How to search the Library’s online resources

Sources of information

Books: Good for clear overviewNot so good for up to date information

Journals: Good for latest research, critically reviewed by expertsNot so good for a broad overview of a subject

Newspaper: Good for daily informationNot so good for balanced well researched information

Website: Good for very up to date informationNot so good for accurate and reliable information

Thinking about keywords

• What can you see in the picture?

• Note down 5 words that are more specific?

• List 5 words that are related to what you can see in the picture.

OER from Middlesex University

Constructing a search

• Analyse your topic – key concepts• Identify alternative terms or related terms• Broaden or narrow your search using AND/OR/NOT

eg university OR academic• Phrase searching, eg “study skills”• Truncation, eg educat* for education or educate

Library Search

• Search by keywords, eg Information literacy• Refine results using left-hand menu, eg limit to certain

publication dates or particular journals• Click “View Online” to access the full text• To save your results, click the “Add to my favourites” star, then

select “My Favourites” (in top-right corner)• You can email the results to yourself or export them to

reference management tools (eg Endnote)• Alternatively, log in to save your results permanently within

Library Search

Google vs Library Search

Google

• Easy to use• Finds too much information• Access to some books and

journals• Designed to sell you things• Search results sponsored• Searches info from any source• Pay for academic information

Library Search

• Easy to use• Finds lots of academic info• Access to lots of books and

journals• Designed to find you info• Search results by relevance• Searches quality resources• Free access to full text

Based on an OER from Middlesex University

Key resources

• JSTOR• MLA• Nexis • Oxford Reference Online• Project Muse• PsycINFO• SCOPUS• Web of Knowledge

News archives

Use the Newspapers guide to access several news archives:

• The Guardian and Observer 1821-2003• The Times 1785-1985• Daily Mirror Archive 1903 - present• Daily Mail Historical Archive 1896-2004

Results

• Many databases retrieve results in date order - most recently published at the top

• Change the sort order to view results in relevance order• Narrow your results by specifying the publication date• Use the Findit@US button to locate full-text articles• Use the Save/Export options to save your results

If we haven’t got what you need…

Place a request:

• Journal articles emailed to you• Ebooks supplied when available

http://www.sussex.ac.uk/library/info/ilr

Getting help

library@sussex.ac.uk

Bookable training sessions

Skills hub

Instant message us