Education on the Web – NFER’s guide to help you search effectively for online information about Education

We hope that all you Education students out there are already aware of the fantastic resources that the library has to offer you. You’re probably pretty familiar with our e-books and our online databases which let you find and access thousands of journal articles on and off campus. What about the rest of the web, though? There’s lots of information out there, but finding relevant and accurate sources can be tricky. Luckily, the NFER (National Foundation for Educational Research)  has produced a document to help!

Education on the Web: a Tool-kit to Help You Search Effectively for Information on Education does exactly what it says on the tin! It’s a free guide which systematically guides you through the process of finding literature through databases, websites and search engines. As well as helping you search for information, the guide also recommends good websites for different purposes, looks at using Web 2.0 tools for research and offers advice for sifting through the results of your literature search. If you’re embarking on a dissertation, research project or assignment, it’s well worth a look!

Remember that there’s plenty on offer in the library too, be it on the shelves or online. If you need any help finding or accessing resources for Education, just get in touch with Philippa Price or Suzanne Taylor at Townhill Library. Check Moodle for Philippa and Suzanne’s contact details, or give them a ring at Townhill Library on 01792 482113. We’re happy to help!

Having trouble finding relevant journal articles?

You’re very welcome to call in to your SMU library and ask to speak to a librarian for help, of course, but you might also like to take a look at some guidance from the National Library of Wales.: http://welshjournals.llgc.org.uk/content/students. The guidance includes some very useful tips on Effective Searching that can be used to help you find better results when using internet search engines and library databases. This brief guide provides a nice overview of how search engines work and how you can get the best out of them. It’s well worth spending a couple of minutes clicking in and finding out how to apply some simple strategies that will help you to find more relevant journal articles and resources!

This information is available on the Natioanl Library of Wales’ database Welsh Journals Online. This is a freely available database which is accessible via the SMU library web pages or by accessing the database directly. The database holds digitised versions of Welsh journals that can be browsed and read online.

If you would like to develop your internet search skills further, don’t forget to look at the Internet Detective tutorial, which we looked at on the blog back in November. Or just come in and ask a librarian!

New book in stock - 'Creative CV Guide' by Jan Cole

We have a new book in stock at Dynevor Library which I wanted to draw your attention to, especially if you are in your final year of study on one of our creative courses.

'Creative CV Guide' by Jan Cole is an easy to read, practical book containing advice on putting together a CV. It also gives examples of different types of creative CV's and provides other useful information on finding employment.

We have one reference copy in stock which currently can be found on the 'new books' shelves, and another two additional copies are on order which will be loanable once they arrive.

So if you are starting to think about your career after leaving university, hopefully this is the book for you!

Getting to know your library

Have you looked at our Library Guide yet? It’s available online and can be accessed from the Library Website (www.smu.ac.uk/library). Just look for the link down the left hand side of the Library Web Pages (you might need to scroll down the page to see it). The Library Guide has information about loan periods, borrowing rights, fines, renewals, reservations and other Library services, so it’s well worth a look!

You can find out about your campus Library by clicking on the link to Dynevor Library, Owen Library or Townhill Library on the homepage. This is where you’ll find the contact details for your library, as well as opening hours and even a virtual tour.