Developing your research skillsMGT1110

Samantha HalfordLibrarian for Business & Management and Marketing & Enterprise

http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/content.php?hs=a&pid=50168

s.halford@mdx.ac.uk

Aims

• To enable you to carry out effective research byTo enable you to carry out effective research by • discussing your information needdiscussing your information need• identifying appropriate resources to find the identifying appropriate resources to find the

information you needinformation you need• illustrating search techniquesillustrating search techniques• demonstrating library catalogue and specialist demonstrating library catalogue and specialist

electronic resources (databases)electronic resources (databases)• considering the importance of evaluationconsidering the importance of evaluation• discussing bibliography and referencingdiscussing bibliography and referencing

Outcomes

You will be able to You will be able to –– • identify your information needidentify your information need• recognise appropriate information sourcesrecognise appropriate information sources• know which sources to use for which know which sources to use for which

purposespurposes• access and search library catalogue and access and search library catalogue and

electronic resourceselectronic resources• evaluate materials foundevaluate materials found• know where to find guidance on referencing know where to find guidance on referencing

and bibliography and bibliography

Definitions• Athens:

• the system used to give you access to high-quality online resources that we have bought for you to use.

• Username and password is the same as for the computer network.• Books:

• textbooks give an overview of a general topic • academic books give an in-depth view of a specific subject

• Journals: • Short, academic ‘magazines’ that come out regularly.• Contain articles that discuss current research in very specific areas.• Organised by date, volume and issue number, even when the journal is

online.• Databases:

• Large collections of many journals containing many more articles. • Different databases cover different subjects. • They all work slightly differently, but all have a search box so you can look

for articles about the topic you are interested in.

Overview of LR Web PagesLibrary Menu and Subject Guides

Step 1: What do you need to know?Brainstorming

• Before you start your research –Before you start your research –

• Think about the question/topicThink about the question/topic

• Pick out the main concepts/keywords and Pick out the main concepts/keywords and make a listmake a list

• Now think of synonyms, other related Now think of synonyms, other related terms and alternative spellingsterms and alternative spellings

• Use these terms to search library Use these terms to search library catalogue and electronic resourcescatalogue and electronic resources

• Think about the question/subject

Example of an Essay Title

‘What do you understand by the term 'motivation’? Discuss the role which motivation has in team performance.’

Keywords and Alternative Keywords

• Workplace• Organis/zation• Company/ies• Corporate culture• Organis/zational culture• Staff• Worker/s• Personnel• Employee/s• Employer/s

• Performance• Satisfaction• Motivation• Well-being• Commitment• Enrichment• Incentive/s• Reward• Effectiveness• Productivity• Turnover• Absentee/ism• Job security

Step 2 Search Techniques Connectors

• Indicate relationships between keywordsIndicate relationships between keywordsANDAND - - narrowsnarrows a search a search • database searches for documents containing database searches for documents containing

bothboth keywords keywords

OROR - - widenswidens a search a search• database searches for documents containing database searches for documents containing

either either keywordkeyword

NOTNOT - - narrowsnarrows a search a search• database database excludes excludes documents containing documents containing

specified keywordspecified keyword

Search Techniques Phrase Search

• Some database require you to use Some database require you to use inverted commas (speech marks) “ “inverted commas (speech marks) “ “

• Others, eg Emerald, require you tick the Others, eg Emerald, require you tick the ‘exact phrase’ box‘exact phrase’ box

• Check database’s Help tips for methodCheck database’s Help tips for method

Search TechniquesTruncation

• Tells computer to do a single search for a Tells computer to do a single search for a group of words all starting the same waygroup of words all starting the same way

E.g. a search for manage*E.g. a search for manage* will find...will find...• manage(s)manage(s)• manager(s)manager(s)• managerial managerial • managementmanagement

Search Techniques Wildcards

• Perform a search for unknown characters or multiple Perform a search for unknown characters or multiple spellings, eg in Business Source Complete – spellings, eg in Business Source Complete –

A search for organi?ation will find …A search for organi?ation will find …organisation and organizationorganisation and organization

• Truncation and Wildcards may be combinedTruncation and Wildcards may be combinedA search for organi?ation* will find …A search for organi?ation* will find …

organis/zationorganis/zationorganis/zationsorganis/zationsorganis/zationalorganis/zational

Step 3 Where to look

• First of all – do use the books and journal articles on your reading list – this is a must

• When looking for books, search the library catalogue. Books give a general/broad overview of your topic and are not usually as up-to-date as journals articles

• For more up-to-date and specific information browse printed or online journals or search the databases by topic

Learning Resources Home PageSelect Library Catalogue from the Library Menu

Searching the Library Catalogue

• You can use A – Z or keyword options

• Use some of your search terms to search the catalogue for books on the topic, eg employee performance

• Your account to renew and request books – logon is your student number and your date of birth DDMMYY

Searching DatabasesStart at LR homepage

http://www.lr.mdx.ac.uk/Select Electronic Resources

Click on Databases

Click on the B and scroll down to Business Source Complete

Select Business Source Completefrom drop down list

Off campus

On campus

Click on BSC

Off campus you will need to go to the Mdx Athens login page

Before logging on set the cookie

BType in keywords from list you made earlierClick on full text and limit by date if you wish

Click on Search

Example of Persistent Link for electronic journal article in BSCClick on Journal title in Results List and scroll down to

persistent link and copy and paste it into your reference listNB This could be called Document url in other databases

Searching for journal articles when you have the reference

• Liu, W., Guthrie, J., Flood, P., & MacCurtain, S. (2009) ‘Unions and the adoption of high performance work systems: does employment security play a role’. Industrial and labor relations review, 63 (1), 109-127.

• See next slide & handout for step-by-step instructions for finding article

Follow the steps below to find article• Search library catalogue – change the drop down menu to ‘Journal keyword’ and

type in the title of the journal: Industrial & Labor Relations Review.• When you’ve found it in the results, click on the title.• There’s a section with several links that say ‘Middlesex University users click here’.

Click on the one that says ‘Full text available from Business Source Complete’. • If you are using a non-Middlesex Computer you will now have to log in to Athens

using your computer network username and password. See http://www.lr.mdx.ac.uk/helpsheets/getting_started/athens.pdf for help.

• On logon page click on Middlesex University link • If you don’t see this you will have to do the next 3 steps instead –

1. Select alternative logon

2. On Organisations page click on Middlesex University (or if you don’t see this, scroll down to Universities and click on the + sign)

3. Click on Middlesex university link

• When you’ve logged in, you’re taken to the Business Source Complete page for the journal. On the right hand side, find the correct year, and click on it.

• The year will expand to show the volumes and issues for that year: click on the one you’re looking for.

• Then scroll down until you see the article. Click on pdf to see the full article.

Searching other databases

• There is a wide selection of databases to search. Some useful ones:• Emerald • Ingenta• Business Source Complete• Proquest Newsstand (for newspapers),

• Find them by clicking ‘databases’ for the list A-Z list.

Step 4: Evaluation

• Look at the articles, books etc you have found and Look at the articles, books etc you have found and evaluate their usefulness.evaluate their usefulness.

• Are they: Relevant?Are they: Relevant? Current? Current?Authoritative? Biased?Authoritative? Biased?

• Do they answer the question or provide background Do they answer the question or provide background information?information?

• Remember – not all information found on the Web is Remember – not all information found on the Web is reliable and it may change or disappear altogether reliable and it may change or disappear altogether

EvaluationIntute

• The The Intute: Virtual Training SuiteIntute: Virtual Training Suite provides provides free Internet tutorials to help you learn how free Internet tutorials to help you learn how to get the best from the Web for your to get the best from the Web for your education and research –education and research –

http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/tutorial/business/http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/tutorial/business/

Step 5: Referencing, Citation and Bibliography

• For guidelines on referencing, citation and creating For guidelines on referencing, citation and creating bibliographies see the guide - bibliographies see the guide - Referencing and Citation Referencing and Citation Style: Health and Social SciencesStyle: Health and Social Scienceshttp://www.lr.mdx.ac.uk/helpsheets/study_skills/hss.pdfhttp://www.lr.mdx.ac.uk/helpsheets/study_skills/hss.pdfPrint and keep this document for future use – follow the Print and keep this document for future use – follow the examplesexamples

• Or use Or use RefworksRefworks for an online bibliographic for an online bibliographic management systemmanagement system - it has a helpful tutorial- it has a helpful tutorialFind it on the A-Z list of databases Find it on the A-Z list of databases http://www.lr.mdx.ac.uk/lib/eresources/atozdbases.htmhttp://www.lr.mdx.ac.uk/lib/eresources/atozdbases.htm

Accessing Other LibrariesAccessing Other Libraries

• Sconul Access

http://www.access.sconul.ac.uk

Apply for a card at the library enquiry desk

Library Tour PodcastLinks on LR home page

• To download a guided tour of the library see

http://www.lr.mdx.ac.uk/podcasts/index.htm

• For induction slideshows see

http://www.lr.mdx.ac.uk/lr-presentations.htm

Summary of Steps

1. What do yo need to know – brainstorming

2. Search techniques

3. Where to look?/ Finding information

4. Evaluation

5. Referencing, citation and bibliography

And finally• Do use the Business & Management Subject Guide,

which provides all the information and links you need to find resources (link on LR home page or below)

http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/• For help with passwords contact the Web Helpdesk

9 – 5 Monday to Friday.

http://webhelpdesk.mdx.ac.uk/• For other help come to the IT and library enquiry

desks to speak to an IT adviser or subject librarian