Researching for Extension History
Updated Term 4 2022
Contents
(click to jump to the section, use the arrow on the right to get back to the top) 1. The research process 2. How to use a database, and links for accessing the State Library databases 3. If you're looking for a specific article 4. Advanced search techniques 5. How to evaluate 6. Other places to find information online |
The research process
Click to download a research planner that you can fill out.
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Using databases
If you're not familiar with academic articles, we have a guide on how to use academic articles. |
Joining other libraries
The links below will take you straight to the pages to join these libraries. We highly recommend you join as it will give you much greater access to research material.
Sutherland Shire Libraries
State Library of NSW
National Library of Australia
If you are already a member of your local library, you can register that library card to access the State Library's e-resources. (You will still need a State Library card to access any of their other collections though)
The State Library has a guide on researching for Extension History.
The databases that will (probably) be the most useful are: Gale, Informit, Proquest,
The links below will take you straight to the pages to join these libraries. We highly recommend you join as it will give you much greater access to research material.
Sutherland Shire Libraries
State Library of NSW
National Library of Australia
If you are already a member of your local library, you can register that library card to access the State Library's e-resources. (You will still need a State Library card to access any of their other collections though)
The State Library has a guide on researching for Extension History.
The databases that will (probably) be the most useful are: Gale, Informit, Proquest,
Open Access
Open Access (OA) journals are peer-reviewed journals that have been made freely available. They can be more useful for some areas of research than others, however OA is becoming an increasingly popular model of journal publishing so more subject areas are becoming available. Be sure to use the options provided on each search page to refine your search so you can filter out irrelevant results.
Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) - It helps if you limit the full text language to English (unless you speak any of the other language options fluently!).
Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB)- A way to search for peer-reviewed OA books that are available for download.
Google Scholar - Uncheck the 'include patents' and 'include citations' boxes and try adding filetype:pdf OR filetype:html if you're getting a lot of results that aren't freely available. If you're getting a lot of books try adding -book.
BASE - On the advanced search page, uncheck the 'non-open access' in the second box on the left. If your results still contain a lot of non-OA sources, use the 'Access' drop-down menu under the 'Refine Search Result' list on the right and select open access.
Open Access (OA) journals are peer-reviewed journals that have been made freely available. They can be more useful for some areas of research than others, however OA is becoming an increasingly popular model of journal publishing so more subject areas are becoming available. Be sure to use the options provided on each search page to refine your search so you can filter out irrelevant results.
Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) - It helps if you limit the full text language to English (unless you speak any of the other language options fluently!).
Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB)- A way to search for peer-reviewed OA books that are available for download.
Google Scholar - Uncheck the 'include patents' and 'include citations' boxes and try adding filetype:pdf OR filetype:html if you're getting a lot of results that aren't freely available. If you're getting a lot of books try adding -book.
BASE - On the advanced search page, uncheck the 'non-open access' in the second box on the left. If your results still contain a lot of non-OA sources, use the 'Access' drop-down menu under the 'Refine Search Result' list on the right and select open access.
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Click to download a plain text version of this graphic |
If you are looking for a specific article:
1. Look in the State Library databases; use the advanced search page, search for the article title as a phrase and use the drop down menus to include the author's name and date of the article in your search. Start with JSTOR.
2. Use Google Scholar; search for the article title as a phrase and add the author's name to the search box as well.
3. Use Google; search for the article title as a phrase and add the author's name to the search box as well.
4. Email Miss Hewson. (No promises though, some articles just aren't available!)
1. Look in the State Library databases; use the advanced search page, search for the article title as a phrase and use the drop down menus to include the author's name and date of the article in your search. Start with JSTOR.
2. Use Google Scholar; search for the article title as a phrase and add the author's name to the search box as well.
3. Use Google; search for the article title as a phrase and add the author's name to the search box as well.
4. Email Miss Hewson. (No promises though, some articles just aren't available!)
Advanced search techniques
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Click to download a plain text version of this graphic |
How to evaluate websites (or other non-scholarly resources)
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Click to download a plain text version of this graphic.
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Other places to find information online
Sweetsearch - A search engine designed to find results that are more relevant to students.
An overview of the topic
Images
Audio or visual footage
Written primary sources
Analysis
Statistics and demographic information
Sweetsearch - A search engine designed to find results that are more relevant to students.
An overview of the topic
- Textbooks
- Smaller information books on the topic (libraries are good for this)
- History.com
- Britannica School
- World History Encyclopedia
- BBC (the best way is to add site:bbc.com OR site:bbc.co.uk in your Google search)
Images
- Books
- Libraries and museums' online collections
- Internet History Sourcebooks
- Pages created by professors (add site:.edu in your Google search to find these)
- Flickr: The Commons
- Google Arts and Culture
Audio or visual footage
- State or national archives collections
- Archives of national broadcasters (eg. ABC, BBC)
- Libraries' online collections
- Library and museum channels on YouTube
Written primary sources
- Books
- Google Books (generally the whole book won't be available online)
- Internet History Sourcebooks
- Library and museum online collections for things like letters and newspapers
- Pages created by professors (remember, add site:.edu in your Google search to find these)
- Project Gutenberg
Analysis
- Thicker books (try your local library or the State Library)
- Google Books (generally the whole book won't be available online)
- Journal articles
- Project Gutenberg
Statistics and demographic information
- Australian Bureau of Statistics and equivalent bodies overseas (search the country name and 'bureau of statistics' and that will probably give you their equivalent body)
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