

On the front page of the VN guide...

Need help?

• Librarians in the Study Hub (1st floor) during core hours Monday – Friday

• Ask a Librarian http://askalibrarian.mdx.ac.uk/• Veterinary Nursing Library Subject Guidehttp://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/veterinarynursing