The results on Google are often easy to read, interesting and informative. However, they tend not to have the level of analysis or research evident in more academic sources.
For example, compare and contrast the following:
The latter is a long essay with lots of analysis and research. The Google search returns lots of shorter, more descriptive sources.
Good writing starts with active reading!
Spend a few minutes writing down how you approach reading for assignments. Then read the "Meta cognitive awareness and control" section (600 words) in Graham Gibbs' It has more impact on educational effectiveness to change learners than it does to change teachers (2014).
Gibbs does not say this, but most of us are like the first student - undertaking tasks without reflecting on the task. However, like the second student, we can learn to be better readers and more reflective learners.
Apply for a SCONUL Access card to get access to UK university libraries (e.g. UAL, RCA, UCL). Your Eduroam account will also work in most libraries
Westminster City Council Library Service is well worth joining, as they have some good electronic resources many of which you can access remotely, including some that are significant for courses in the school of arts.
Find more libraries on the Using other libraries guide
*** These search tips work on many different sources ***
By signing into Library Search, you can:
For items known to you, use the author's surname (if you know the spelling) and one or two keywords from the title. For unknown items, use two or three keywords, and look for alternative search terms in the items you find.
Library Search will not be able to interpret your essay question!
Use the filters on the left of the screen to filter the results by campus, format, etc.
Enclose phrases in quotation marks to limit the results:
5. Use subject headings
When you find something relevant, look at the subject headings for that item. Click on these to find items with the same subject heading, or use the advanced search to use the subject heading field to search. Examples:
The advanced techniques Boolean and 'nesting' can make research more efficient and effective by accounting for different search terms you might use. Examples:
Using alternative terms broadens your results. Think for example, how books on 'drag' might be described:
Books on a particular topic tend to be shelved together (e.g. feminist film criticism is often at 791.4365204) or these two books on gender identity in art, so it is worth browsing the shelves. Library Search also has a 'virtual browse' feature where you can browse shelves virtually. This can be a good way of identifying books you might be interested in.
Use the 'Can't find what you need?' to obtain sources not available at Westminster
NB: The first part of the process initiates a search on Library Search to make sure the item is not in stock. After, this you can request the item by filling in the request form.
Library Search is a useful start and is sufficient for research for most assignments. However, you could also try the following, especially when tackling more in-depth research. This is particularly important for final-year students writing dissertations.
Hidden sources
In some cases, using alternative search tools might be a way of identifying sources available at Westminster but which are otherwise hidden. For example, a library Hub Discover search for photography autism shows Polly Braden's book 'Great Interactions' is available at Westminster. However, it does not appear on Library Search using the same search!
The bibliographies of relevant sources are a key way that academics identify other relevant sources. If you are a film student, you might find the annotated bibliographies on Oxford Bibliographies useful.
Google Scholar has a 'cited by' feature which links to sources which cite the source you are looking at. Library Search also has this on some titles.
There is advice and resources for researching image and moving image sources on the Image / Moving image guide.
Mendeley is a free resource which can help you organise, highlight and annotate PDFS, making reading online easier.