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Library essentials for first year Medicine students

Finding resources

Finding resources is an essential skill used to navigate the vast sea of information available in the healthcare field.

This skill encompasses the ability to:

  • understand different information sources
  • find textbooks
  • locate relevant resources efficiently using effective search techniques
  • critically evaluate the quality and relevance of information
  • properly reference resources

Developing this skill can enhance your academic performance and prepare you for evidence-based practice in your future medical career, by developing your ability to find, analyse, and apply the most current and reliable medical information. 


Information sources

As a Deakin student, you have a wealth of resources and support through the Deakin Library. Click the icons below to read more about different types of information sources.

 


Find textbooks

Units you undertake in your course may have a prescribed or recommended textbook. Many textbooks are available via Library Search or your reading list as an e-book.

Use the search box on the Find textbooks webpage to discover if a unit has a prescribed and/or recommended text.


Locate relevant resources

You can find a range of electronic and physical resources through the Library. To search for information on a topic follow these steps:

  1. Use keywords that describe your topic.  
  2. For more specific results use search techniques (such as AND, OR, or NOT) to refine your search.
  3. Target your results by using the filter settings.

Check out our guide finding evidence for health assessments, as it steps you through how to perform an effective search for a topic using search techniques.


Critically evaluate information

You've found resources, but how do you know whether the information they contain are reliable and accurate? As medical students it's critical that the information you're using for assessments, study, and work have a strong evidence base.

Check out the Dependability Checklist we created to help you evaluate articles and information you find for your assessments and research. Additionally, explore the SIFT Method as a simple 4-step method to help you evaluate information that you find on the web.


Reference resources

There are different referencing styles which you may be asked to use in your assessments. The Deakin Referencing Guide provides detailed instructions to help figure out the how to reference. 

If you need more help, ask Study Support, your referencing experts at Deakin.