Journals
These search engines are aimed at college / university audiences and are mainly useful for those studying Higher or Advanced Higher subjects.
A lot of academic writing is published in journals, which can be published a few times a year and usually focus on a particular subject. They contain articles written by and checked by specialists in that subject area and are the main format for academics to publish their research.
Journals usually cost a great deal of money which is why some universities now encourage staff to publish in Open Access journals (i.e. free) as more people would be able to read their work.
The National Library of Scotland (NLS) is available for everyone living in Scotland and has an extensive online collection, including online maps, exhibitions and academic journals. The Moving Image Archive is also available at the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow.
To use the journals, please register online for a library card first. This is essential due to licensing. See Mrs Macfadyen for more details.
Core – Open access research papers
DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals)
Internet Archive – Public domain material i.e. no longer in copyright
Project Gutenberg – Public domain material i.e. no longer in copyright
Alternative search engines – more than just Google
Potential dissertation research sources
University of California Press E-Books Collection, 1982-2004
There are 700 open access titles in this academic collection. Make sure you have clicked ‘public’ at the bottom of the search box.
Citations
A guide on what’s required for Harvard citations.
This is an excellent app that will help you with your citations.
Academic integrity
Academic integrity means you are honest about your work and giving credit to anyone if you have used their work.
Using someone else’s work is plagiarism and is completely unacceptable. However, it is more than simply not copying someone else’s words.
In Higher Education you will be expected to read widely for your courses, and then to share who’s work you have used, compare it with others and add your own opinion. You may be asked to provide a list of sources or footnotes for each source you use.
Most colleges and universities use software like Turnitin to check that plagiarism is not happening, but you can also expect your lecturers to encourage you to read several academic writers on your subject – it’s not enough to rely on what one person says in a class or lecture.
Study advice
Study Skills for Sixth Form [Newcastle University Library]
