Article databases are searchable collections of journal article references. They list and describe articles from scholarly publications, primarily peer-reviewed journals. Each database covers different publications, depending on its subject focus. Article PDFs are available when the Library has a subscription to the publication.
These tutorials are designed to provide a basic introduction to searching the databases.
ResearchRabbit is an innovative "citation-based literature mapping tool" available online. Optimise your time searching for references as you start planning your essay, minor project, or literature review.
What is Research Rabbit? A quick guide from James Cook University.
Evaluating and thinking critically about sources of information are important skills to develop and apply while undertaking research.
Not all information is reliable and appropriate for academic work, and not all information is relevant to your particular topic.
You should challenge and reflect on information that you find; don’t just accept everything you read.
Assess sources, based on:
OROKOHANGA - ‘The Origins’: The source of the information
MANA - ‘The Authority’ of the information
WHAKAPAPA - ‘The Background’ of the information
MĀRAMATANGA - ‘The Content’ and usability of the
information
ARONGA - ‘The Lens’ or objectivity of the information
Work through this tutorial to develop your skills in evaluating information that you find online:
SIFT - Evaluating Information Tutorial
Even though the library databases are good sources of information, we still need to evaluate that information before we decide to use it. You can do this by asking the following questions:
Use the acronym BADURL to help you evaluate online sources:
B ... Bias
A ... Authority
D ... Date
U ... URL
R ... Relevance
L ... Links
Work through this tutorial to develop your skills in evaluating information that you find online:
Or apply these terms to assess if the information you have found answers your research question.
Currency
Reliability
Authority
Purpose/Point of view
If you can't access an article online, search the journal title in Library Search | Ketu to see if the issue you need is in print.
If the article is not available at Otago, use the Library's free Interloans Service and have it delivered from another library to your desktop.
Distance and remote students:
Students enrolled in University of Otago distance education courses, or enrolled in Dunedin-based courses but studying elsewhere, or on placement, may use the Library's Distance Service to request delivery of articles and books.