Before you start researching a topic, first ask yourself: "What type of information sources / research resources do I need?"
Once you are clear about the information you need you can move on and ask: "Where can I look to find these resources?"
Depending on research topic you may need to use a wide variety of different information sources and databases.
Journals can provide you with up to date discussion of research topics as they are published more quickly and regularly than books e.g. weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually, depending on the publication.
Journal articles are written by researchers and experts in their field. Most scholarly or academic journals go through a "peer review" process, where a panel of experts assesses the article before it is approved for publication, giving you reassurance that the information is reliable. Like books, the more scholarly articles also contain reference lists or bibliographies so that you can broaden your research by following up leads to related publications.
The majority of the journals available via the SETU Libraries are in digital format. This means they are available to you any time, any place and ensures you can access the latest journal issues as soon as they are published.
Books, such as textbooks, are good for providing an overview of a topic. They undergo an editorial process and are usually written by experts in the subject or professional authors. They contain reference lists or bibliographies so that you can broaden your research by following up leads to related publications.
SETU Libraries also provides access to several collections of e-books.
In some subject areas, such as Law and Medicine, it is important to check you are using the most up to date edition of a book.
Search engines such as Google have made it easy to search and find information via the Internet and it is highly likely that you will use the Web to find information for your research.
However, the sheer volume of material available means that sometime it can be difficult to find the information you want. Most search engines offer advanced search options that allow you to refine your search i.e. Google Advanced Search. If you want to find academic materials, search using Google Scholar.
When using material from the internet, you need to exercise caution as anyone can publish information on the web so the quality and reliability of the information is highly variable. Always evaluate the sources to ensure the material is trustworthy, accurate and authoritative.
Reference resources such as almanacs, dictionaries, encyclopedias and thesauri enable you to:
They can be really useful resources as you begin your background research into a topic, before you move on to more in depth research via your Subject databases.
In many cases, these resources are now available in digital format, allowing you to easily and quickly access the information you need.
A thesis or dissertation is a document submitted in support of candidature for a higher degree or professional qualification, presenting the author’s research and findings. Theses are extremely valuable sources of information, as they consist of substantial primary research in specialised topics and provide very detailed data and analysis.
They will also have extensive bibliographies, detailing the published literature on the given research topic.
News sources can be invaluable research resources. There are various types of news sources you can choose from, including:
They provide contemporaneous accounts of events as they emerge and unfold, affording a snapshot of developments at a point in time.
By using news archive services, you can also engage in historical research by tracing commentary on issues over time, to identify and track changing political, economic and social trends. For example, when did global warning first emerge as a 'hot topic' in the press? Who are the major pressure groups and organisations debating this agenda? How has terminology in this area developed and changed over time?, etc.
The Census (Ireland) is undertaken by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). Data available includes population, and major collections of government statistics and social data. Data can be filtered by theme, geography and key data.
The papers that researchers deliver at conference and symposia around the world are often published after the event, in print and/or digital format. They may be published as a book, in a special issue of a journal or on an organisations' website. Some may not be published at all.
Published conference papers are often the first time that research findings are publicly presented and debated so they can be sources of cutting edge research.
Many are subject to peer review, just like scholarly journals, which acts as a quality assurance check.
Subject databases may index major conference proceedings as an aid to their discovery.
Statistics is the science of collecting, analysing and presenting numerical data and can be a vital source of information for your studies.
Statistical data can be found on a huge variety of subjects including:
Many organisations and governments also make statistical data freely available.
A standard is a published specification that establishes a common language and an agreed, repeatable way of doing something. It contains a technical specification or other precise criteria and is designed to be used consistently, as a rule, a guideline, or a definition.
Standards are applied to many materials, products, methods and services. They are designed for voluntary use and do not impose any regulations. However, laws and regulations may refer to certain standards, making compliance with them compulsory.
Official publications can be broadly defined as the documents and materials produced by the government and governmental departments during the course of government business.
Content ranges from statements of law and policy to government reports and statistics. These publications can be a valuable primary research source and are especially useful to those researching in law, politics and history. However, they are of relevance across all subjects as they address all aspects of governmental work such as science, education, law, agriculture, transport, health etc.
A wide range of legal information resources are available to you at the WIT Libraries including:
The majority of the information is available in online format which is ideal for researching the law when you need to ensure you are looking at the latest information and want to explore connections between legal cases, statutes and commentary.
Find out more on the Law and Legal Studies and Criminal Justice Studies Guides.
A patent is a legal contract and intellectual property (IP) right which protects a new invention, by giving the owner the right for a limited period of time to prevent others from exploiting the invention without permission. It means that the invention cannot be commercially made, used, distributed or sold without the patent owner's consent.
It gives a detailed and technical description of the invention, and as such contains much information that may never be published in any other format. A patent is generally applied for at the earliest possible stage of an invention; it thus often provides the newest information available in a field, before journal articles are published or new products reach the market.
Social media blogs, Twitter/X feeds etc. can be useful research resources. For example, they can highlight key topics and debates that are live at particular points in time. Also many experts and organisations use these communication methods to highlight larger research projects and work.
As is the case with website information, it is vital that you evaluate these resources as the quality and reliability of information will be highly variable.
Furthermore, the information may be available fleetingly as blogs and Twitter/X feeds come and go, so make sure you capture any material you want to use in your research in case it is deleted during the course of your research activities.
Information Sources are typically categorised into three broad categories based on their proximity to original source material:
1. Primary Sources
These are first hand accounts or records of activity as they happened or were created, without any subsequent interpretation or commentary.
Examples include:
2. Secondary Sources
These provide interpretation, commentary or analysis of other sources. They are typically written after the event or activity being discussed,and are not based on direct observation of involvement.
Examples include:
3. Tertiary Sources
Organisation, categorisation, index or collection of primary and secondary sources. These sources typically list or collate other sources, rather than adding additional commentary or observations.
Examples include: