Lecture Four: Steps 3 and 4

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Does one look for facts, or opinions, or both when conducting a literature search?

What is the difference between primary and secondary sources of information?

What Boolean operator may be used to increase search results?

Why does one need to use brackets when using multiple operators in a keyword search statement?

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Library of Congress Subject Headings Conducting a Subject search on

CLUES◦ Using Subject Headings◦ Searching for Reference Books:

Bibliographies

Searching Other Sources for Books Step 4: The Working Bibliography

◦ Creating your own library of references in RefWorks

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Standard list of subject headings used in most North American academic library catalogues

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• LCSH - abbreviation• Definition: Controlled vocabulary• Usually, at least three LCSH terms are added to

each library catalogue record, describing the main subjects covered in the work.

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• “A collection of concepts or words arranged according to sense; also (U.S.) a dictionary of synonyms and antonyms.”

• OR

• “A classified list of terms, esp. key-words, in a particular field, for use in indexing and information retrieval.”

From Oxford English Dictionary Online

http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/200648?redirectedFrom=thesaurus#eid

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• Topical◦ Limits the concept expressed by the main heading

to a subtopic◦ Example: Literacy –- Government Policy

• Form◦ Indicates the form of the material and is added at

end◦ Example: Literacy -- Encyclopedias

• Chronological◦ Limits a heading to a particular time period◦ Example: Canada -- History -- 1945

• Geographic◦ Limits a heading to a geographic location◦ Example: Literacy –- England –- History –- To 1500

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http://authorities.loc.gov/

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Subject headings will be the same for all university & college library catalogues

May suggest other subject headings that may be relevant – EXPLORE

Disadvantages: Some headings may be too recent to be listed, or they may not be specific enough for your topic.

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Cannabis evolution and ethnobotany

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1. Browse the results of your Keyword search, looking in the Subject Heading field of relevant records.

2. Click on the LCSH to search for other records in the catalogue that have been assigned this heading.

3. Alternatively, enter the LSCH terms into the advanced search option on CLUES.

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Use Advanced search option

Allows a building block approach whereby a subject search can be combined with a keyword search.

Use Limit options to narrow results

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1. Perform a Keyword search on your two main concepts.

2. Browse through the results looking for relevant hits

3. Then scan the Subject Heading field to look for a relevant subject heading that describes your topic.

4. Explore the subject heading links.

5. Browse through your results.

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• A list of works on a specific subject or research topic

• Listed at the end of a research paper, encyclopedia article, book, scholarly article or thesis

• Also published in book form:Lists works (articles, books, dissertations, reports etc.) on

a specific subjectProvides the groundwork for researchersSometimes located in the Library’s reference collectionAnnotated bibliographies provide evaluative summaries

for each entry

• Web sites: a list of hypertext links surrounding a common subject or theme

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Bibliographies are useful when conducting research as they provide the groundwork for research on a specific subject or topic. Watch for currency, however.

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How many bibliographies are there in the Concordia Library?

What is the Subject heading that should be used to search for this type of book?

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1. Conduct a Subject search using your keywords and Bibliography in the subject heading.

2. Now try Encyclopedias

3. Now try Dictionaries

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Subject searchMatches on the subject heading field onlyRequires the use of the authorized LCSH termIs a more precise way of searching

Keyword searchScans the title, notes, contents, series, technical

notes and subject heading fieldsUses natural language in the form of keywordsMore flexible way of searching

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Concordia provides access to a growing collection of books available in electronic form.

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◦ CLUES homepage – follow Find Books, Articles Online Reference Library Catalogues

◦ http://library.concordia.ca/research/internet/otherlibraries.html

◦ When performing a Subject search, use the same subject headings

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Allows you to borrow books from other universities in Quebec and Canada.

Obtain a CREPUQ card at the Circulation desk.

◦ http://library.concordia.ca/services/circulation/crepuq.html

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• Using Inter-library loans

◦ Access Colombo: http://library.concordia.ca/research/ill/

◦ Use when McGill and other local universities do not have an item InterLibrary Loan=ILL

◦ Requires a barcode and PIN◦ View video:

http://library.concordia.ca/help/fyiflix/colombo/colombo.html

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Consult CLUES for material directly related to your research topic◦ Compare Keyword vs Subject strategies◦ Number of books retrieved will depend on

topic – Limit by date

Consider searching other Library catalogues ◦ Use inter-library loans for material located

outside of Concordia◦ Obtain a CREPUQ card to use to borrow from

Quebec University Libraries

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When browsing through the results of your searches, click on the title of potentially relevant items and;◦ Scan the bibliographic information for each potentially

relevant item. Look at the date, the publisher and the description field.

◦ Click on More inside to learn more about the author of the book or to read a book review.

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1. Select your topic2. Develop a preliminary thesis 3. Conduct a literature search4. Create a working bibliography5. Evaluate sources6. Write the final thesis 7. Prepare the paper & bibliography

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A preliminary list of sources on your thesis statement

The list will change as sources are added and deleted during the literature searchArrange alphabetically by authorDo not include tools that were used to locate a source ( e.g. CLUES)Should be created in RefWorks

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Available to all Concordia students

Used to compile, manage and store citations for your working bibliography

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Ability to receive references directly from your database search

Can manually add records – e.g. for websites

Can sort, search, edit (add notes)

Attach PDFs to reference

Formats references according to citation style

Creates bibliography for you!

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RefWorks

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• Marked items from CLUES can be exported to your RefWorks database

• Review and edit entries within RefWorks to ensure information is complete and accurate Has the correct Ref Type been selected (e.g. is a book entry using the

Book Ref Type)?

Has information been transferred into the correct field?

Have you manually entered the Source that was used to locate the item (i.e. CLUES), the date you retrieved it, and your personal notes?

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Information to be documented will vary based on the type of reference.

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Step 3 – Library catalogue ◦ Conducting a subject search◦ Locating bibliographies and other reference

material

Step 4 - Working bibliographies◦ Use RefWorks to store, manage and output

citations◦ Watch accuracy and completeness of information◦ Output to Word and edit document before printing

Next week: Locating periodical articles

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