Napier University Learning Information Services (NULIS)

Napier UniversityLearning Information Services

Research SkillsFaculty of Engineering and

Computing 2000

Napier University Learning Information Services (NULIS)

Faculty of Engineering and Computing - Postgraduate

Research Skills



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NULIS Web Pages

Subject guidesNULIS publicationsRoute to electronic resourcesConvenient jumping off point for

WebsitesComplements and gives access to

NULIS catalogue...



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NULERN

NULIS Electronic Resources Network

Newspapers and indexes

Market research reports

Transport, Law, Standards

And more...



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Why do a search?

Topic selection Find specific project

information Discover structure of

information in a particular subject

Locate information on research methods - questionnaire design, data analysis, report writing etc.



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Information Searching

ScopeTimescaleRangeKey conceptsKey words

– broader– narrower– synonyms– related



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Keywords (example)

Broad topic area: Information systems designKey concept: Human computer interaction

(HCI)Broad keywords: interface design, user,

cognitive psychology,Narrower terms: graphical user interface

(GUI),Related terms: artificial intelligence,

ergonomics, software design, anthropology, applications etc.



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Evaluating Results

Apply RUDOLF against your search results:

R - relevant to your needs?

U - useful for the problem in hand?

D - date of publication appropriate?

O - obtainable?

L - level of information correct? Too simple/advanced?

F - fresh information? Do you know this already?



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Consult the NULIS Catalogue and Subject

Guides for full details on all of the services

referred to in this presentation.

http://www.napier.ac.uk/depts/library/homepage.htm

http://www.napier.ac.uk/depts/library/subjects/subjects.htm

Information sources



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PRIMARY SOURCES

SECONDARY SOURCES

TERTIARY SOURCES

JournalsDissertationsThesesBooks

NewspapersConference papersPatents & StandardsReports

Indexes Abstracts

CataloguesBibliographies

PUBLISHING CYCLE

The research cycle

INFORMATIONSEARCHING



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Search by...Author

Title

Words in title

You can also…Place holds (reservations)

Check your NULIS record

Renew items on loan to you

NULIS Catalogue



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1. WEBPAC

Via the web Graphical interface Direct links to web No Short Loan booking

facility Future upgrade path

There are currently two routes to the catalogue

Accessing the Catalogue

Napier University

WebPACCatalogue

New search

Previous searches

Guided search

Advanced search

Personal information

WebPAC help

NULIS home page

Short loans

Questions & answers

Catalogue New Search

WebPAC allows you to search for all print,audiovisual and electronic materials held in NULIS

stock or accessible via the University network

Select your type of search Words taken from the title

Enter your search terms

Search Clear Search Settings

?STOP

http://webpac.napier.ac.uk/



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2. Telnet PAC

Via NULIS web pages, or dedicated terminals in Learning Centres

Non-graphical

Short Loan booking facility

Not being further developed

Accessing the Catalogue

NULIS - Craiglockhart Learning CentrePublic Access Catalogue

Have you tried WebPAC? http://webpac.napier.ac.uk

* * * Napier University Learning Information Services * * *

The TelnetPAC can be used to access a variety of information services, in addition

to searching the catalogue

1. Search the catalogue 2. Short Loans Collection 3. Check your personal information 4. Queries, comments and suggestions 5. Quit Searching

Enter your selection(s) and press <Enter> : S=Shortcut on, BB=Bulletin Board, ?=Help



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Catalogues of other Libraries– e.g. COPAC, OPAC 97, SALSER

BNB on CD-ROM – British National Bibliography:

Books published since 1950 and

held at the British Library

Other catalogues



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Don’t forget...

Online bookstores– www.amazon.co.uk

– http://www.bookshop.co.uk/

Textbooks– Most authors will list their sources



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Articles on the latest news, trends and research

Letters / opinion

Job vacancies

Equipment

Meetings, conferences, courses

Contacts Subject matter and level do vary

Currency is their strength

Why use journals?



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Journals (cont)

Academic/Professional

Primary research

Authors identified

Refereed

Specialised topics

Notice of work in

progress

Foster debate

Commercial

Interpret developments

Anonymous

Not (usually) refereed

Readable & inexpensive

News & current

developments

Profit making



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The NULIS catalogue lists journal titles only. Use

abstracts & indexes to find relevant journal articles.

Most are available as searchable databases.

Search by keyword or author - quicker & easier than

browsing the shelves!

Retrieve bibliographic details and an abstract for each

article indexed.

Refers you to journals you might not have considered.

Abstracts & Indexes



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Title: Internet Scrapbook

Author: Fay, D.

Ref: Byte, Apr 1997, pg 23-28

Abstract: This article describes an intelligent

Web browsing system called Internet Scrapbook,

which allows users to automate repetitive browsing

tasks...

Subjects: Internet, Browsing, Automation

Example of an abstract



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Ei Compendex

All aspects of engineering and computing

Indexes 2600+ journals, conference

proceeding and technical reports

Currently c. 3million records

Requires ATHENS username & password



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Inspec

Physics, electrical engineering, electronics,

communications, control engineering, and

computing

Indexes journal articles, conference

proceedings, reports, dissertations, patents

and books from 1969 onwards

Currently c. 5 million records




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Web of Science Subject coverage:

– Social Sciences Citation Index

– Science Citation Index

– Arts & Humanities Citation Index

– Index to Scientific & Technical Proceedings

Indexes journal articles, editorials, letters, conference proceedings book reviews etc.

Search by keyword/author, or search for references which cite a particular author, article, or book. Requires ATHENS username & password



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Cambridge Scientific Abstracts

Umbrella service for 30+ databases

Subject coverage includes computing,

engineering, and science

Indexes journals, conference papers,

and reports




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ANTE

Computing, electronics, engineering,

(including construction, electrical, and

chemical engineering), biotechnology,

and medical technology)

Indexes 350+ journals

Currently c. 14,000 records

Access via Internet http://www.antenet.co.uk Username = napuniv Password = ana078



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Computer Science Library (Anbar)

All aspects of computing

Indexes 200+ journals

Currently c, 30,000 records

– Username = napier

– Password = library



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IngentaJournals

This multidisciplinary database indexes

and abstracts articles from over 2,500

journals

Incorporates full-text links to a number of

engineering and computing journals




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An ATHENS username & password are required for access to most of these databases

User name = nap + matriculation number

e.g. nap99101305

Password = Student NT password + 1st two

digits of matriculation number

e.g. XYGH99

Full details from the Services link on the NULIS homepage

ATHENS username & password



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Finding conference papers

Index of Conference Proceedings

Index to Scientific & Technical Proceedings

(via Web of Science)

Abstracts & Indexes (see previous slides)

ACM Guide to Computing Literature

The Collection of Computer Science

Bibliographies



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Finding theses/research in progress

Index to theses of GB and Ireland– http://www.theses.com/

BEST – Building Expertise in Science & Technology,

incorporating Current research in Britain– access via a standalone PC at Merchiston

Learning Centre



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Finding standardsand patents

Technical Indexes: British Standards– Index to UK standards– full text held on microfiche

Standards Infodisk– 200,000 national and international standards

EEVL – Select Resource Type, Patents/Standards– 87 resources at the last count!



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EEVL Information Gateway

Higher Education

Societies & Institutions

Companies

Government

E-Journals

Discussion Lists

Directories

Reference

Recruitment

Patents & Standards

Research Projects

Software

Library CataloguesConference announcements

Coverage



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Finding software

Hensa– The Higher Education National Software

Archives http://www.mirror.ac.uk/

EEVL – Select Resource type, Software– 218 resources at the last count!

Search engines



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Finding company and industry information

Company/Professional association websites

Company directories (Ref Collection of Learning Centres)

Computergram (Web)

– news from & about the computing industry

ABI Inform global (Web)

– full text journal articles (business and IT)

Mintel Marketing Intelligence (NULERN) – consumer market research reports

Newspapers (Learning Centres & NULERN)



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Finding Internet resources

Search Engines e.g. AltaVista

Directories e.g Yahoo

NULIS Catalogue

NULIS Web pages– Subject guides

– Information Gateways

Subject based links to Web sites vetted by experts. Consult the Internet Resources section of the NULIS Subject Guides for a list of gateways in your subject area.



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Electronic Searching

Free text searches the whole record Field search title/abstract/author Thesaurus/Index controlled vocabulary Boolean

and = both terms

or = either 1st or 2nd term

not = find 1st but not 2nd term

Truncation comput* Wildcard organi?ation Proximity satellite w/3 wireless



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Is the item available at NULIS?

Most of these search tools

cover hundreds of sources.

Always check the NULIS Catalogue to find out if the

item is available

at NULIS.

Napier University

WebPACCatalogue

New search

Previous searches

Guided search

Advanced search

Personal information

WebPAC help

NULIS home page

Short loans

Questions & answers

Catalogue New Search

WebPAC allows you to search for all print,audiovisual and electronic materials held in NULIS

stock or accessible via the University network

Select your type of search Serial or journal title in alpha

Enter your search terms

Search Clear Search Settings

?STOP

If we don’t hold the item you require, we may be able to arrange access to another library, or obtain material on inter-library loan. Ask NULIS staff for further details.



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External Sources

Company Libraries Public Libraries Government

Libraries Academic Libraries Nat. Library of

Scotland Trade/Research

Assocs. Special Libraries



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SALSER

Scottish Academic Libraries SerialsLists the journal holdings of Scottish

university libraries + National Library of Scotland + major public libraries

Search by Library group/areaSearch by title/keywordWho holds what?Links through to relevant catalogue



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Inter-Library Loans

Items obtained from the British Library:

Be sure you want them

Get them countersigned

Prioritise them Batch your requests Allow plenty of

time...



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Bibliographies

A bibliography is a list of books, journal articles, reports, theses and any other material consulted during the preparation of a report (or essay, project, article or any other new document)

Purpose:To acknowledge the

sources consultedTo enable other

readers to access the material themselves

To provide an overview of the literature relating to the topic



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Useful Publications

NULIS basics…How to use... Information

skills...e.g. Literature Searching, Bibs. & References

Services & collections...

Edinburgh Libraries



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Remember...

Think about what you want

Structure how you get it

Keep notes of references

Extend search beyond this Library

Allow plenty of time



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And finally...

Use NULIS webpages and publications

Use WebPAC INSPEC & Web of

Science COMPENDEX Use Subject

Gateways for the Internet - EEVL

ASK FOR HELP!

Napier University Learning Information Services (NULIS)

Documents