Getting Started
Books are available in print and/or eFormat from the ECU Library.
Books are an excellent starting point for an introduction to a subject. They can also provide great in-depth coverage of a topic. However, books may not contain the most up-to-date research.
Academic journal articles may have more current information.
Find books, eBooks, journal articles and more using ECU library search. A keyword search is a quick way to start your research on a particular topic. If you are looking for a particular title, search using "quotation marks" around the title.
You can also use the Advanced Search option to assist you to refine your search by keyword, author, title, etc.
Boolean Operators: AND, OR & NOT
To refine the search; identify key concepts or keywords. Then use 'Boolean Operators,' AND, OR & NOT to get more specific results. Use these tools in Library search or in a Database search:
1.Identify key concepts, join concepts using AND (narrowing the search):
writing AND technique
postmodernism AND literature
“science fiction” AND poetry
2. Identify key concepts and Synonyms (alternative keywords) and combine using OR (broadens the search):
(poetry OR verse OR lyrical)
(writer OR author)
Note: (Brackets) group concepts together to be searched in parallel
3. Mix and match concepts AND / OR synonyms:
(writer OR author) AND technique
"science fiction" AND (poetry OR verse OR lyrical)
4. Exclude concepts with NOT
postmodernism NOT architecture
(use sparingly as you may exclude information that could be useful)
5. "..." (Inverted commas specify the exact phrase)
"New Criticism"
"North American Literature"
6. Use Truncation (putting * at the end of a word stem):
litera* (“literacy” OR “literature”)
7. Bringing it all together!
(postmodernism AND litera*) NOT (poetry OR verse OR lyrical)
Boolean Operators:
ECU library search allows you to refine your search results with Filters. Most Databases have similar functions.
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Refine results using the filters on the left hand side of the search results page. |
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E.g.. For a book Choose campus: Library: Mount Lawley For academic material select: Peer Reviewed Select: Format: Book, DVD, Music, etc. |
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For new material, click: Year: Last 5 / 10 Years This will not change your search, but will narrow the number of results. |
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For a more precise search, click into the Title and the Description, to find the Subjects an item has been catalogued under. These are more precise than standard Keyword searches, and can be searched via the Advanced Search screen. |
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Combine these Subjects to get strong results. |
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Searching by Subject Terms may find a range of items as the search is from the subject perspective. In ECU library earch, there are a couple of ways to use Subject Headings, including Advanced Search, which allows you to link a number of Subjects together with title words, authors, etc.
Finding Subject Headings
Find Subject Headings by searching for one item that matches part of your overall search, then identify which Subjects have been used for that.
Searching Subject Headings
Then directly type in su: and the subject term. Be sure to choose the library option of Edith Cowan University to display items in the library collection. Refer to the Useful Subject Terms for Video and Film for a list of the main subject terms that you can use to search for resources in the library.
Advanced search
You can also combine Subject Headings with other Subjects, or titles, authors, etc. in the Advanced Search page of ECU library search.
These four brief presentations cover the skills you need to research any assignment topic:
- Library Tutorial 1 - Keywords and TopicsHow to get the most out of your topic.
Break down your topic and assignment question into keywords to help search.
Define, brainstorm, and mind-map. - Library Tutorial 2 - SearchingHow to construct search strategies.
Includes using Boolean AND / OR / NOT functions. - Library Tutorial 3 - Information SourcesWhere to search: Peer-review, Using databases, Finding Grey and Professional sources
- Library Tutorial 4 - Refine & EvaluateUsing Filters and Evaluating the Credibility of your search results
Forms and tip sheets to help manage your research:
- ECU Library Search Tip SheetECU's Library Search provides instant access to books/ebooks, journal articles, newspaper articles, DVD’s and more, through one simple search interface.
- Database Search PlannerUse this planner to assist in developing your search strategy in preparation for database searching.
- DatabasesA library database is an electronic catalogue or index of published items (eg. Journal Articles.) They provide access to resources (full-text and abstract) across a broad spectrum of subject areas and Journals (they are a one-stop shop of research in many instances). Databases are searchable by many attributes, including: Keywords, Title, Author, or Subject.
Examples are: ProQuest, Science Direct, Medline. - Encyclopaedias and WikipediaEncyclopaedias are an effective way to quickly get a broad overview of a subject, to search for keywords and synonyms for further research, significant authors in the field, and important sources.
However, they are not original research, and should only be used as a starting point, and index for your full research.
Wikipedia shares these same attributes, use the References or Further Readings at the end of an entry to verify the information and continue your research. - JournalsJournals are a good source of primary information, often reporting on the outcomes of academic research or a source of practical information to practitioners in the field.
They are articles written by and for scholars, researchers and professionals. Journals are published regularly and contain the most up-to-date information. - Peer-reviewedA journal (or article) which has undergone the review and scrutiny of a board or panel of experts in the same field of study. The reviewers evaluate this source and make recommendations, revisions or in some cases, reject the publication.
This process ensures only the best or highest quality research is published.
Also called “refereed” articles or journals. - Popular SourcesMagazine or Newspaper Articles and Reviews, Blog posts, Social Media Comments, etc. These materials tend to be either opinion-based or written about other people’s original research.
Fine to be used to illustrate a point, or for otherwise current news, but not to build your argument. - Primary SourcesProvide first-hand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic under investigation. They are created by witnesses or recorders who experienced the events being documented.
Examples include diaries, speeches, letters, interviews, autobiographies, news footage, novels, etc. - ReferencingReferencing means acknowledging your source. If you use someone else’s work or idea, you must acknowledge where it came from. This can be done both in the body of your work and in the bibliography / works cited list.
- Scholarly ArticlesResearch papers published in academic journals, enabling researchers to communicate their research findings.
These are original research which have the following features:
Published regularly, written by experts in a particular field, contain the most up-to-date research findings, infused with language specific to the particular discipline, and may be peer-reviewed or refereed. - Secondary SourcesA source that interprets and analyses primary sources. These sources are removed from the actual event.
Examples include textbooks, magazine, commentaries, quotes, criticism, etc.