Research Skills

Presented by Nancy Stokes

Research Cycle – 5 stages Online Searching Tips Searching the Library Catalogue

Accessing eBooks

Searching Library Databases

Searching the Web

Evaluating your Information

Referencing your Information

Outline of Presentation

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1.Analyse question or topic

Research Cycle:

5 Stages

2.Identify

keywords &search terms

WriteFinal

Essay/Report

4.Evaluate your

information5.

Reference yourinformation

3.Search for

& find information

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© Central Institute of Technology 2015

Sample Research TopicSustainable event management is about

applying sustainable development principles to the management of a particular event. Specifically, it looks at minimising an event’s ecological footprint and ensuring that it does not impact negatively on the communities and stakeholders involved.As the world becomes more aware of climate change and other sustainability issues, sustainable events are becoming more common. As an event manager why should you consider including sustainability into your event planning and how should you go about doing it?

Consider the following:

How is it to be presented – essay/report format, class presentation?

What are the assessment requirements – how many words? When is it due?

How many and what type of resources are to be used?

How current does the information need to be?

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To search for a phrase use quotation marks (e.g. “event management”)

Use truncation where appropriate (e.g. event? = event, events)

Link terms with AND, OR, NOT (Boolean operators)

Online Searching Tips

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AND narrows the search as both phrases

must appear in the documents“global warming” AND “greenhouse effect”

OR broadens the search as either phrases will appear in the documents

“global warming” OR “greenhouse effect”

NOT narrows the search as excludes one of the phrases from the documents

“global warming” NOT “greenhouse effect”

Using Boolean Operators

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Searching the Library Catalogue

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Library Catalogue Searching Tips

Use your keywords (or alternate terms) to search the Library Catalogue for factual, in-depth information from books and DVDs.

When searching the catalogue remember to limit your search to Perth campus.

Note the location details and the status of any items of interest.

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© Central Institute of Technology 2015

Events Library Subject Guide

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Basic Search using Library Catalogue

Using phrase searching, truncation plus Boolean AND

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© Central Institute of Technology 2015

© Central Institute of Technology 2015

Accessing eBooks

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© Central Institute of Technology 2015

Events Library Subject Guide

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© Central Institute of Technology 2015

Searching Databases

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© Central Institute of Technology 2015

Events Library Subject Guide

© Central Institute of Technology 2015

Searching Databases

Using phrase searching, plus AND

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© Central Institute of Technology 2015

© Central Institute of Technology 2015

© Central Institute of Technology 2015

© Central Institute of Technology 2015

Citation provided in APA format

Searching the Web

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Web Searching Tips:

Use Google Advanced Search to get better results by targeting your searches.

Examine the URL to determine the reliability of the site, e.g. generally .edu or .gov sites are more reliable.

For Australian sites - add .au

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© Central Institute of Technology 2015

Events Library Subject Guide

Goog

le A

dvan

ced

S

earc

h

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© Central Institute of Technology 2015

© Central Institute of Technology 2015

© Central Institute of Technology 2015

Ask yourself these questions…

√ Is the information correct?√Is the information reliable? (who is the author/sponsor?)

√ Is the information current?√ Is the information free from bias? (is it trying to persuade?)

√ Is it what I need?

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Evaluate your Information

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When taking notes for a research topic, write down all the relevant bibliographic details of your information sources as you will need to include them in your Reference List.

For a book: author - year of publication - title - edition –

place of publication – publisher

For a website: author/sponsor /organisation - year of creation or update year - title of web page – URL

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Reference your Information

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Events Library Subject Guide

© Central Institute of Technology 2015

- APA Referencing Guide -

Research Cycle – 5 stages (analyse, identify, search, evaluate,

reference)

Online Searching Tips (phrase, truncation, AND OR NOT)

Searching the Library Catalogue (books to borrow)

Accessing eBooks (books to read online)

Searching Library Databases (Hospitality & Tourism Complete)

Searching the Web (Google Advanced Search)

Evaluating your Information (5 questions to ask)

Referencing your Information (using APA style)

Summary of Presentation

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