2. In this workshop we will look at..
• Resources
• Keywords
• Searching
• Evaluating
http://www.powerfulinformation.org/objects/pi/OverloadCartoon2.jpg
10. Sign-in to Library Search for full
functionality
Click on ‘Sign-in’,
choose ‘Middlesex
University’ and use
your MyUniHub ID
and password.
Signing-in enables you to access
full text material, check your
library record, request items,
create lists, save searches and
create alerts and export
references to RefWorks.
12. Broaden: comput* (Library Search)
Exclude: -Amazon (Internet)
Phrase: “Cloud computing” (Library Search/Internet)
Academic: “project management” +ac or +edu (Internet)
Get answers: Define: “cloud computing” (Internet)
Streamlining your search
http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/Computing/SearchTips
13. Not everything is on line/Requesting books
In order to
request the
book click on
the title and
then click on
‘Request’.
All copies of
this book
are on loan.
http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/computing/LibraryAccount
14. Google vs Library Search
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ennuiislife/3450743002/
Google
• Easy to use
• Information bubble
• Search results sponsored
• Any source
• Pay for access
Library Search
• Easy to use
• Finds information
• Search results by relevance
• Quality sources
• Free access
15. Google Scholar
http://scholar.google.co.uk/
You may be
able to access
the full-text
here
Refine your
search
results here
Create an
alert for your
search, so
you can
keep up-to-
date with
new
publications
http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/computing/Internet
16. Cite Them Right Online
myUniHub > My Study > My Library > Databases > C
http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/plagiarismreferencing
18. Evaluating information
Imagine you are writing an essay on ‘Network Security’.
Have a look at the 4 items that you have been given and
consider the following:
• Which items are the most relevant to your essay?
• Which items would be no use?
• Which item has the most academic authority?
• Which items might have bias?
• Which item is the most current?
21. Find out more
MyUniHub > MyStudy > MyLibrary > MySubject > Computing, Maths and Engineering
http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/computing
22. Need further help?
Your Librarian is:
Vanessa Hill v.hill@mdx.ac.uk
http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/computing/Help
Notas del editor
The range of resources we provide
The value of resources in an academic context
How to select the appropriate resources
Develop an effective search strategy eg. Identify keywords, refining your search
How to find and access books, journals and information for your projects using the Library Catalogue, and other resources, as well as finding books in the library and from other sources.
Evaluating the information for quality and relevance
Your finished piece of work is just the tip of the iceberg.
Below it is should be loads of research ie. looking at theory and facts, being inspired, getting ideas, stimulating your imagination etc.
Research at Uni of Huddersfield shows that students who use library resources get better degrees.
Use library resources to find information to help you describe the problem, context, concepts etc.
Library can help you find quality references.
References need to be in IEEE style or consistent.
LET can help you with structure, layout, avoiding plagiarism etc.
Sources game
Magazine (A regular publication aimed at a profession, business or interest....trade/popular)
Good: Latest news: events, jobs, products etc, concise info, easy to obtain
Bad: lacks detail, can be bias, old issues hard to come by
Standards (An agreed, often legally binding level of quality or way of doing something....regional, Nat, Internat, profession/sector)
Good: Created by experts, confidence
Company/market research report (Well researched overview of a company or product market. Could contain future trends, financial data, competitors and SWOT analysis)
Good: Up-to-date: latest research/data, Insider information: information not freely available elsewhere, objective, accurate
Bad: Hard to locate
Webpage
Good: All subjects covered, easy to use, mobile
Bad: accuracy, no editorial control, anyone can add information, provenance
Newspapers
Good: Daily information ie. up-to-date, edited, current issues accessible
Bad: Sensationalist, biased (unbalanced), harder to get back issues
Conference proceedings (Collof aca papers distributed after a conference, cont the contributions made by researchers, academics etc)
Good: Up-to-date: latest research, ideas, thinking on a subject, focussed/specialist, stringent quality control
Bad: Too specific
Journals
Good: Up-to-date, Focussed: specialist subject areas, quality
Bad: Too specific
Books
Good: overview, background knowledge, edited/quality
Bad: Currency, detailed/specific information
What can you see in the picture…fruit
If type ‘fruit’ into database will get millions of hits, how can you break it down ie. search for something more specific to get more manageable results
Can you be more specific ie.
Type of fruit: apples, oranges, bananas etc
Location: Stall, market, outdoor market, fruit market, Britain
Detail: boxes, signs, astroturf, prices, colour of fruit, lights, pound £ signs, special offer etc
People in background: old, young, male, female > stall holder, customers, browsers etc
Think of related subjects eg.
retail, commercial, financial, point-of-sale
Shopping, shops, fish/meat/clothes market, shopping centres, high street
Town, city, centre, British town
Nutrition: vits and mins
Also:
Orange or Blackberry: fruit NOT telephone
Apple: fruit NOT computer
Thinking beyond the obvious, looking for the detail that might make a difference.
What is your topic?
What do you need to know?
Where from?
What are the keywords to describe your topic? Synonyms/alternative words, detail, broader subject, different spellings etc.
Divide into groups. Give each group paper and copy of project. 5 mins to come up with keywords. Feedback.
Assignment: Concurrency problems with cloud services; service example is Dropbox; the problem to be considered is mutual exclusion (Mutex).
Example scenario: Two users have access to a shared Dropbox folder. Both want to read and write the same file. This may create a concurrency issue. A standard solution is to use a semaphore or a monitor.
Assignment Requirements: The journal paper must describe the background of the project, i.e. Concurrency and Dropbox. The Concurrency problem must be illustrated using Finite State Machines (FSM) or Finite State Processes (FSP), and Erlang. The solution (Mutex) must also be illustrated in FSM/FSP and implemented in Erlang.
• The background: Dropbox and Erlang
• The concurrency problem using some high level description like FSM or FSP. How does this manifest itself in your Erlang implementation?
• What is your solution idea/algorithm? (Mutex probably)
• Solution in Erlang including some analysis (tests, problems encountered).
Keywords:
Shared workspace
Cloud storage
Concurrency semaphore/monitor
Sychronization
Concurrency FSM/FSP
Concurrency Mutex
Erlang
Accessing resources
Click on MyStudy.
You can now access library resources from the MyLibrary box……detail on next page.
IEEE references.
You may need to use the Internet as a source of information.
The Internet gives us access to huge amounts of information.
Need to be able to streamline our search.
Introduce ways that we can streamline searches on the Internet.
Google
Familiar and easy to use but can find too much information of varying quality
Search results can be manipulated….information bubble…..search engines like Google start to learn what you are not interested in, so stop showing you some search results
Search results sponsored…no accident that Wikipedia, Amazon etc at top of search results
Searches for info from any source
Pay for academic information
Library Search
Easy to use and will finds lots of academic info
Designed to find you information: up-to-date, focussed/specific
Search results by relevance
Searches quality resources eg. Peer reviewed journal articles, conference proceedings , research etc
Free access to full text ie. Information not freely available elsewhere
Find journal articles, theses, books, and more, from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities and other web sites.
Search across many disciplines
Locate the full-text document through your library or on the web
Keep up with recent developments in any area of research
Save items in a personal library
You are expected to use IEEE referencing style for this work, however you might find Cite Them Right useful.
Information on avoiding plagiarism.
Also useful for other modules where you need to use the Harvard style.
Cite Them Right shows you how to create Harvard References.
Introduce the importance of evaluating information for quality
What do you think about this quote by Abraham Lincoln?
Divide class into group
Hand out worksheet and 4x items.
Discuss. No right or wrong answers. All items found by doing a search on Network Security.
Which items are most relevant:
Academic journal and Wiki most relevant.
Newspaper article is sensationalist and trade journal is a review of software.
Which items would be no use:
Newspaper article useless, and trade journal probably not unless needed to know about software packages.
Which item has the most academic authority:
Academic journal. It has biography of authors, references, in-text citations and uses academic language. Article has been peer reviewed.
Wikipedia has refs, but don’t know who has added information.
Are any of the items bias:
Newspaper
Trade journal is reviewing software and may be swayed by advertisers.
Which item is the most current:
Wikipedia
Academic journal is very out-of-date 2004
Would not use any of them and would continue search. Discuss the importance of evaluating the information that you find.
Authority : Who is the author? What is their knowledge base/qualifications? How have they carried out their research?
Relevance : Is this what I need? Will it answer my question? Is it at the right level?
Intent : What is the purpose of information e.g. financial gain, propaganda, academic etc?
Objectivity : Balanced view? Opposing views represented? Links to supporting information?
Currency: How old is this information? When was it last updated and by whom?
A84
Uni email
More information about the range of resources available on the Library Subject Guide plus lots of useful online guides eg. how to search for information for your project.
