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Top Ten Assignment Research Tips

Choose your assignment topic with care | Find your Readings on Reserve | Develop a Great Search Strategy | Use the Library Catalogue | Check your Subject Resources Guide | Search Online Databases |
Use the Internet | Reference your Assignment correctly | Attend a Study Skills workshop | Contact Infohelp staff if you need assistance


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1. Choose your assignment topic with care

  • Start your assignment early to avoid the rush
  • If possible select a topic that interest you
  • Check out textbooks and reference works to get an initial understanding of the topic and its scope
  • Do a quick search to make sure there is enough information available
  • If the topic is in the news, remember there may not be lot of published information
  • If possible consider changing your topic if your first choice leads to a dead-end

2. Find your readings on Reserve Online

  • Use Reserve Online to find readings for your courses and tutorials. Reserve Online is JCU's central collection of online readings and past exam papers. Reserve Online is available from off-campus and you will find a links to Reserve Online from the Library and Computing Services homepage and in LearnJCU.

Need More?

  • Once you have found your course readings and some books for your assignment, you may still need further information. Journal articles and web pages can provide valuable information.

3. Develop a great Search Strategy

  • Clarify any unknown or unfamiliar terms by using reference materials such as dictionaries for definitions or encyclopedias for an overview of the topic. Encyclopedias often have a useful bibliography (or list of further reading) at the end of an entry. Your textbooks can also be a useful starting point.
  • It may help to try rewriting the topic using different words and phrases, providing you don't change the meaning of the topic.
  • Define the main concepts in your assignment topic. What are the most important parts? Identify the keywords that best describe the subject content of your topic. Also look for synonyms or alternative terms for each concept and keyword.
  • Use these keywords to create a search expression. Most searches require more than one word and you need to know how to combine words using AND, OR and NOT. 

    Use AND where you want results that contain all the words.
    Use OR where you want results which contain any of the words.
    Use NOT where you want results that contain one term without the other.

  • More information about this is provided in the guide, Search Strategy Tips.
     
    Use your search keywords with Tropicat, print and electronic indexes and Web Search Engines on the Internet to find resources for your assignment.

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4. Use the Library Catalogue to find useful resources

  • Normally begin your search with the book literature. Use the bibliographies and references found at the end of the book or each chapter to lead you to further sources of information. Remember to check your course texts and handouts for information and references.
  • The best way to find books is using Tropicat. Once you've found a useful book, you can check the catalogue for other titles we hold on the same subject. Often, too, there will be useful books located beside or near the book on the shelves. The book's index is a useful way to find out how relevant it is.
  • If we hold a book or periodical in paper copy, you will need to note down the Call number and then go to that spot on the shelves. The Library holdings are organised into collections. Most of what you are looking for will be in the Reserve Collection, the general books collection, the Periodical collection and the Reference Collection. There are a number of other collections, but if you have trouble finding them, ask at InfoHelp.

See the Library's Guide to Using Tropicat, also available in print from InfoHelp.

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5. Check your Subject Resources guide

  • The Subject Resources page includes Library subject guides, Internet resources and Electronic databases organised by subject.

6. Search Online Database to find relevant articles

  • Go to the journal literature (also known as periodicals, serials and magazines) when you need very recent information or research findings. If you know the exact periodical you are looking for you can check Tropicat to find if JCU holds it.
  • Otherwise you must use the Journal Databases . (Remember, Tropicat does not index individual articles in journals). They will usually give you a brief abstract, or description, of the paper to help you judge how useful it is. Some Databases will provide the full-text of journal articles.

Journal Databases

  • Use the Library's Finding Information guides for particular subjects to find which journal databases to use for your topic. These guides are available from InfoHelp or from the Subject Resources web page. Come along to the Finding Journal Articles training session to learn more about Journal Databases.

7. Use the Internet to broaden your search options

  • To learn more about searching the Internet, come along to our Finding More on the Web training session.
  • The Library Resources web page provides links to Search Engines , as well as other useful resources for Australian and regional information, reference and statistics. The faculty librarians provide links to relevant Internet resources also. These can be found via the Library Resources web page.

8. Reference your assignment correctly

  • In your assignment you will need to reference all the information sources you have found and used - copy the details of references as you use them. Remember that paper and electronic sources are referenced differently. Two of the most popular styles are MLA and APA. First check with your lecturer as to which referencing style is required by that course.
  • The Publication Manual for the American Psychological Association is held in the Reference collection at R 150.149 AME. Electronic Styles: a handbook for citing electronic information , is held at R 808.02 LI 1996. See the Library's Referencing Styles Guide for further information.

9. Attend a Study Skills workshop

  • Language & Learning Services offer workshops and individual consultations to help students improve organisational skills, writing skills, reading and note taking, studying for exams, oral presentations, referencing, English grammar, maths, statistics and science.
  • Check out the online study skills resources at http://www.jcu.edu.au/studying/services/studyskills/online.html

10. Contact Infohelp staff if you need assistance

  • The InfoHelp website includes Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), How to guides, Contact information and Training schedules. E-mail: infohelp@jcu.edu.au
  • School Librarians can assist with your research in specific subject areas.
  • The Library Resources page provides links to Electronic databases and journals, Search engines and Internet resources.

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