LIBRARY WORKSHOP Research Skills in English Language & Literature ENG Part I and Part II January 2008

Overview Main Types of Library Resources Main Types of Library Search Tools Search Strategy (applied to Catalog) Language and Literature Databases

Types of Resources

Books/eBooks Books can be in PRINT or ELECTRONIC format (70,000+ eBooks in our collection) Generally, books are … general, providing an indepth overview of a fairly general topic REFERENCE books are a special category of books that we REFER to briefly – we don’t often read the whole book e.g. dictionaries or encyclopedias

Journals/eJournals Compare a Journal to a Magazine: -both come out weekly, monthly or quarterly (so very current compared to books) - both have short articles within, which are quite focused and specific (compared to books) - BUT one is considered to be more SCHOLARLY, while the other is more POPULAR - think of differences in authorship, audience, tone, content level, etc.

- original work, or original research e.g. a novel or a poem an article documenting a research study Primary/Secondary Literature - summary or analysis of primary literature e.g. a book or article ABOUT a novel an article criticizing an original study a book summarizing previous studies Primary Literature Secondary Literature

What type, What tool? Book reviews of this year’s winner of the Booker Prize for Literature An overview of the pros and cons of using computers in language learning My latest novel Studies that determine whether or not reading novels improves language skills more than reading newspapers

Library Catalog Author –Last name + First name + Other names (optional) Title –The whole title / First several words of the title J.K. RowlingRowling, J.K. Word grammar : new perspectives on a theory of language structure Word grammar : new perspective on a theory of language structure Word grammar 

Exercise: Search the Library Catalog for information on the use of technology for language learning. Search Strategy

1.Define your search topic Be specific; try to write it in the form of a question. How does the use of technology assist in language learning? 2.Identify the main concepts Ignore “ soft ” words or connectors e.g. effect, improve, impact technologylanguage learning 3.Create a list of possible search terms technologylanguage learning technologicallanguage acquisition technolog*comput* Search Strategy (cont.) * For variant endings communicat* symbol* ? For one character wom?n colo?r

Search Strategy (cont.) 4.Combine your search terms appropriately technolog* OR comput* OR software language learning AND NOT english technolog* AND language learning ABABAB AND OR AND NOT language learning and (technolog* or comput*) Use (brackets or parentheses) to order your search!

Search Exercises

Catalogue/Databases DATABASES FOR: Journal/Magazine Articles Newspaper Articles Theses, Conference Papers, etc. CATALOGUE FOR: Books, eBooks Journals/Magazine Titles Newspaper Titles Multimedia

Databases 明報 (Ming Pao) Hong Kong Standard 蘋果日報 (Apple Daily) South China Morning Post WiseNews contains the fulltext of 250+ China-based newspapers from 1998 onwards! Concept: To search for information, usually JOURNAL ARTICLES or NEWSPAPER ARTICLES, from various publications at the same time! e.g. WiseNews ( 電子剪報 ) ) Database Benefits: One stop, focused search Format or Subject Based Many years included Many have fulltext or links to fulltext in HKBU Library

If you know the title of a useful database If you don’t know the title of a useful database

Language Databases LLBA (Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts) – Focuses on all aspects of the study of language including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, etc. – journal titles; some book/chapters; – abstracts, some fulltext, links to HKBU fulltext subscriptions via WebBridge – CSA platform (featured on homepage); use Advanced Search MLA International Bibliography (Modern Language Association) – modern languages and literatures, linguistics and folklore – journal titles and book publishers; – index only (brief citations with subject headings), very few abstracts, no full text – CSA platform (featured on homepage); use Advanced Search Linguistics Abstracts Online – Focuses on linguistics theory – not applied linguistics or language families – 400+ journal titles; – use Advance Search; can limit by subdisciplines

Literature Databases MLA International Bibliography (Modern Language Association) – modern languages and literatures, linguistics and folklore – journal titles and book publishers; – index only (brief citations with subject headings), very few abstracts, no full text – CSA platform (featured on homepage); use Advanced Search British Humanities Index – focus on topics such as literature, language, philosophy, etc. – 320+ journal & magazine titles; – CSA platform (featured on homepage); use Advanced Search Project Muse – 200+ journals – almost 100 in literature – Fulltext of articles; coverage dates vary (generally more recent years only) – Use Advanced Search

Related Databases ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) – Extensive coverage of education related information; Communication and Mass Media Compete – Covers core journals in the field of communications; dates vary China Journal Net – Multidisciplinary coverage of journals published in China; 1994-

One together … One or two on your own … Database Practice

Questions, Evaluation & My Library Account Wrap-Up – Part I

Sneak Peek - Part II Lang & Lit Reference Sources Accessing Fulltext Articles Putting it all together ….

Overview Review of Part I Lang & Lit Reference Sources Accessing Fulltext Articles Pulling it all Together

Reference Resources What- dictionaries, encyclopedias - handbooks, companions - bibliographies, compiled criticism series Why- topic exploration - background information; general introduction - recommended reading for further books/articles How (to find)- browse print reference shelves and eReference webpage on library website - search using Reference limit in the Library Catalog - search using: and (dictionar* or encyclopedia* or handbook*)

1.Define your search topic Be specific; try to write it in the form of a question. How does the use of technology assist in language learning? 2.Identify the main concepts Ignore “ soft ” words or connectors e.g. effect, improve, impact technologylanguage learning 3.Create a list of possible search terms technolog*language learning comput*language acquisition 4.Combine terms appropriately language learning and (technolog* or comput*) (language learning or language acquisition) and (technolog* or comput*) Search Strategy Recap

Getting to the Full Text

WebBridge …. If “Article Full Text” does not display …

…bridge to Catalog

Make use reference books for background information and recommended reading Search the Catalogue to find books on your topic (don’t be too narrow in your search strategy – books are general) Search a Database to find articles on your topic (don’t be too broad in your search strategy – articles are focused) Remember there is more than one road to full text access Search the free web wisely for supplementary materials (don’t forget to evaluate carefully) To Summarize

* Evaluation form * Wrap-Up – Part II