Transcript
Introduction to academic research methodology in the library
From good sources
Steven LaporteOktober 12, 2016University Library VUBsteven.laporte@vub.ac.be
1-10-2016 | 2
“I have always imagined
that paradise will be a
kind of library.”
Poema de los dones - Jorge Luis Borges
Overview
1. About sources
When does a source qualify as a scientific source?
Some pitfalls
Overview
2. Internal and external library resources.
Academic databases
Paywalls and Open Access
External sources
Overview
3. Successfully Managing source research
Research question
Keywords and searches
Resource Management
Output
About sources
Source = information + physical medium
When does a source qualify as a scientific?
How to recognize a reliable source:
1. The carrier
o Unknown website/suspect url
o Blog
o Newspaper article
o Peer-reviewed journal
When does a source qualify as a scientific?
How to recognize a reliable source:
2. The author:
o Where does the author work?
o What is the educational background of the author?
o Other publications
o Is the author often cited?
V.b. Avi Sion
Sent to the library unsolicited
Author name looks like an alias
Linked to an ‘odd’ website: http://www.thelogician.net/
Claims a PhD, but from which university?
NO bibliography
When does a source qualify as a scientific?
How to recognize a reliable source:
3. The publisher:
o Other publications?
o Connected to a scientific institution?
o Finish
V.b. Lap Lambert academic Publishing
Unsolicited
Website: https://www.lap-publishing.com/
No academic partners
Negative reviews:
http://scholarlyoa.com/2012/11/05/lambert-academic-
publishing-a-must-to-avoid/
No peer-review
When does a source qualify as a scientific?
How to recognize a reliable source:
4. Publication date?
o Dependant on the subject
o Recent?
When does a source qualify as a scientific?
How to recognize a reliable source:
5. Reviews?
o Judgement
o Source of the review
When does a source qualify as a scientific?
How to recognize a reliable source:
6. Citations and bibliography
o Position within a research network
o Traceability of the facts cited
o Identification of the author's own contribution
o Repeatability of the investigation
When does a source qualify as a scientific?
How to recognize a reliable source:
7. Financing
o Independence of the investigation
Peer-review?
Review by peers / colleagues
Criteria
o Originality
o Accessibility
o Solid evidence of findings
Careful editing process
Vb. Verdachte bron
“Doctrine of Signatures”
http://www.ajpct.org/index.php/AJPCT/article/view/114
Impact factor?
="Weight" of a scientific journal:
o The more articles from a given scientific journal in other journals are cited, the higher
the impact factor
"Weight" of the researcher : h-index
o More objective
o Criticism
Basic attitude = Skeptical
… especially when the material found supports your thesis
some pitfalls
“Publish or perish”
Display only positive results?
Fraud
Internal and external library resources
Internal and external library resources
Library no longer has a monopoly
Library resources + expertise
Signpost
Infrastructure
Catalogs
books, magazines and audiovisual materials
Information about their repository (location attribute)
Ex.: www.unicat.be
Book classification
The VUB central library
Academic databases :
Which database should you use?
https://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/ubwebsite_database_subj_en.html#34
Online databases: Where to start?
Library catalogue:
http://biblio.vub.ac.be/vubissmartweb/Vubis.csp
Overview databases:
http://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/ubwebsite_database_alpha.html
Library general information
http://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO
Paywalls and Open Access
Paywall= pay for access
o IP-adres
o VUBnet NetID and password
Open Access
o Free access
o What business model?
oEx. PLoS one, Doaj, arXiv
Examples of external sources
Images
o http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online
o http://closertovaneyck.kikirpa.be/
o https://archive.org/details/paulotlet
Audio
o http://research.culturalequity.org/rc-b2/home-audio.jsp
Lectures
o http://videolectures.net/
o http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm
o Itunes University
Successfully Managing source research
Keywords
o Synoniemen
o Vertalingen
o Enkel- of meervoud
o Narrower term
o Broader term
o Related term
Searches
Boolean search terms
o AND OR NOT
Resource Manager
Use a reference manager
Storing and organizing references (citations)
Editing of bibliographic data
Exporting bibliographies
Management of full-text docs
Integration into word processing software
What can you do with a reference manager?
Alternatives
Thomas Reuters
Web app en desktop
Latest version: X7
Prijs: € 217.74
Search external databases
Alternatives
Thomas Reuters
Online only
Free
Limit of 50.000 references
2GB webspace
Alternatives
Open-source
Web app and desktop
Center for History and New
Media of George Mason University
Free
300MB webspace
Originally an add-on for firefox
Alternatives
ProQuest
$100 / year
Integration with other ProQuest products
and partners
Alternatives
Elsevier
Free
2GB
Social networking
cross-platform/cross devices
Desktop- and webapplication
Elaborated example: Mendeley
The web-module
My library (webmodule)
Desktop module
Work offline
“Drag-and-drop”
Save files locally
Additional functionalities
Syncing
Collecting referencesCompatible sites for the web importer
Reference managers: use
Results ICT survey summer 2013
Links to reference managers
Endnote http://endnote.com
EndnoteWeb https://www.myendnoteweb.com
Zotero https://www.zotero.org
RefWorks http://www.refworks.com
Vergelijkingstabel Wikipediahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_reference_m
anagement_software
Introductie-filmpjes Mendeley http://www.mendeley.com/videos-tutorials
Hulpdocumenten Mendeley http://resources.mendeley.com
Compatibele sites voor de web importeur
Tutorial Informatievaardigheden AUHA
http://www.mendeley.com/import/
https://anet.ua.ac.be/wiki/auha/StartScherm
Questions?
top related