• Begin by searching using some of the keywords you’ve identified and adapt your search as you go, depending on what you find. Even with carefully chosen keywords, you might still get too many results - you can add keywords to make your search more specific if you have too many results.
• Combine your keywords using Boolean operators to create a search statement - Boolen operators use AND, OR, AND NOT to create an effective search 

1. AND: Combines the keywords i.e. Social Media and Instagram
2. OR: Broadens the search by looking for either keywords i.e. Social media or Instagram
3. NOT: Excludes a keyword i.e. Social media not Instagram

• If you don't find anything relevant within a sensible time period be prepared to change your search strategy. If you find too few results, try removing words to make your search broader. You might need to use different keywords or use a different resource.
• Most search tools give the option to filter the search results by subject, date or resource type and more. Try using these to increase the relevancy of your search results and reduce the number you need to wade through.
• Search tools offer advanced search options - use them! Advanced search options allow you to look for your search terms within a particular part of the record, e.g. author or subject. You can use these to refine your search so that it gives you the most relevant results. 

FYI: When doing a search in a search engine like Google, you can type a question in the search box, and you will get results. However, if you enter an entire research question in a Library database, you probably won't get any results. This is because the library databases look for the exact words that you enter in the search box(es). If the database can't find all of the words that you entered in the search, it won't bring back any results. That's why it's important to search only for the main parts of your topic.

Checkout our Search Tips LibGuide for more information.

• Search + Find is a great place to start your research - Search + Find is your academic search engine, searching the majority of the resources available from the Library in one go.
• Check out your subject guides (LibGuides) - The library team have developed a number of online guides (LibGuides) for your subject, giving you easy access to the key resources you'll need. They will also direct you to the best databases, journals, books and ebooks.
• Make the most of your reading lists - Reading lists contain the recommended reading for course and modules. You can access eBooks, articles and digitised readings directly from your reading lists. Don't avoid essential reading!
• Borrowing books from the library - We're working with your lecturers to make as many learning resources available electronically as possible, but we also have thousands of books on the shelves in our libraries and you can borrow them for free.
• Checkout our ever growing collection of Databases & Resources, online collections that search quality journal, magazine, newspaper and other academic sources, the library pays for access to these resources so you can get quality information for your assignments – the material in these resources are not freely available on the web.
• Ask for help! - If you need more help finding information for your assignments, please contact us.

• You need to think critically about where information is coming from. 
• It is your task to find the most relevant, accurate, authoritative and when appropriate current sources that meet your research needs.
• A quick way of judging the quality and relevance of a source is to think about:

1. The timeliness of the information: When was it published? Is the information too old?
2. The importance of the information for your requirements: Does the information relate to my topic? Does it fit your research or assignment?
3. The source of the information: Who has published or written the information and what is the source of the information? What authority or expertise do they have in this area?
4. The reliability, truth and accuracy of the information: Where does the information come from? Is the information correct? Check with another source, if you are not sure to see if they say the same thing, can it be verified.
5. The reason the information exists: Why does the information exist? Is it trying to sell you something, persuade you or give you an opinion? Is the information presented fact? Opinion? Are there any biases?

• For journal articles, peer review can offer a guide to academic quality, but you should still perform your own evaluation to be sure the information meets your needs.

Checkout our Evaluating Information LibGuide for more information. 

• For any material you intend using in your assignment it is a good idea to document what you find, and where and when you found it. This will make it easier to acknowledge your sources correctly, find the material to read again and retrace your steps if you need to.
• It is very important to acknowledge/cite the sources you use in your assignment for several reasons: (whether you have quoted from them directly or just referred to their research/ideas)

1. To show your reader you've done proper research by listing the sources you used to get the information for your assignment.
2. To be a responsible scholar by giving credit to other researchers and acknowledging their ideas.
3. To avoid plagiarism by quoting words and ideas used by other authors.
4. To allow other readers to track down the sources you used by citing them accurately.

What is ...?

1. A Citation/in-text citation: these appear in the main body of your assignment and are called –in-text citations’. They ‘refer’ to the list of references at the end of your assignment.
2. A Reference: an entry in your list of references or bibliography at the end of your paper.
3. A Reference List: the list of items you referred to in your assignment – also known as a bibliography, however, a bibliography also lists the items used for your assignment but didn’t cite.
4. A Citation style: There are many citation styles (referencing styles), e.g. Harvard, Chicago, APA. Harvard is the most used style in GMIT but check with your lecturer/school as to which one you need to use; it usually depends on your subject area.
5. Reference Software: There are many different reference management software options e.g. EndNote, RefWorks,  Mendeley, Zotero. Reference management software programs helps you organise and manage large volumes of references. The library provides access and support to EndNote Online.

Checkout our Referencing LibGuide for more information.

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