BEB100 – Introducing Professional Learning 2009

Researching for the Built Environment and Engineering Professions

Graham DawsonCraig Milne

Jennifer ThomasMarvin van Prooijen

                                               

                   

BEB100 – Introducing Professional Learning 2009

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BEB100 – Introducing Professional Learning 2009

• The research process• Planning for research• Search strategies• Search tools• Evaluating information• Useful resources and searches• Further help

Today’s objectives

                                               

                   

BEB100 – Introducing Professional Learning 2009

1. Obtain your project brief and details of requirements

2. Define your information needs and search objectives

3. Develop a search plan as your guide

4. Consider the type of information and types of sources

5. Use your search plan and trial in the search tools

6. Evaluate results; develop and refine your searches

7. Use and communicate results

( page 2 )The research process

                                               

                   

BEB100 – Introducing Professional Learning 2009

Define your information need:

• Analyse your project brief / assignment• Identify key concepts / synonyms / alternatives / plurals

• Make use of a search planner / concept mapping

Example – sustainability:

sustainable, ecological, renewable, recycle, “energy efficient”

( page 3 )Planning your searches

                                               

                   

BEB100 – Introducing Professional Learning 2009

Using ‘AND’ - Infrastructure AND “remote communities”

Using ‘OR’ - Indigenous OR aboriginal OR native

Using ‘NOT’ - infrastructure NOT “information technology”

Use: “ ….. ” For phrase searching - “public private partnership”

Use: * For alternative endings to words - hous* , sustainab*

Think about the type of information you require:- background, statistics, technical, demographic, planning, research,

Think about the types of information sources you will need

- Journals, Conferences, Newspapers, Websites, Podcasts, Books,

( 8 - 11 )Search strategies: Symbols & tips

                                               

                   

BEB100 – Introducing Professional Learning 2009

A: Google

B: Library Catalogue

C: Databases

Where do you start looking?

                                               

                   

BEB100 – Introducing Professional Learning 2009

The Web Google Advanced Search

Google Scholar

Library CatalogueBooks, eBooks, book chapters

Also: DVD’s, journals, websites, reports, CD’s, newspapers,

magazines, maps, databases, standards, etc.

Databases The library subscribes to over 500 databases on various online platforms

Containing journal articles, reports, conference papers, news etc.

( pages 13-34 )Search tools

                                               

                   

BEB100 – Introducing Professional Learning 2009

EBSCOhost – US / International• Academic Search Elite (Multidisciplinary)• Australia & NZ Reference Centre (Australian News)

ProQuest – US / International• Academic Research Library (Multidisciplinary)

InfoRMIT – Australian• Build, Engine, ATRI, Engineering Collection (Discipline specific)• APAIS-ATSIS, APA, ATSI-Health (Indigenous / Multidisciplinary)

Engineering Village – International• Compendex , Inspec (Engineering

disciplines)

Relevant platforms and databases

                                               

                   

BEB100 – Introducing Professional Learning 2009

What criteria might you use to evaluate information?

Why?

Evaluation

                                               

                   

BEB100 – Introducing Professional Learning 2009

Authorship and authority – who has written it?• What are their qualifications, experience, other publications, etc.

Date / age / currency of the information

Accuracy • Is the author objective or biased?• Is there proof or evidence to support the argument?• Does the author reference their sources?

Appearance – does is look good?• For journals - is there an abstract, list of references, is it refereed? • For books - "scholarly", specialist publisher, part of a series? • For websites – are the links unbroken, dates of last modification, etc.?

( pages 25-27 )Evaluating information

                                               

                   

BEB100 – Introducing Professional Learning 2009

• Library text: Researching for the BEE Professions. 2nd ed. http://eprints.qut.edu.au/15668/

• Week 7 Tutorials: Searching databases

• Need help?: Ask-a-Librarian: http://www.library.qut.edu.au/help/

• PILOT - http://pilot.library.qut.edu.au/

• Library Homepage - http://www.library.qut.edu.au/

• Blackboard –BEB100 unit site

Further help and teaching

                                               

                   

BEB100 – Introducing Professional Learning 2009

Questions? Please!

Week 9 lecture topic:

Referencing and avoiding plagiarism