Library

Research

Information Skills
 Library research
– Various types of research … social
research, market research, library
research/desk research.
– Before doing a research, choose a topic.
 Choosing a topic

– Most difficult task

– May be given by supervisor or students choose
own topic
– Obtain background information --- familiarize
with concepts, trend, facts and terminologies.
– How? What materials to consult?
 Choosing a topic

– Getting ideas for topic

– Current periodicals for hot research topic
(current issues of journals/magazines)
– Browsing through library shelves (get the call
number of one book, proceed to browsing
related books)
Cont..

– Narrowing a topic --- ask questions

- break the topic down into subtopics
– To what extent have you read the subject?
– What time period are you interested in?
– What geographic region do you wish to focus
on?
Cont..

– Limiting a topic
– Briefly outline facts and concepts known and
write questions which might be asked on the
subject
– Select as your topic the questions or ideas
seem most interesting and significant
– Purpose of the paper (to persuade, explain or
inform)
 Library research
– Information requirements
– Consider type, quantities and format of
information needed --- 5 min oral presentation;
10 page paper? Amount of information needed.
Is current information needed? Format of
information needed.
Cont..

– Use of keywords
– Use significant terms, concepts and keywords
to describe the topic
– Searching catalog, indexes and databases to get
the information on the subject
Cont..

– Example --- How would a reading

campaign influence the reading culture in
Malaysia?
– Keywords --- Reading Culture
Reading habit Malaysia
Cont..

– Background information
– Begin research by getting and reading short
articles to get an overview of the article
– Good sources will provide a variety of
information
– May provide bibliographies which lead to a
chain of other related information.
Cont..

– Selecting sources of information

– Different types of information may be
appropriate than others
– Must be aware of the kind of information and
the intended audience.
 Writing research paper

– Compile a tentative bibliography

– Prepare note cards --- record
information from each source
– Prepare an outline of the paper. (lay
out the major points of an essay; show
relationship among ideas)
– Write and revise drafts of the paper
Cont..

– Prepare footnotes (if any) to give credit to

sources from which we quote sentences/ data
– Prepare bibliography/ references according to
style required by supervisor/ lecturer
Cont..

– Prepare title page, table of contents, abstracts.

Arrange bibliography alphabetically according to
author/title
– Before submitting, proofread your paper.
– HAVE A SECOND COPY, JUST IN CASE …