Science research - Library booklet

Science Research In this booklet, we want to share with you our recommended websites and resources to facilitate your research.

Introduction to a topic The following websites are ideal not only to access a broad overview of a topic but also for you to start collecting keywords for your research.

Encyclopaedia Britannica (https://library.eb.co.uk/levels) Login: kcslibrary / library1

We understand that the temptation is to use Wikipedia as a starting point but please remember that Wikipedia is not a reliable source of information and it will not be considered an authoritative or appropriate reference source.

Very Short Introductions (http://www.veryshortintroductions.com) No login required in school. Login outside school: Username: kcs01 / Password: vsi2013 Very Short Introductions are online ebooks that offer concise introductions to a diverse range of subject areas and are written by experts in their fields.

Science Daily (https://www.sciencedaily.com) A brilliant source of science research news. ScienceDaily is best known for showcasing the top science news stories from the world’s leading universities and research organizations.

Science Issues If you are looking to research a science topics from a more ethical/moral point of view or with contrasting perspectives among the experts (i.e. Environmental issues with different points of view), we recommend the following resources.

Issues Online (https://www.issuesonline.co.uk ) Username: PUGH / Password: 3959 Issues Online is an interactive resource containing articles, infographics and information on hundreds of important topics. It also includes an e-books library.

Complete Issues (https://www.completeissues.co.uk) Username: kcslibrary / Password: library Complete Issues annual subscription combines stimulating articles, reliable statistics, compelling personal accounts and great websites into one safe, secure, up-to-date online resource.

The Conversation (http://theconversation.com/uk) The Conversation is a collaboration between editors and academics to provide informed news analysis and commentary that’s free to read and republish.

More academic databases The library subscribes to several academic databases which provided authoritative and peer-reviewed sources.

EBSCO - Science Reference Center (http://search.ebscohost.com) Login outise school: Username: KCollege (case-sensitive) / Password: school JSTOR (https://www.jstor.org/) Login: You need to create a personal account from a school computer first. Click on Register and use your school email.

JSTOR provides access to more than 12 million academic journal articles, books, and primary sources in 75 disciplines.

Hodder A-Level Magazine Archive (https://my.dynamic-learning.co.uk) Login: Email: library@kcs.org.uk / Password: library. No ID Centre required.

Look for the A Level Magazines Archive (formerly known as the Philip Allan Magazines Online Archives). It offers access to up to 24 years worth of highly regarded subject reviews for 16-19 year old students.

NICE Evidence (https://www.nice.org.uk/) This is an NHS online search engine that identifies relevant clinical, public health and social care guidance. As part of the service, NICE also provides access to information content purchased on behalf of the NHS. Science.gov Science.gov searches over 60 databases and over 2,200 scientific websites to provide users with access to more than 200 million pages of authoritative federal science information including research and development results.

PLOS ONE (https://journals.plos.org/plosone) PLOS ONE gives researchers a faster path to publishing in a high-quality peer-reviewed journal. All work that reaches rigorous technical and ethical standards is published and freely and immediately available to everyone.

Nature.com Nature Research publishes the research community’s most significant discoveries— findings that advance knowledge and address some of the greatest challenges that we face as a society today

More recommended websites Scientific American New Scientist (ask the Librarians for access to this) Science.gov Science Daily Smithsonian Nature.com

Library tips for smart researching 1. Find the right keywords ( i.e. start to think and use the language/terminology that academics use because this is where the most authoritative information is) You can make this process less time-consuming and more effective by planning and organising your keywords. Your Librarians’ recommendations: 

Find a book which is about your research subject and use the index and table of contents to collect useful keywords, alternative terminology, any acronyms, etc. Books are written by academics and already use the most appropriate and relevant terminology for that subject.

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The majority of our academic databases (JSTOR, Questia, EBSCO) automatically suggest alternative words or associated concepts linked to your keywords (Ask the Li-

2. Make full use of the academic databases available to you. The library subscribes to a wide range of academic databases.

3. Keep track of all your references from the beginning.

Avoiding plagiarism and correctly referencing can be confusing, time-consuming and stressful if you do not keep track all of your sources. Here are our recommendations to make it easier for you: 

Know the referencing style that you need to use and stick to it. Ask your supervisor if they have a preference, otherwise just choose one or ask the librarian for a recommendation.

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Always keep track of all your references/citations as you go along. This is absolutely vital because it can be extremely time-consuming to find them afterwards!

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Ask your Librarian for more detailed referencing guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions What is plagiarism and why is important to avoid it?

This is the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own. Any concept, idea, opinion, statistical data, etc. taken from an external information source must be referenced and acknowledged : i.e. the reader of your essay must be able to easily track the source/author. This is also a way for your teacher to evaluate the quality of your sources: what are the credentials of your sources? How recent is your source? Is your source biased or unbiased?

What reference style should I use?

Our advice is to check whether your supervisor has a preference first. If this is not the case, you can speak to us or just choose one of the many reference styles available (Chicago, MLA, Harvard, MHRA, etc).

Finding even more resources

Text

Footnotes with the Chicago style:

Book

Journal article

Website

Text

In-text references (i.e. Harvard, MLA): In your essay you need to refer to the ideas that you have read in your report.

To do this your need to put in a citation when you use a direct quotation and a reference, when you mention someone else’s ideas but do not quote them directly.

These in-text references link the reader to the sources that you have listed in your bibliography so they know how to find the original piece of information that you have used. In your writing, the reference is just the author’s surname and the publication date if you refer to an idea and the page number (if one exists) if you

This is the list of information sources you have used to produce your work which is usually placed at the end of your essay. They may be books, magazines or periodicals, webpages, blogs, reviews etc. (any source of information that you have used).

To help the reader find your sources, they are listed alphabetically by author’s surname (if there is no named author then you can use the company that produced the work).

There are different systems or styles that you can use – the important point is to be consistent! There are websites that will help you to generate your bibliography in the correct format, which can help save you time and effort.

Where can I view the library books and access all the library online resources?

Go to the school main menu and click on the library icon for our KLP page:

What is the Online Library Catalogue?

Our Library Online Catalogue contains the records of all library resources, including books and past essay titles from the IB and A-Level programmes for topic inspiration.