Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Projects (MENG4008)
Information Technology, Engineering and the Environment (ITEE)
Library drop in session - Monday 11 August 2008 - 10-11am - Library training room C3-03
Introduction
This Assignment Help is designed to help you to find books, journal articles, reports, conference papers and other documents for your project.
ITEE Information Search Methods
The ITEE Information Search Methods workshop assists you to design and implement effective literature search strategies for searching the catalogue, databases and the internet.
Combining your search terms
Searching using a string of search terms (eg. typing in a sentence) is not an effective search strategy.
Think about how your keywords relate to one another by using the OR or AND operators as appropriate.
When you combine keywords using OR your search will find items
containing either one or both of your keywords
When you combine keywords using AND your search will only find
items containing both of your keywords
Refer to the Strategies for searching ITEE databases guide (PDF 70kb, opens in new window) for further assistance
Truncation/Wildcards
Most databases help you to search for plurals and other forms of words by using a feature called truncation.
For example, technolog (followed by the appropriate symbol ie: ? in catalogue, * in the databases) will find technology, technological, technologically etc.
Most databases help you to search for alternative spellings of words by using a feature called wildcard.
For example, organi?ation will find organisation, organization.
The symbols are not standardised across different databases and will depend on the database you are using.
Check the Truncation / Wildcards / Phrase Searching guide (PDF 86kb, opens in new window) to ensure you are using the correct symbol for the database you are searching.
Where to Search
You can use your keywords and search plan to search for a variety of information sources. An information source can be a book, journal, conference proceeding, video or DVD, report or web page. The type of information source you need will determine the most suitable place to search.
Catalogue - where you will find details about books,
videos/DVDs and other material
Databases - where you will find details about journal articles
and sometimes the full text of an article
Internet - web pages containing a variety of information about
many different topics.
Library catalogue
The catalogue (opens in new window) contains information about books, journals and other resources and is essential in any search for information. For information on searching the catalogue see General help - catalogue
Databases
Library databases are indexes to journal articles. Search databases to find quality journal articles on your topic that you may not find on the internet.
If you already know the title of a database, select from the Database Titles list. To find a list of databases on the broad subject area of your topic use the Database Subjects page or try searching the multidisciplinary databases as they cover a wide range of academic topics.
Key databases for this course include:
Obtaining the full text
If you have found a reference and the full text of the article is not available the Find it button may link you to the full text. Refer to the Using Find it guide (PDF 469kb, opens in new window) for more information.
If this option does not find the full text:
- Identify the type of reference - journal article; book; book chapter; conference paper; thesis
- Identify the source of the reference, for example
- for a journal article, the source is the title of the journal
- for a book chapter, the source is the title of the book
Search the Library catalogue (opens in new window) to find out if the Library holds the source you have found in your search.
Internet Resources
You may also find suitable academic references for your assignment using an internet search engine. Google Scholar searches within academic sources on the internet rather than over the whole internet. The internet contains an enormous amount of material and there is no overall quality control on the web. You need to carefully evaluate the websites you find.
Topic guides
There are a range of Resources by Topic which will link you to useful collections of websites and online library resources in specific subject areas.
Bibliographic management software
Bibliographic management software enables researchers and students to create a database of references found in online databases and catalogues. These references can then be inserted into word processed documents and used to create bibliographies in different styles.
RefWorks, EndNote and EndNote Web are available for UniSA staff and students. RefShare, part of RefWorks, allows you to share a folder of references with others.
See the Managing references section of the Library website for more information, links to guides and tutorials and access to the programs
Other Resources
Obtaining assistance
- Use the online Help screens
- Use the resources on the Library website
- Ask the Library staff at the Service Desk at any campus library
- Use Ask the library for assistance
- Contact the ITEE Academic Library Services Team by email