Finding Resources Step by Step Guide

This brand new curated step by step guide for Roehampton students is packed full of tips, tricks and advice to help you navigate the world of resource searching. Start here and your searching experience will be all the better for it! Covering text, video and images, this guide is highly recommend as a quick “go to” place when you’re just starting out on research for your assignment.

Step 1: Types of sources

Most university assignments will require you to find a variety of information to complete your essays and reports, from current statistics to historical research on a specific topic. The sources you use matter and reflect the work you have put into your project. We strongly recommend starting your search with your Roehampton Online UR Library Guide. Each platform provides access to different types of information, so think carefully about will be most relevant to you. Click on the question mark beside each platform for detailed user guidance.

Most of the sources you find when you are conducting your research or literature searching will be primary or secondary.

Primary sources

Primary sources are original sources of information that provide first-hand accounts of what is being experienced or researched. They enable you to get as close to the actual event or research as possible. Examples include journal articles reporting original research, research data and reports, statistics, company annual reports and financial information, legal documents, corporate policies and codes, census data, diary entries, letters, email or other correspondence, original manuscripts and archives, interviews, autobiographies, exhibitions, films, and artists' writings.

Some primary sources will be available on an Open Access basis, freely accessible online. However, many academic publications are paywalled. As such, we strongly recommend starting your search with your Roehampton Online UR Library Guide.

Secondary sources

Secondary sources interpret, evaluate or analyse primary sources. They're useful for providing background information on a topic, or for looking back at an event from a current perspective. Examples include journal articles which review or interpret original findings and newspaper or magazine articles commenting on more serious research, textbooks and biographies. Again, we strongly recommend starting your search with your Roehampton Online UR Library Guide.

Step 2: Searching for sources

There are two main literature searching methods:

Using search terms

This involves searching databases and Business Intelligence Platforms, such as those you have access to through Future Learn using combinations of keywords or phrases relating to your research topic. See below for user guidance covering each of the platforms you have access to.

Using citations

It’s also useful to have a look at a source’s bibliography/list of references to see what information the author consulted. This often gives you a useful set of relevant sources that you could then look for and read. However, do note that these sources will be older than the original one..

Search Strategies

When you search a database or business intelligence platform, there are strategies you can employ to increase the chances of finding the most relevant information. Each of the Roehampton Online UR Library resources you have access to has a unique interface and features. Use the following links for detailed user guidance on best practice with each platform:

Developing a search strategy will help you to be focused and methodical, and will save you time. Try to use a variety of terms in different combinations to find as many relevant sources as possible. Think about which words or phrases are key to understanding your topic: you want to try to capture the range of language used by authors. You can then use these core terms to build a list of broader, narrower and related terms. Dictionaries, thesauri, encyclopaedias or simple web searches can help you come up with these alternative search terms.

Step 3: Finding sources from other libraries

British Library

The British Library at St Pancras, London is a national research library. It does not lend books nor does it aim to stock multiple copies of basic text books. If your research needs are not fulfilled by other libraries, try searching the British Library catalogue. For more information and to register for a Reader Pass, please see the British Library website.

Other catalogues

JISC's Library Hub Discover (formerly COPAC) is a joint catalogue of many national, university and research libraries in the UK and Ireland.
Find your local public library by entering your postcode on this online guide from the Government.
You can search the catalogue of the University of London's Library at Senate House which includes holdings of all their research institutes.

Reference management software (e.g. RefWorks) helps you organise reference records. It often allows you to add bibliographic citations or references directly to assignments. We have a comprehensive Referencing Guide on the Library website.

Step 4: Evaluating search results

Before using any type of resource in your research, ensure you are using credible sources that are are high quality, timely and trust-worthy. Using credible sources to back up your work makes your writing more persuasive and shows critical thinking. A useful check is to apply the CRAAP test to your sources:

C for Current: How timely is the information?
R for Reliable: Where did the information come from? Who published it? Is the information balanced or biased?
A for Author: Who wrote it (author or organisation)?
A for Accuracy: What evidence supports this work? Has it been reviewed or refereed?
P for Purpose: Why was this written and published? Who is the intended audience? Whose point of view is missing?

This short 2 minute video on Evaluating Resource also provides a useful visual overview of the CRAAP test.

Step 5: Academic integrity and referencing

Academic Integrity means producing work that is accurate, honest, fair, responsible and respectful. In this tutorial you will learn about common academic integrity and plagiarism issues, and how to avoid them. By the end you should be able to:

Identify what constitutes plagiarism
Develop a commitment to academic integrity and the core values that are fundamental for you to succeed in your studies and beyond.

Referencing

Referencing is a standardised way of acknowledging the authors and sources you refer to in your assignments. Accurate referencing:

Protects you from accusations of plagiarism and shows respect for the work of others.
Demonstrates thorough research.
Enables your readers to find the works you refer to.

Cite Them Right

Cite Them Right is a comprehensive guide to referencing almost any source material you will come across in the course of your studies.