Library Resources, Databases and Research School of Social & Political Science

1. Library Resources, Databases and ResearchSchool of Social & Political Science Christine Love-Rodgers Academic Support Librarian – School of Social & Political Science SPS.Librarian@ed.ac.uk Twitter @SPSLibrarian Informing our communities, informed by our collections

2. Today's workshop About … • Getting started with the Library • Discovering online research resources • Tips for systematic literature searching • What to do when you can’t find what you want • Managing your research : Referencing, citing and avoiding plagiarism • help with library queries Informing our communities, informed by our collections

3. 1. Getting Started with the Library • Library Facilities sites, study space, collection locations, computing, print & copy, uCreate, WiFi • Library Services opening hours, self-service, Helpdesk, Helpline, book borrowing, Library Annexe, • Research Support CRC, 5th Floor Study spaces – dedicated PG area.

4. Borrowing from the Library • Loan periods • PGR - 60 books (incl. 3 HUB Reserve) • PGT – 50 books • Standard loan = 12 weeks, Short Loan & HUB Short Loan = 1 week, HUB Reserve = 3 hours. • Watch out for fines! • http://www.ed.ac.uk/is/library-borrowing • Short loan or standard loan item on loan? • Request via DiscoverEd • Item held at Library Annexe (library’s offsite store)? • Request via DiscoverEd • http://www.ed.ac.uk/is/library-annexe Informing our communities, informed by our collections

5. Search DiscoverEd Finding material in the Library http://discovered.ed.ac.uk Can search direct from Library homepage (www.ed.ac.uk/is/library) or access it from the “Library” tab in MyEd. Informing our communities, informed by our collections

6. What’s it searching? Informing our communities, informed by our collections

7. Sign in here Use Advanced Search for specific items Use facets to refine search Informing our communities, informed by our collections

8. Accessing Library resources via MyEd Access the Library tab here Informing our communities, informed by our collections

9. 2. Online Research Resources • Full text e-journal articles • E-books • Abstracts • Citation information • Newspaper articles – historical and current • Index to conference proceedings • Dissertations • Images • Archives Informing our communities, informed by our collections

10. Accessing Library databases • Databases A-Z list (www.ed.ac.uk/is/databases-a-z) • Databases by subject (www.ed.ac.uk/is/databases-subjects) • Subject guides (www.ed.ac.uk/is/subject-guides) • “Library” tab in MyEd. • Majority offer on and off-campus • EASE username and password • Check for any special log in information noted e.g. • VPN (www.ed.ac.uk/is/vpn) • Small number of databases are only accessible on-campus Informing our communities, informed by our collections

11. Some databases for Politics • BFI InView • Political Science Complete • Documents on British Policy Overseas • House of Commons Parliamentary Papers • Web of Science (Social Sciences Citation Index) • Scopus • IBSS • JSTOR • MEF digital films (Kanopy) • These and more available at www.ed.ac.uk/is/databases-subjects (under Sociology) Informing our communities, informed by our collections

12. Some databases for Sociology • Sociological Abstracts • SocIndex • ASSIA • Web of Science (Social Sciences Citation Index) • Scopus • IBSS • PsycInfo • JSTOR • MEF digital films (Kanopy) • These and more available at www.ed.ac.uk/is/databases-subjects (under Sociology) Informing our communities, informed by our collections

13. Some databases for Social Anthropology • Anthropology Plus • Anthrosource • Web of Science (Social Sciences Citation Index) • Scopus • IBSS • JSTOR • MEF digital films (Kanopy) • These and more available at www.ed.ac.uk/is/databases-subjects (under Social Anthropology) Informing our communities, informed by our collections

14. Newspapers • Current and archives • UK and international • Access via http://bit.ly/1K7bMSo • Media • Box of Broadcasts (BoB) • MEF digital films • BFI InView • Access via www.ed.ac.uk/is/databases-a-z • Official publications • Access via http://bit.ly/1O6aFjX • Freely available sites such as • https://www.gov.uk • http://www.scotland.gov.uk • http://www.scottish.parliament.uk • http://europa.eu/ • Dissertations and theses • ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global • Edinburgh Research Archive (ERA) • EThOS • Access via http://bit.ly/1Ma7WIH • Data and statistics • Access via http://bit.ly/1CDzAuJ • Data Library (www.ed.ac.uk/is/data-library) Informing our communities, informed by our collections

15. “Can’t I just use?” • Google is great • but it doesn’t search all the online services the University subscribes to. • There’s a lot of rubbish • Many sites are not suitable for an academic context • If you’re going to use Google • Use Google Scholar (http://scholar.google.co.uk/) • Academic version of Google and is a really good search tool Informing our communities, informed by our collections

16. Getting set up for Google Scholar • 1. Access the Settings (wheel symbol) web page.  Click to enlarge • 2. In the library link enter “Edinburgh University” in the search box and select University of Edinburgh. • 3. Then click on Save Informing our communities, informed by our collections

17. Searching the literature Google Scholar Bibliographic databases Why use them? For content & resources not in Google. Specialist content and focus across a range of disciplines. Content and coverage is explicit. Comprehensiveness. Added value. Puts you in control! However … They index more than we have, which is not necessarily a problem as we can generally get it for you! Why use it? • Quick and easy way of getting hold of good references, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, abstracts and technical reports. • Can be set to retrieve and link to what’s available at Edinburgh. • It’s good enough! However … • Harvesting of content unknown. • The ranking of content is not clear. Informing our communities, informed by our collections

18. Identify the principal concepts – these will form the keywords for your search. What is your research question? What do you need to find out? 3. Tips for systematic literature searching variant spelling: behaviour (UK) behavior (US) variations in terminology over time: lame, handicapped, disabled Types of Resources: Primary Sources (archives, images, newspapers, statistics, etc.) Secondary Sources (books, journals, theses, book reviews, etc.) Search limits –. • time • language • geography • Searching effectively • Boolean searching • Finding full text

19. Plan your search strategy • Identify the principal concepts – these will form the keywords for your search. • Identify terminology, names of significant individuals • Identify geographical or date limits for your search Informing our communities, informed by our collections

20. Combining your keywords Use connecting words AND, OR or NOT (Boolean operators). These will help you widen or narrow your searches. Informing our communities, informed by our collections

21. Boolean operators at work! • gin AND tonic • alcohol AND addiction • gin OR tonic • alcohol OR booze • tonic NOT gin • addiction NOT drugs Informing our communities, informed by our collections

22. Didn’t find what you wanted? Mix it up again • Too many results? • Add additional keywords with AND • Use more specific keywords • Use thesaurus terms • Apply limits • Use phrase searching • Too few results? • Combine with OR • Check your spelling – typos really mess things up! • Use truncation or wildcards • Use synonyms or alternative spelling • Check thesaurus terms • Use Nesting to separate single/group concepts: (concept 1 OR concept 2) AND (concept 3 OR concept 4) • Snowballing – follow up references & citations and see where they lead you. Informing our communities, informed by our collections

23. Explore what’s out there : scoping searches • Google Scholar • DiscoverEd Click here to search resources beyond EUL DiscoverEd limiters allow you to see useful database collections for your search Informing our communities, informed by our collections

24. Use Advanced Search techniques Use DiscoverEd Advanced search for Boolean Searching Search across multiple databases from the same provider for systematic but time effective searching. E.g. EBSCO provides SocIndex, Political Science Complete Informing our communities, informed by our collections

25. Use Advanced Search techniques • Thesaurus searching • Citation searching

26. Use databases to record and track your search methods Informing our communities, informed by our collections

27. 4. What to do when you can’t find what you want If the Library has it but you can’t find it • Ask at the Helpdesk or information point • Double check the catalogue for e-copies or copies at other site libraries • Are there relevant books at the same classmark? • You can reserve a book online through DiscoverEd if it’s out on loan If the Library doesn’t have it – Resources Plus • Use the inter-library loan service (30 loans free) www.ed.ac.uk/is/ILL • Use another library – e.g. NLS • Request the book for the Library www.ed.ac.uk/is/RAB Informing our communities, informed by our collections

28. 5. Managing your library research Informing our communities, informed by our collections

29. The reference management system What it is What it does Helps you Collect & organise your references Annotate and describe your references Cite your references in your work Style your references for your assignment your dissertation or PhD thesis that published journal paper or book chapter! Takes the misery out of reference management! • EndNote • EndNote X6 desktop software on all UoE lab PCs • personal copy may be purchased from UoE • EndNote Web for home use (free) • Both versions ‘speak’ to each other? • Training & support available • IS skills • Self-study workbook • Reference Manager • Personal copy may be purchased from UoE • Training & support available • IS skills • Self-study workbook • Free web tools • Mendeley • Zotero Informing our communities, informed by our collections

30. Help with Research Methods / Study Skills • SAGE Research Methods • Cite them right Informing our communities, informed by our collections

31. Getting help Helpdesk and Helpline • Face-to-face: Visit Main Library Helpdesk • Email: IS.Helpline@ed.ac.uk • Phone: 0131 650 3409 (Library issues) 0131 651 5151 (IT issues) • Self service portal: http://ed.unidesk.ac.uk/tas/public Help with resource questions SPS.Librarian@ed.ac.uk Informing our communities, informed by our collections

32. Thank you and keep in touchChristine Love-RodgersCaroline StirlingAcademic Support Librarians – SPSSPS.Librarian@ed.ac.ukTwitter @SPSLibrarian, http://libraryblogs.is.ed.ac.uk/spslibrarian/ Informing our communities, informed by our collections