Library Pathway 2: Advanced

This activity will help you to focus on where you might want to head with a research project. You will reflect on what really interests you so that you can further explore the topic and your own critical position. 

You can use the prompts to record your initial thoughts:

• what you are interested in
• what you feel and think about the topic already
• what you have read or discovered so far

This is meant to help kickstart your project and may also be helpful in planning. Your responses are for your eyes only!

Add your responses to the prompt questions to help you think through your topic. You will be able to export your document at the end to keep for reference. (Adding goals is optional!)

Alternatively, download or print this activity as a Word document.

Undertake some initial web searches to inform your research.

• Identify key concepts and gather keywords, theorists and dates, giving you reference points and parameters for your online searching.
• Watch the Research Tips video below if you want to know why background research is helpful.
• Then begin some 'rough' research to become more familiar with your chosen topic and related terminology.
• Record names, events and key concepts as you go in the area provided below.
• Finally, create a mind map which you can develop as your research progresses.

In this activity you will start to look for information relating to your research topic using resources in your library. Use the form below to record a variety of resources to get you started with your journey of discovery.

You will be using Falmouth Library Search so you might like to explore our video playlist to help you use it if you haven't already.

We would encourage you to look for a variety of sources in order to build your confidence in searching for and accessing different sources and types of information. 

For a reminder of how to search for journals and journal articles, see the video below.

Although we always recommend you start with Library Search to discover all that your university library collections have to offer. For research projects, you will need to undertake more comprehensive searches. This will involve searches outside of your library collections.

Here are some places to look:

• GOOGLE SCHOLAR

Have a look at Google Scholar to see what you can find. This is a search engine that searches academic literature. It pulls information from university repositories, journal publishers, and other ‘scholarly’ identified websites. Be aware though that you may not be able to access the full text and what you find may not be peer-reviewed. 

• JISC LIBRARY HUB

Library Hub Discover from JISC gives you access to details of materials held in many UK national, academic and specialist libraries. Library Hub Discover currently contains records contributed by 179 institutions. Check Library Search and if we don't have it you can try requesting it.

• JOURNAL DATABASES AND DIGITAL COLLECTIONS

You can find these on your subject guides. Journal databases contain information about journal articles, offer more advanced searching options, and can help you discover information outside of your university library.

Throughout your external searches, if you find items Falmouth do not have, then put in a request.

• REQUESTS

To request items as a Falmouth student see our Request an Item information