Searching should be easy, right? We do it all the time in our day to day lives and with Google so ingrained into our existence, we don’t give it much thought. We type some words into the search engine and most of the time we find what we are looking for. Nothing to it!
However, while this approach certainly works for checking out cinema times or booking flights, it lets us down where research is concerned. We have high expectations that information will be quick and easy to come by and that it will be neatly organised in one place, rather than having to search in multiple locations, using different techniques. We imagine that the time consuming part of our research will be the analysing, synthesizing and the writing of it and we often don’t even think about the searching side of things.
The reality though is quite different. Without investing in our searching techniques and the development of a search plan, we can often find ourselves overwhelmed by information and not being able to see the wood from the trees. Our stress levels rise and our frustrations explode. Surely finding information shouldn’t be this hard!
The good news is, is that there is help to be had. Our job as Liaison Librarians is to equip you with the skills you need to create that all-important search plan and to encourage you to pause and stop before you dive straight into finding information for your research. We have a fantastic range of online tools for you to do this, not least an interactive search plannerthat you can keep adding to throughout your search and which you can even email to yourself, your supervisor, or us as a Liaison team for feedback. The Academic Skills Kit has lots of advice on how to start a search, including how to break your concept down into manageable chunks and how to identify keywords and synonyms.
You can also check out this short video to get you started…….
Keep your eyes peeled for our next blog installment of how to find particular resources. See you then!
Northern Ireland Ordinance Survey data via Digimap is free on trial until 31st July 2019. Adding to our existing EDINA collection, the collection provides a range of raster and vector data at scales ranging from 1:2500 to 1:1 million. Aerial photographs are also included.
Since this is a trial service, you will be required to delete any licensed data you hold on 31st July unless your institution chooses to take a subscription from 1st August 2019 onwards. Please bear this in mind when planning your work.
You can access Digimap via Library Searchor our Maps library guide, log in with your university account and click on the Ordinance Survey tab to access the data. Use the data download option to get access. You will need to accept the license agreement the first time you use it.
Please explore and email us your feedback, or post it as a comment on this blog.
Will you be working on a dissertation or project this summer or next year? Worried that the Library might not have access to the specialist books and other resources which you need? Wondering how you can find out about resources relating to your research topic which are held in other libraries?
Wonder no more! There are three main ways you can find and access books and other resources held elsewhere:
1. Search
You can search the catalogues of over 100 UK and Irish academic libraries, national libraries and other major research libraries via COPAC. For a more in-depth and up to date search, you can also search individual academic library catalogues online. Need to look further afield? Search library catalogues internationally via WorldCat.
2. Visit
We have more information about how you can visit other libraries, locally and nationally, here. The SCONUL Access Scheme enables students to use other academic libraries around the country, but you need to register online first (and be sure to check the access arrangements for any library you are planning to visit, as they may alter during the year).
3. Obtain
If we haven’t got the book you want, you can ask us to consider buying or borrowing it, via our Books on Time service. If you need a copy of a journal article to which we don’t have access, please apply via our inter library loan service.
Librarians have been warning people about ‘Fake News’ for many, many, many, many years – how to find and select reliable, authoritative, quality resources is at the heart of any good library teaching session. In a way we librarians have to thank Mr Trump for making Fake News a popular term; he has made everyone aware that there are fake stories out there and that there has been for centuries (see our historical time-line of Fake News).
2019 is NU Library’s third year of promoting awareness of Fake News, and by looking at the large number of visits to our Fake News Guide over these three years (4,672 visits in total), and again thanks to Mr Trump, it’s not something that’s going away anytime soon. So we Librarians will continue our quest of highlighting all information that is fake for the greater good.
Until I went to Librarian’s Fake News conference last year, I hadn’t heard of the terms ‘Filter Bubble’ and ‘Echo Chambers’ in relation to Fake News. However, once explained hopefully it will make you more aware of what information/news stories you read via the likes of Google, Facebook and Twitter, and how they could potentially be fake. So here is the low-down on what these terms mean and how you can avoid falling into their traps; we’ve also offered the alternative view that they’re a load of old nonsense so you can decide for yourselves…
What is a ‘Filter Bubble’?
A Filter Bubble is when you are in a virtual bubble on social media – you only encounter information and opinions that agree with or reinforce your own beliefs. Your ‘personalised’ online experience is the result of algorithms that work away in the background and dictate what you see/read online. Google, Facebook, Pinterest, Netflix, YouTube and many more all do this.
These Filter Bubbles in turn create Echo Chambers…
What are ‘Echo Chambers’?
When information within a closed system online is only giving you (‘echoing’) back your opinion and beliefs and establishing confirmation bias (only accepting information that confirm your own opinion and beliefs).
What are the dangers?
As much as I enjoy Facebook fuelling my love of funny dog videos by suggesting similar videos and articles, being aware of why and how Facebook is doing this helps when it comes to more serious topics such as the news, social issues and politics.
Regarding Fake News, confirmation bias is particularly worrying as you will start believing fake news stories that confirms your opinions and beliefs. I know I have done this, which is really scary to realise.
Watch this short TedTalks video from Eli Pariser on the dangers of Filter Bubbles:
You could argue that this type of ‘personalisation’ is editing the web – only showing you one half of the story. So what can you do to pop the bubble?
What can you do to stop the bubbles and echoes?
There are a few simple things you can do to stop this and open yourselves up to a wider web:
Read news sites, websites and blogs that offer a wide range of perspectives, such as the BBC.
Use Incognito browsing, delete search histories and try and resist the temptation of logging into your accounts every time you go online.
Deleting or blocking browser cookies – these cookies hold the algorithms that determine what we see.
Turn off your curated feed in Facebook.
Click ‘Like’ on everything! – This will tell the AI that you are into everything – all politics, all news etc.
Don’t clink on links, especially politics and social issues – will stop fuelling the algorithms.
Tell everyone else to turn off their curated feed!
Is it all a myth?
Below are a few articles that claim Filter Bubbles and Echo Chambers are myths and that it’s not the technology at fault, but rather the user. I’ll let you decide:
Or maybe you like being in your own little bubble? The safety and comfort in knowing what information you are going to be presented with – nothing that offends or upsets your online world. I know I will carry on being fed humorous dog videos.
There are some interesting thoughts and opinions on the Social Network Bubble – the pros and cons – on this Radio 4 programme:
Farnam Street (2017) How filter bubbles distort reality: everything you need to know. Available at: https://fs.blog/2017/07/filter-bubbles/. (Accessed: 27 March 2019).
You already know that referencing is important – it not only gives credit to the original creator of a work you have used but also helps to highlight your skills as a researcher; showing that you have read around your topic, found relevant information, applied it to your arguments and used it to develop your own ideas.
However, when it comes to referencing, all of those punctuation rules, different styles and the vast array of document formats can seem overwhelming. Happily, we’ve got a great resource to help you work out your references in three easy steps!
Cite Them Right:
‘Cite Them Right’ is a fantastic referencing guide that provides clear instructions and examples for how to reference a wide range of documents including books, journals, websites and audio-visual materials. Available as both a physical textbook and an online tool, ‘Cite Them Right’ helps you to format your references correctly using Harvard, American Psychological Association (APA), Modern Humanities Research Association (MHRA), Modern Languages Association (MLA), Oxford Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA), Vancouver or Chicago referencing styles.
(Remember to always use the referencing style recommended by your school.)
Three steps to an accurate reference:
Search for the type of document you want to reference on Cite Them Right online using the search box at the top right of the screen or by browsing the drop down menus at the top of the page.
Select the referencing style you need from the drop down menu at the top of the page. This defaults to Harvard (author-date).
Follow the example references given, copying the format to create your own reference in the ‘You Try’ box.
Why not have a go and create a reference for this blog post!
If you need some more advice on how to reference, take a look at our video:
Depending upon your source, “black literature” can be defined as books and peer-reviewed published journals. This is the familiar material you will source and use through your University Library and its catalogue.
Grey literature is something else entirely. Grey literature is research or material that is not produced by commercial publishers. It may be wholly unpublished or published in a non-commercial form. Think along the lines of industry-related materials, academic publications, government publications and think tank papers.
GreyNet, the Grey Literature Network Service has more detailed information on this vital research resource.
Grey Literature can be unique and an important source of information. There is a range of grey literature you may need to consult to ensure your research is complete. Examples of these materials include:
Working papers
Conference proceedings
Theses and dissertations
Government and official publications, including Green and White Papers, Select Committee papers, legislation
Policy statements
Research reports
Newsletters
Fact sheets
Blogs
Transcripts
Pre-prints and post-prints of articles
Technical reports
Professional guidelines
Patents
Standards
Market research
Data, e.g. Census, economic data, statistics
Most databases, available via your Subject Guide, will allow you to limit your search by document type, including grey literature, which does improve accessibility to this type of material.
Operated by Bielefeld University Library this search engine indexes open access academic literature. The Advanced Search option allows you to search for specific types of grey literature.
Box of Broadcasts provides access to over two million programmes from over 65 TV and radio channels, including most of the UK’s freeview network, all BBC TV and radio content from 2007, and several foreign language channels. You can view archived programmes, record new ones, create clips and playlists and see transcripts. (This resource is not available outside the UK.)
The Institute of Education Digital Education (University of London) Resource Archive (DERA) is a digital archive of all documents published electronically by government and related bodies in the area of education.
Provides access to all 3,530 globally-acclaimed instructional videos produced in 2008 by the United Kingdom’s Department of Education to train and develop teachers’ skills through demonstrations and commentary by teachers, administrators, and other educational experts.
Newcastle University theses are available in the eTheses Repository. Other UK theses may be available via EThOS. There is not one single source for locating non-UK theses. The Guide will give you some starting points.
UK Legislation is freely available online but be aware there may be delays of up to 2 weeks before any updates appear. Use your subscribed databases available via the Law Subject Guide.
The list can go on…
Once you have located your grey literature, do question it using the CRAAP test – currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, purpose. Consider what is publicly available versus a subscribed (or paid for) resource. It may be biased and you should include that assessment in your work.
And finally, don’t forget, not everything is available online!
Not sure which journal article you’re looking for? Do it the ‘old school’ way and browse through your favourite journals using BrowZine without having to trek to the library or newsagents to flick through the magazines.
BrowZine is a publisher-neutral reading and discovery platform for eJournals. You can browse complete issues, set up a personal bookshelf of your favourite titles and receive notifications when new issues are released.
Set up your personal account using your University email address and BrowZine will always recognise you as a member of Newcastle University and give you access to the full-text articles it contains.
How do you access your journals and magazines? There are a number of options.
If you know the title you can do a keyword search in Library Search.
Your subject guide is a ‘one stop shop’ for all resources and includes a tab to link to core journals, journal collections and magazines such as those in Art and Architecture Archive and the Avery Index. You can also view the list of print journals and magazines that we have in the Library.
If you like to browse individual Architecture or Planning journals, then take a look at Browzine.
We have a service called “Books on Time” for students. This allows you to tell us about the books you need for your studies. If we don’t have the books you need, simply complete the web form and we’ll see if we can buy them. For books we already have in stock, if they are out on loan please make a reservation/hold request using Library Search.
In Semester one, academic year 2018/2019 we bought the following items after requests from students in SAPL.
There were 83 requests from 49 students totaling £4776.41 (22% of requests from undergraduates, 31% from Postgraduate taught and 47% from Postgraduate Research)
Title
Now in stock
A City is Not a Tree
1xlong
A Greedy Man in a Hungry World
1xlong
A History of Great Yarmouth
1xlong
A Vision of a Living World: The Nature of Order, Book 3
1xlong
Architect in Practice
16xlong, 1xebook
Architecture and Capitalism : 1845 to the Present
1xlong, 1xebook
Architecture as a Craft : Architecture, Drawing, Model and Position
1xlong
Architecture as Experience: Radical Change in Spatial Practice
2xlong
Bananas Reconstructed: Architecture and Sacred Space
1xebook
Building Performance Analysis
1xlong
Century of Fishing: Fishing from Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, 1899-1999
1xlong
China Development and Governance
1xebook
Cinemetrics : Architectural Drawing Today
1xlong
Cobe – Our Urban Living Room
1xlong
Colour Strategies in Architecture
1xlong
Computing the Environment: Digital Design Tools for Simulation and Visualisation of Sustainable Architecture
1xlong
Critical Companion to Tennessee Williams
1xlong
Culture and customs of Saudi Arabia
1xlong
Cycle Space, Architecture and Urban Design in the Age of the Bicycle
1xlong
Dreamscapes of Modernity: Sociotechnical Imaginaries and the Fabrication of Power
1xlong
Eat, Memory: Great Writers at the Table: A Collection of Essays from the New York Times
1xlong
Experimental Preservation
1xlong
Exploring the Use and Impact of Travel Guidebooks
1xlong
Fiction as Method
1xlong
Fish and Chips: A History
1xlong
Future Matters: Action, Knowledge, Ethics
1xlong
Governing Shale Gas: Development, Citizen Participation and Decision Making in the US, Canada, Australia and Europe
1xlong
Handbook on green infrastructure planning design and implementation
1xlong
Holloway Prison : An Inside Story
1xlong
Horse People: Thoroughbred Culture in Lexington and Newmarket
1xebook
Housing Design for an Increasing Older Population
1xebook
Imagined Futures in Science, Technology and Society
1xlong
In the nature of landscape
1xlong
Indispensable Eyesores: An Anthropology of Undesired Buildings
1xebook
Infrastructures in Practice
1xebook
Interrogating Ellie
1xlong
Introducing the Sociology of Food and Eating
1xlong
Invitation to the Life Course: Towards New Understandings of Later Life
1xlong
Lives in Time and Place: The Problems and Promises of Developmental Science.
1xlong
London’s Turning: Thames Gateway-Prospects and Legacy
1xlong
Making and Growing: Anthropological Studies of Organisms and Artefacts
1xlong
Manhattan Transcripts
1xlong
Marcel Breuer: a Memoir
1xlong
Maritime Norfolk: Part Two
1xlong
New Monte Rosa Hut SAC Self-Sufficient Building in High Alps
2xlong
Nonlinear Time Series Analysis
1xlong
North Norfolk Coast
1xlong
Original Rockers
1xlong
Otto Wagner: Die Wiener Stadtbahn
1xlong
Palaces for the People: How to Build a More Equal and United Society
1xlong
Placemaking with children and Youth Participatory Practices for Planning Sustainable Communities
1xlong
Planetary Gentrification
1xlong
Prosthesis
1xlong
Reconceptualising Agency and Childhood: New perspectives in Childhood Studies
1xebook
Relational Architectural Ecologies
2xlong
Rethinking Vienna 1900
3xlong, 1xebook
Revisiting Divisions of Labour
1xlong
Roads Were Not Built for Cars: How Cyclists Were the First to Push for Good Roads & Became the Pioneers of Motoring
1xlong
Robot Ethics 2.0: From Autonomous Cars to Artificial Intelligence
1xlong
Small Towns, Austere Times: The Dialects of Deracinated Localism
1xlong
Space and the Memories of Violence: Landscapes of Erasure, Disappearance and Exception
1xlong
The Architecture of Psychoanalysis: Space of Transition
1xlong
The Architectures of Childhood: Children, Modern Architecture and Reconstruction in Post-war England
1xebook
The Culture of AI: Everyday Life and the Digital Revolution
1xlong
The Design of Childhood: How the Material World Shapes Independent Kids
1xlong
The Ethics of Invention
1xlong
The Evocative Object World
1xlong, 1xebook
The Flak Towers in Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna 1940 – 1950
1xlong
The Great Museum
1xlong
The Luminous Ground: The Nature of Order, Book 4
1xlong
The New Black Middle Class in South Africa
1xlong
The Phenomenon of Life
1xlong
The Process of Creating Life: The Nature of Order, Book 2
1xlong
The Setting of the Pearl: Vienna under Hitler
1xlong
The Structure of Light : Richard Kelly and the Illumination of Modern Architecture
1xlong
The Urban Design Reader
1xlong, 1xstc, 1xebook
The Works: Anatomy of a City
1xlong
Toward an Urban Ecology
1xlong
Urban Disaster Resilience: New Dimensions from International Practice in the Built Environment
So when does an Animal Science student need to use EDINA Digimap and GIS software? The answer is not all do, but you never know where your dissertation project may take you, and what software may help your research or your presentation or visualisation of results.
Grace’s dissertation took her to Sunderland to road test the country’s first gas sniffer dog. Collaborating with an Earth Science student to help her use the mapping products and with training from the geosciences team in using GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) accurate to 2cm, she plotted the gas leaks and successful finds by her faithful four legged co-worker. The team demonstrated that a dog’s nose is as good conventional gas detection equipment, and could be very helpful with difficult to trace gas leaks.
Sniffer dog, image used with permission from Dr Catherine Douglas, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences.Map created by student using EDINA Digimap https://digimap.edina.ac.uk/ and used with permission by Dr Catherine Douglas, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences.
With many thanks to Dr Catherine Douglas, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, for providing this content.
See what is available to you on the Maps Guide and take up opportunities to collaborate or share good practice with other disciplines. You never know where it might lead!
Please note: EDINA Digimap requires registration before use.
