Guide to research for ALR103
This guide is a resource to help you research information for your assessments. You need to be able to find information from a wide variety of sources while at university as well as when you work professionally a communication specialist.
Please Note: for Deakin College Students go to this page to access your resources.
In this guide you will learn about:
- Different sources of information
- Using the library to access credible sources
- Finding reports, data and media
- Steps to planning your research
- The importance of evaluating information
- Referencing and keeping track of what you find
Sources of information
For university assessments it is important that you explore a wide variety of information. These will include academic sources such as books and journal articles, reports from government and industry as well as newspaper articles.
Click on the buttons below to see a description and example of a range of information sources. These may also be a great starting point for theory, models and debates which underpin public relations and communications practice.
An information gateway
The library provides a wealth of resources as well as great advice to help you succeed at Uni. The library subscribes to many credible and scholarly resources that you cannot access via the internet. Deakin pays for your access to subscription material, so if you are properly signed in with your Deakin credentials you will not need to pay for that content. It's important to get to know your library, because it will save you time in the long run.
Click on the plus (+) icons below to explore library services and information located on the Library homepage.
Planning your search
Research is not as simple as putting your search words into Google and expecting it to find exactly what you need. You need to plan your information search first. A small amount of time now will save you time and frustration later.
Here are the steps:
1. Document your search
Before starting your search, plan how you will document your search. This will help you plan your search properly and remember the techniques and will save you time in the long run.
Download the planner below and follow the steps to create your own search strategy.
2. Summarise your question or topic
This sounds obvious, but to begin searching you must be clear about the topic of your research or assessment.
If this is for an assessment, ensure you review your assessment instructions. You may already have received a topic, a statement or clues to guide your search. Write down your summary and check that it's clear and focused.
Example: Locate background information on the issue of e-waste and attitudes to e-waste using industry, government, NGO and media sources.
3. Identify the keywords
Now highlight, underline or circle the keywords or main concepts in your summary. These words can help you build your search strategy and may even be found in your assessment topic or question. You will need to update your key word list as your understanding of the topic grows. But to start, list single words or short phrases.
Keywords example: Locate background information on the issue of e-waste and attitudes to e-waste using industry, government, NGO and media sources.
4. Think of alternative search words for each concept
Different people use different words to discuss the same concept, keyword or issue. So you need to think of alternative search words for each keyword. These can be synonyms, related words, abbreviations, acronyms and other words that are specific to your topic. Close reading of first results can also help you identify different terms and words. Be methodical and write these down. You could also look up synonyms using a thesaurus such as as Webster's Thesaurus.
Alternative search words example:
|
Key concept |
Additional words |
|---|---|
| e-waste | electronic waste, recyclable waste |
| attitudes | opinions, beliefs, perceptions, behaviours |
| background | history, government policy |
5. Combine keywords into a search
Now you need to search using these words
For example in the topic Public awareness of e-waste harm
The keywords and structure of a search in the library's advanced page could look like this
- e-waste or electronic waste
- awareness or attitude*
- harm or dangers
You can read more about these search tips here.
How to find resources
Once you’ve planned your research ideas, it’s time to find out where to head and how to use relevant resources for you.
News media
Library databases are great resources for older as well as current newspaper articles or TV content. Here are some useful databases to search:
- Finding Newspapers section of this guide provides links to access full-text content of local and international newspapers and magazines. This includes access to digital subscriptions of online News Limited Publications such as The Australian and the Geelong Advertiser.
- Informit EduTV Australian broadcast television content from 2006 onward - including news programs, current affairs, documentaries and feature films which have been aired on free-to-air TV. Updated weekly.
- TVNews is a search engine that will let you find news stories from a variety of Australian programs, from state news bulletins to Four Corners, Foreign Correspondent and more.
- Newsbank is an excellent source for searching across many local and national Australian newspapers.
- Watch this short video on how to search Newsbank. (Note: a filter for International sources is mentioned but we subscribe to Australian content only.)
Reports and data
Valuable and reliable information can be gained through the publications of local councils and state and federal governments on policy, statistics and legislation. These can be found on government department websites.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) provides official statistics on a wide range of economic, social, population and environmental matters of importance to Australia.
- Analysis and Policy Observatory (APO) is an open access knowledge hub delivering policy and practice research and resources including grey literature reports, articles and data.
- Advance google search (limit your results to a domain like .edu, .org or .gov). Watch the video below to learn more about how to use an Advanced google search to find annual reports, communication plans and other useful reports.
This video demonstrates how to use google advance to enhance your search
Company and Industry information
Consider using these resources to get started researching companies and industries
- Mumbrella
Mumbrella is a website covering of everything under Australia’s media and marketing umbrella.
- Market Analysis & Industry Reports section of this guide is a useful place to start looking for company and industry information.
- Company, Industry and Country Information lists other resources available for researching companies and industries including company reports, financial data, industry statistics, and more.
Journal articles
Use the Recommended Journals section of this guide to start looking for relevant journal articles.
And watch this video to learn how to access journal articles efficiently.
Books
Watch this video to learn how to find books in the library. You may also find this page helpful, to learn more about finding books, and using ebooks from the library's collection: https://deakin.libanswers.com/search/?t=0&adv=1&topics=E-books
Evaluating information sources
The range and volume of information out there can be overwhelming. Developing a critical eye for evaluating the information that you find is an important skill to develop at university. And it is not just important for your university assessments - this critical thinking skill will set you apart in the workplace too.
CRAAP is a useful set of criteria. Click on the icons below to discover some questions you can use when evaluating any type of information.
Referencing and keeping track
Referencing is a necessary part of academic writing because it:
- Helps you to avoid plagiarism by making it clear which ideas are your own and which are someone else’s
- Shows your understanding of the topic
- Provides supporting evidence for your ideas, arguments and opinions
- Allows others to identify the sources you have used
Universities use standardised styles to do this. One of these is APA7, which is used across many disciplines.
There are two elements of APA7 style:
- In-text citing in the body of your essay/assessment which includes the author, date and often a page number.
- References at the end of an essay giving the full details of the citations used.
At university, your assessors will expect you to show correct referencing practice. Don't worry though, there is lots of helpful information and examples in the Deakin Guide to Referencing.
Below is an example of a journal article in APA7 style. The reference contains different parts arranged in a set order. Drag the slider left and right to discover the names for the different parts of this reference.
Check your referencing knowledge
Drag the bibliographic details to build a reference for an e-book.
Note
The above reference example does not have a Digital Object Identifier (DOI). However if the resource you are referencing does include a DOI, this needs to be included at the end of the reference.