PH INFO LEC - Literature and the World Wide Web

reading ass based

PRIMARY SOURCES

• original documents or data created at the time under study

• they offer firsthand information

• created at the time of the event or period being studied

• it is difficult to keep up with these sources directly, given the immense volume of new information that is constantly generated

• are essential for historians, researchers, and scholars aiming to reconstruct events and understand the historical or cultural context

• ex: historical documents, original research papers, and eyewitness accounts

SECONDARY SOURCES

• interpretatations, analyses, or summarises of primary sources

• they provide context or commentary

• interpret, analyze, or summarize primary source or events

• they are created after the time under study

• researchers uses these sources to gain a broader understanding of a topic, access expert interpretations, and identify key themes or trends

• ex: review articles, textbooks, biographies

TERTIARY SOURCES

• compilations or summaries of primary and secondary sources, they offer an overview or background information

• useful for gaining a quick overview, understanding basic concepts, or identifying keywords before delving into more in-depth primary and secondary sources

• encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATABASE

• is an electronic index of literature that can include books, journals, magazines, etc

• it contains bibliographic records

• it is an organized collection of references to published digital literature, which includes conference proceedings, journals, and newspaper articles, government, and legal publications, patents, standards, reports, books, periodicals

• it plays a pivotal role in organizing and providing access to a vast array of scholarly literature

• they are instrumental in academic and professional research, offering a more structured and specialized alternative in general internet search engines

• is an electronic index of literature that encompasses various types of publications, including books, journals, magazines, and more

• it encompasses a wide range of materials, reflecting the diverse formats in which literature is published in digital age

ORGANIZED COLLECTION

(role and importance)
bibliographic databases organize vast amounts of information into a structure and searchable format, facilitating efficient retrival

RESEARCH TOOL

(role and importance)
serve as a critical tool for researchers, academics, and professional seeking scholarly and authoritative sources for their work

COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE

(role and importance)
cover a wide array of disciplines and subject area, making them valuable resources for interdisciplinary research

ACCESS TO PRIMARY LITERATURE

(role and importance)
provide access to primary sources, including academic papers, conference proceedings, and other original works

CURATION AND INDEXING

(role and importance)
bibliographic databases curate, index, and catalog literature, enhancing the discoverability and accessibility of scholarly context

SEARCH ENGINE COMPLEMENT

(role and importance)
while search engines like Google are commonly used for general queries, bibliographic databases offer more specialized and curated content, particularly in academic and research settings

SPECIALIZED NATURE

(limitations and considerations)
while comprehensive, bibliographic databases might be more specialized than general search engines, focusing on academic and professional literature

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS

(limitation and considerations)
some databases may require subscription or institutional acces, limiting availability to the general public

DATABASE-SPECIFIC SEARCH QUERIES

(limitations and considerations)
effective use of bibliographic databases often involves employing specific search queries tailored to the features and syntax of the particular database

DEFINE YOUR RESEARCH QUESTIONS

(guidelines)

• clearly articulate your research question or topic

• define key concepts and terms that are crucial to your inquiry

IDENTIFY KEYWORDS AND SYNONYMS

(guidelines)

• compile a list of relevant keywords and their synonym

• consider variations in spelling, terminology, and expressions used in the literature

USE BOOLEAN OPERATORS

(guidelines)

• employ ____________ (AND, OR, NOT) to combine or exclude keywords

• this helps refine and expand your search results

UTILIZE TRUNCATION AND WILDCARDS

(guidelines)

• ex: "*", "?" to capture variations of a word stem

• particularly helpful when dealing with different word endings

UNDERSTAND DATABASE SYNTAX

(guidelines)

• familiarize yourself with the syntax and search features specific to the bibliographic database you are using

• different databases may have unique search rules

APPLY PHRASE SEARCHING

(guidelines)

• use quotation marks to search for phrases

• this ensures that words are searched as a cohesive unit, enhancing the precision of your result

EXPLORE SUBJECT HEADINGS AND THESAURI

(guidelines)

• many databases use controlled vocabularies, subject headings, or thesauri

• utilize these terms to enhance the accuracy and relevance of your search

FILTER BY PUBLICATION TYPE AND DATE

(guidelines)

• narrow down results by specifying the publication type (e.g. articles, reviews) and setting a data range

• this ensures the inclusion of the most recent and relevant literature

CONSIDER DATABASE FILTERS AND LIMITERS

(guidelines)

• take advantage of filters and limiters provided by the database

• these may include options to refine by language, publication sources or study type

REVIEW SEARCH RESULTS

(guidelines)

• evaluate the initial search results to identify relevant articles

• pay attention to titles, abstracts, and keywords associated with each entry

ITERATIVE SEARCHING

(guidelines)

• be prepared to refine and iterate your search strategy based on the results obtained

• adjust keywords, filters, or search parameters as needed

USE CITATION SEARCHING

(guidelines)

• explore _____________ to identify articles that cite a particular work

• this can lead to additional relevant sources

KEEP TRACK OF SEARCH STRATEGY

(guidelines)

• document your ___________, including the keywords, used, databases searched, and any filters applied

• this documentation aids in transparency and reproducibility

EXPLORE MULTIPLE DATABASES

(guidelines)

• search in more than one bibliographic database to ensure a comprehensive review of the literature

• different databases cover distinct journals and disciplines

STAY UPDATED

(guidelines)
- regularly visit and update your search strategy to incorporate new publications and research findings

CONSULT LIBRARIANS AND DATABASE HELP RESOURCES

(guidelines)

• seek __________________ and explore the help resources provided by the databases

• they can offer guidance on database selection and search strategies