Learning Centre, Guide 12A Website: http:// intolearningcentre.co.uk E-mail: manchester.lrc@into.uk.com Telephone: 0161 631 12 22
International FoundationHumanities: Key Resources As the International Foundation is a pathway onto University in the United Kingdom, it is important that you find and use quality resources efficiently and effectively. This will be expected of you as part of your studies.
January 2015
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Is This The Right Guide for You?! This guide is intended for students studying the International Foundation: Humanities. It outlines the information sources available to help you research for assignments, essays and presentations. There is also a guide available called International Foundation: Science and Mathematics that you may find of interest. (Guide12B)
Online Resources The Learning Centre has bought licences to a range of specialised databases to help you find QUALITY material that has been assessed by fellow experts (peer-reviewed); these databases are NOT available freely via the web and should be a key part of your research. To log in to these databases, you need your OPEN ATHENS password. You need to COME INTO THE LEARNING CENTRE to fill in a form for this password. It is important that you do this as soon as possible.
Always ask for help if you are stuck!
These databases include:  Philip Allan Databases
Online access to current and past copies of Business Review, Economic Review, and Politics Review. Great way of keeping up-todate with current issues. Details of how to use this database efficiently are available in Guide 8 Using the Phillip Allan Databases Access from http://intolearningcentre.co.uk/online-resources/  EBSCO
This covers 3 databases: Business Source Premier; Academic Search Premier and Regional Business News. Provides a quick and easy way to search nearly 7,000 academic and business journals. You can access the databases from INTO Manchester or at home. Good for business research, marketing, management, accounting, finance and economics. Provides access to company information. Many of the journal articles you find will also have the full text with 2
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them for you to read. You will be shown how to use the EBSCO databases when you start at Manchester INTO; details of how to use Ebsco efficiently are available in Guide 7: Using the EBSCO Databases. Access Ebsco from: http://intolearningcentre.co.uk/onlineresources/
Other Resources Issues Online
Database on social issues; covers topics such as ethics in business, globalisation and ageing in society. Includes key statistics and also links to a range of e-books on social issues. Access from http:// intolearningcentre.co.uk/online-resources/ A detailed guide on how to use Issues Online is available. To access off-site/ on mobiles/ tablets etc. special Issues Online password/username. Please ask the Learning Centre staff for the password.
Useful Websites The internet is full of information resources for you to use for your studies. However, it is VERY important that you use information from reputable sources only. Anyone can (and many do!) set up a website just to fool people/promote their own point of view, so you need to be careful about which sources you use. At International Foundation level you should NOT be relying on Wikipedia for all your information – this is frowned upon at University so get into good habits here at Manchester INTO! The following websites are from bona fide (reputable) sources or the source is clearly described:
Useful Websites: Politics Europa.eu The official website of the European Union (EU). It is a good starting point if you are looking for information and services provided by the European Union. This site gives you basic information on how the EU works, the latest EU news and events and links to EU information on the websites of EU institutions and agencies such as the European Parliament, Council Commission and Court of European Justice. Website: http://europa.eu/index_en.htm
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4 Gov.UK The best place to find government services and information. Not only is this site good for finding out information about rules and obligations for personal use (for example, information on TV licences), it has a clear round-up of how government works in the United Kingdom. Website: https://www.gov.uk/ Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/how-governmentworks New Internationalist Companion site to the New Internationalist magazine that is available in the learning centre library. The New Internationalist reports on the issues of world poverty and inequality, discussing ideas and action in the fight for global justice. Gives a different perspective on global politics from that found in many mainstream journals, magazines and websites. Website: http://newint.org/ Politics.co.uk Impartial political website with no political affiliation. The news section provides detailed coverage of what is happening in Westminster, the seat of UK government. Has a comment section which brings together different perspectives on controversial issues. Also has some basic guides to how parliament works, explaining every step of the political process (including relationships with the European Parliament), plus briefings on current “hot” topics. Website: http://politics.co.uk/ Richard Kimber’s Political Science Resources
Resources that were previously based at the University of Keele, now maintained as an individual’s website. The site focuses mainly on the UK and the USA, especially election data. Stills acts as a good gateway to constitutional Always ask if information and data on different voting/electoral systems. you get stuck! Website: http://www.politicsresources.net/ Trade Union Congress (TUC)
The TUC acts as the voice of working people from all walks of life in Britain, campaigning for a fair deal at work and for social justice at home and abroad.
The Learning Centre staff like to help 4
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Gives a different perspective on the political debate on the economy, welfare reform and equality issues that that found in mainstream media. Website: http://www.tuc.org.uk/ UK Parliament Website Official website for UK Parliament with information on how parliament works, latest news and topics currently under debate. A great starting point for discovering how the British electoral system works. Also contains official documents and impartial briefings on the forthcoming independence referendum in Scotland. Website: http://www.parliament.uk/
Useful Websites: Business and Economics Bank of England Gives an overview of the work of the Bank of England, the Central Bank of the United Kingdom. Contains information on monetary policy in the UK and is packed full of statistics on such as trends in lending, exchange and interest rates. Website: http://www.bankofengland.co.uk BBC Economy News
Business and Economic news. Key starting point for keeping up-todate with current economic events and business news. Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business/economy/ Biz/ed Biz/ed is a free online service for students, teachers and lecturers of business, economics and accounting. It provides access to high quality Web based learning: for example, it has profiles for a range of business organisations, key overviews of both microeconomic and macroeconomic topics as well as resources on accounting. Website: http://www.bized.co.uk/ Businesscafe
A range of discussions, blogs and articles by tutors passionate about business and economic issues. Useful as a starting point for understanding key topics.
Make use of other libraries such as Manchester Central Library or the University of Manchester library. Ask for details
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User name is into; password is coffee. Website: http:// www.tutor2u.net/cafe/default.php Directory of Open Access Journals
Gives access to some very useful “peer reviewed” journals for you to use. This means that articles have been checked by fellow experts. Has a section covering business and economics. Suitable for those carrying out in-depth research. Website: http://www.doaj.org/ Economist
An absolute must for keeping up-to-date with current ideas and trends in economics. Has a useful economics A-Z to help you define terms and has some fascinating debates on issues between different economic experts. Can read the current print copy of The Economist online. Website: http://www.economist.com/ FT Columnist
Most information in the Financial Times, the leading finance paper in the UK is now charged for. However, the blogs are still free and do contain some useful discussions on issues such as the European Union, money supply and global economics. You have to register to get the information but this is free. Website: http://blogs.ft.com/businessblog/ Guardian Business
Useful for keeping up to date on current concerns in both business and economics. For example, contains interesting information on monetary policy in the UK, inflation and deflation. Website: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/uk-edition Website: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/economics Institute for Fiscal Studies
Researches how economic and social policies of the UK government impact upon society; website contains facts and figures about UK taxes, benefits, and the public finances. Website: http://www.ifs.org.uk/ London Stock Exchange
Round-up of market news with detailed statistics on UK and International companies admitted to the Stock Exchange; also has 6
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historical data. Able to order company annual reports from the website. Website: http://www.londonstockexchange.com/ home/homepage.htm Times 100 Business Case Studies
By using real information and issues from the companies sponsoring the website, the case studies bring to life the complexities of business by using relevant context and content. Website: http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/
Useful Websites: Current Affairs, News and Statistics BBC News Latest UK and World news from
the BBC. Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/ news/ Daily Newspaper An interface to a wide
range of major UK daily newspapers and industry journals. Website: http:// dailynewspaper.co.uk/
Always check the website address/ URL carefully. Is it an academic website or a hoax one?
Guardian Newspaper Online version of The Guardian, the
British daily national newspaper. Website: http:// www.guardian.co.uk/ Archive going back to 1998 available at Website: http://www.guardian.co.uk/ theguardian Independent Newspaper
Online version of The Independent newspaper, the British daily national newspaper. Has free access to archive of stories back to 1992. Website: http://www.independent.co.uk/ Website: http://www.independent.co.uk/article-archive/
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8 Office for National Statistics
A great deal of statistical information is now available online and can be accessed via the UK Government's Office for National Statistics website. A fantastic starting point for a wide range of statisticspopulation, economic, labour market, health etc. etc. Website: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/index.html The Times
Online version of The Times the British daily national newspaper. Only current edition is free. Website: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/ tto/news/
Useful Websites Study Skills:
INTO Manchester Learning Centre
Provides a round-up of links to information literacy and study skills resources, covering referencing, academic writing and choosing the best resources. http://intolearningcentre.co.uk/studyskills/
Don’t Forget Books! Your tutor(s) will probably recommend key texts that you should read as part of your studies: most of these should be available in the Learning Centre, in either print or in electronic format. To find both paper and electronic books you need to search using the Library Catalogue. The catalogue is available via the Learning Centre website at http:// intolearningcentre.co.uk/ Select Library Catalogue. Full details of how to find a book/ebook in the Library may be found in Guide 4: Finding a Book in the Learning Centre
Pick up the other topic guides to help. These give specific help on finding accounting, business & company information, marketing and management information. All in the Learning Centre 8