| Stage |
Level - Intermediate |
| Finding information |
- Go beyond the suggested reading on your module reading list to find information for your assignments
- Identify a range of key information sources for your subject
- Use your Subject Guide to find links to further subject specific resources
- Understand how to explore and use a wide range of different database and online sources e.g. legislation, government publications, newspapers, technical reports, standards & patents, company information, marketing reports, audio visual material
- Understand and use the different formats of an information source e.g. abstract, full text
- Understand that background reading may be required to inform your searches
- Develop your search strategy and use a variety of searching techniques:
- Boolean searching (combining keywords with AND/OR/NOT)
- Synonyms and related terms to expand search results
- Awareness of differences in spelling and terminology
- Truncation and phrase searching
- Use the refining and limiting features in a range of resources to achieve manageable results
- Understand that your searching techniques may need to be adapted for different databases and sources
|
| Evaluating information |
- Identify your information gap – be aware of what you don’t yet know
- Seek multiple perspectives and viewpoints during information gathering and assessment
- Recognise the choices you have made in your use of sources, and understand how currency, relevance, accuracy, authority, reliability and purpose of these sources has influenced your decisions
- Understand the importance of the peer review process for journal articles
- Compare and contrast the evidence, assessing any gaps or weaknesses
- Use bibliometrics to select and evaluate information
- Have a basic understanding of the publishing process & the currency of information
|
| Managing information |
- Construct an accurate reference for further information types in your subject area, and understand the importance of locating all the required details for a particular reference type e.g. conference papers, multimedia, social media
- Proofread your referencing for common mistakes and rectify them accordingly
- Understand what reference management software is, and consider the benefits this may offer in collecting and compiling your references
- Know how to access the software provided by the University (RefWorks & EndNote) and what support is available e.g. workshops, helpguides
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