Workshop 2 - Searching thoughtfully
By the end of this workshop you will be able to:
- Appreciate the different types of journal articles indexed in periodical databases, and which types are most appropriate for your academic use
- Perform simple Boolean searches in a periodical database
- Use limiting options in a database
- Using Keywords and Synonyms
- Understand the frequent need to review the search and become familiar with some of the reviewing options
In Workshop 1 we looked at how the information in books can contribute to your research (eg provide an overview of the topic). However, if you want the most current information on a topic or if you are looking for information on a very current issue you are more likely to find it in journal articles. Also, books may not provide enough information on specific aspects of a topic (e.g. the implications of global warming on the three toed sloth). So where do you look for quality information on your topic? One very useful resource is journal articles.
Thus, journals, also known as periodicals, are a useful source of current information because they are published frequently (e.g. daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc). Individual journal articles also provide very specific information on a topic and could include original research and statistical data.