The following series of videos are designed to give you an introduction to and overview of the skills and approaches you will need to be successful in your research, use of academic databases, evaluation of sources and referencing.
They are designed so that you can work through them in an order but can also jump in at any point for a refresher on that particular element.
Each video has a short quiz embedded within it to help cement your understanding. Be sure to continue the video after the quiz for demonstrations of the skills and techniques introduced in the video.
If you have any questions regarding the content of these videos or would like some additional support, please contact your Information Librarian via library.support@solent.ac.uk
Where should you start with your research? The first step is in identifying your keywords, the terms that you're going to enter into the search box of whatever discovery tool you are using. Getting these right will ensure a much more efficient and effective search. This Keywords video, which is also embedded below, will take you through how to identify your keywords and develop additional terms for your search.
We have also produced a written version of this guide using the script of the video which you can access below as a PDF:
Once you've identified your keywords, you then need to think about how you want to present them to your search tool. How you do so will have an impact on the results returned. The first step of this is thinking about how you will connect your terms in order to establish the relationship between them. This Connecting Your Keywords video, which is also embedded below, will introduce you to search connectors and the important part they play in creating an effective search.
We have also produced a written version of this guide using the script of the video which you can access below as a PDF:
How you connect your keywords isn't the only element that will increase the effectiveness of your search. There are also a range of other punctuation and symbols that you can employ within your search sentence to increase its success. This Search Tips video, which is also embedded below, will take you through these and the impact that using them will have on the quality of results returned from your search.
We have also produced a written version of this guide using the script of the video which you can access below as a PDF:
Once you have carried out your search, you may find that you still have more results than you were hoping for. Most search tools will have a range of limiters that can be applied to your results to further refine them. This Refining Your Search video, which is also embedded below, will introduce you to these limiters and what effect they will have on your search results.
We have also produced a written version of this guide using the script of the video which you can access below as a PDF:
In the final year of your course, you will likely have to carry out an in-depth piece of research such as a dissertation. For this you may need to utilise additional search techniques and services in order to access the full range of resources available to you. This Advanced Searching for L6 video, which is also embedded below, will introduce you to these and explain how to access them so that you can take full advantage and ensure that you have access to everything you need.
We have also produced a written version of this guide using the script of the video which you can access below as a PDF:
You are often asked to include a range of information sources within your assignments, but it can be difficult to know what to use, when to use them and how to access them. This Information Sources - what's available and when to use them video, which is also embedded below, will introduce the different resource types available to you, exploring how they can be of use in your assignments, how reliable they generally are and where is best to search for and access them.
We have also produced a written version of this guide using the script of the video which you can access below as a PDF:
It is always important that the information you are using in your assignments is of the right level, quality and accuracy. However it isn't always easy to tell whether a resource is reliable or not. In this Evaluating Sources video, which is also embedded below, we will introduce you to the importance of evaluating the information sources you find and how to approach assessing them.
We have also produced a written version of this guide using the script of the video which you can access below as a PDF:
An essential part of any academic writing is that you acknowledge the sources of information that you use. This will usually be in the form of in-text citations accompanied by a full reference list at the end of your assignment. In this Referencing video, which is also embedded below, we look at why referencing is important and how to approach creating in-text citations and references following the Harvard Solent style.
We have also produced a written version of this guide using the script of the video which you can access below as a PDF:
As well as including citations and references for information gathered from your research, it is also important how you present that information within your assignments. In this Using Others' Work in Your Own Work video, which is also embedded below, we introduce you to three options for approaching this: summarising, paraphrasing and quoting, as well as offering some guidance on how to develop these skills.
We have also produced a written version of this guide using the script of the video which you can access below as a PDF:
Whilst we would usually recommend using the academic databases, linked to via your LibGuide, as the best sources of literature for your assignments, we appreciate that Google Scholar can also have a place in the overall research approach. In this Google Scholar hacks video, which is also embedded below, we explore the strengths and limitations of Google Scholar and introduce you to some tools and techniques in order to get the most out of your searches there.
We have also produced a written version of this guide using the script of the video which you can access below as a PDF: