E knowledge presentation

RISC (Research Information Support Centre) Postgraduate information support at the

Bellville and Cape Town campuses

CPUT Libraries

e-KNOWLEDGEe-KNOWLEDGE SEARCH – EVALUATE – USE SEARCH – EVALUATE – USE

GUIDE TO ADVANCED INFORMATION SEARCHINGGUIDE TO ADVANCED INFORMATION SEARCHING

Research Information Support Centre (RISC)Research Information Support Centre (RISC)Bellville and Cape TownBellville and Cape Town

CPUT LibrariesCPUT Libraries

1.Introduction 2.Pre-search, search strategies and construction 3.CPUT Libraries resources 4.Citation analysis 5.e-Knowledge:other resources online 6.Repositories, blogs and forums 7.Theses and dissertations 8.Experts and portals 9.Social media, networking and Open Access 10.Postgraduate and research support 11.Reference managing

CPUT Libraries

This presentation is structured around Library resources at CPUT, as postgraduate students and researchers use these resources in searching for relevant literature.

While information acquisition may be considered a relatively small part of the research process, it is important enough to warrant gaining more than basic search skills.

Finding and using information (literature) for research revolves around three basic processes:

search – evaluate – use This means searching for and finding information, evaluating that

information, and then integrating it into your research.

CPUT Libraries

CPUT Libraries

Most literature will come from:

Books Journals Both accessed via library resources However, this has changed completely with resources now mainly being

accessed online, and with a multitude of new and existing resources available in digital format

e-Research (allied to e-Science) entails using advanced IT for collaborative, data intensive activities and distributive communication in a fast broadband framework

CPUT Libraries

CPUT Libraries

Information searching, especially in the sciences, technology and medical fields, but also increasingly in the humanities, is now mostly conducted online.

The Library subscribes to databases which provide access to a rich collection of journal articles and other materials.

There are many resources available online, with more being added all the time – one has to find them.

This is where library information support can assist.

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“Pre-search” is a term which is used to describe information-gathering prior to serious searching. This could mean using Google and Wikipedia to establish what is available, by whom, and where. Basic subject orientation and defining terms can also be seen as a “pre-search” activity – unless of course you have sufficient subject knowledge

Identify the main concepts in your research question and add related terms or synonyms. Think holistically, write down all possible avenues of searching before you begin

CPUT Libraries

CPUT Libraries

CPUT Libraries

Search using the conventional channels first – Library databases in general – and then expand further

Before you begin, think about what you are doing, and think about what you want Define your terms, make sure you understand them Decide where you will search Use more than one tool Carefully consider your “search string”, or search terms, or keywords Note than reversing terms, or adding words such as “research”, can change your results

quite substantially, as will adding terms such as “research”, “paper” or “review” Consider using targeted search tools – i.e. Google Germany (www.google.de) if there is a

research concentration in that country regarding your subject area Find subject experts – for instance names that continually recur as article authors – online

and investigate them and their institutions Identify specialist hubs, portals or gateways relevant to your subject area, and search those Build up your search so that it “snowballs”, i.e. use one search term to lead to another, and

thus ever more information Become e-literate – recognize internet addresses (URL’s) and content quickly, identify

location and the (academic) validity of the material

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Use Boolean logic to search for combinations of search terms using the following Boolean operators: and – or – not

AND: “tuberculosis” AND “HIV/AIDS” (both keywords are present in search results – limited number of results)

OR: “tuberculosis” OR “respiratory diseases” (either of the keywords, or both, are present in the search results – greater number of results)

NOT: “tuberculosis” NOT “HIV/AIDS” (first keyword is present in search

results but not the second – very limited number of results)

CPUT Libraries

CPUT Libraries

CPUT Libraries

CPUT Libraries

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CPUT Libraries

Apart from the text, and the references/bibliography, articles can provide further information

This can include the “home” of the author/s, a centre or unit, which can be investigated for more material as this location often provides a rich source of additional information.

CPUT Libraries

CPUT Libraries

CPUT Libraries

CPUT Libraries

The Journal Impact Factor is taken from Journal Citation Reports (JCR), a

product of Thomson Reuters. It is a measure of the frequency with which the "average article" in a journal has been cited in a given period of time. The impact factor for a journal is calculated based on a three-year period, and can be considered to be the average number of times published papers are cited up to two years after publication. For example, the impact factor 2009 for a journal would be calculated as follows:

A = the number of times articles published in 2008-9 were cited in indexed journals during 2010

B = the number of articles, reviews, proceedings or notes published in 2008-9

Impact factors are contentious, and the JCR evaluation is not universally accepted. Other measures such as Eigenfactor and the H-index are also in use

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