Research Skills

Books and eBooks

Advantages of using books:

• There is already a form of quality check done through the editing process. But this doesn't mean that mistakes can't be made... check all the information you find against other sources for inconsistencies and bias.
• Provides and overview of the topic and helps you put the issue into context.

Disadvantages of using books:

• There is a time delay in publishing information; so very new groups, or movements, may not have much written about them.

The video below provides you with information on how to find and use eBooks.

Journals
(Also known as serials and magazines)

Journal articles are one of the most important resources you will use in your research.  Your tutors will often insist you use them in your assignments.

Wintec library has both physical and online journals available for you.

 Advantages of using articles:

 ►If the article is peer reviewed, then the article has already gone through a form of quality check (but you should still check the information against other sources for inconsistencies and bias).

►Articles tend to be short, sharp looks at an aspect of an issue. 

►Articles can address quite specific areas of concern, so will often be very focused on an issue effecting a particular population.

►An increasing number are full-text online, so you can search and view them when away from campus.

Disadvantages of using articles:

►Because articles are often aimed at the academic audience, the language used can be complex, technical, and at a very high level.

►The narrow focus of an article can mean that you lose the context, or bigger picture, of the issue.

►There is a time delay in publishing information.

The most popular type of articles for research are the academic, peer-reviewed one, but depending on the research you are doing, you may also find trade journals, magazines and news articles useful too.

The following section looks at how to find online journal articles.