The document discusses an Information Literacy Award for Drama, Theatre & Dance students at Royal Holloway, University of London. To be eligible, students must submit an essay graded at 65% or higher. Students then answer 3 questions describing the strategies and resources used to find, evaluate, and reference information for the essay. The document provides guidance on developing search strategies, evaluating resources, managing references, and accessing library services and resources to complete the award questions.

1. Information LiteracyAward
Drama,Theatre & Dance
Libguides.rhul.ac.uk/Drama
RachelWhite

2. Outline
• Information Literacy Award
• Developing a search strategy
• Searching tips & tricks
• Citation & Referencing

3. Information Literacy Award

4. Information Literacy Award
The defining characteristic of the discerning scholar, the
informed and judicious citizen, and the autonomous learner.
A New Curriculum for Information Literacy (ANCIL), 2011.
• These skills are you are already using in your academic work
• These skills are not just important for University but for:
• Employability
• Lifelong learning
• Politics
• Discerning Fake News stories
• Being more aware of online scams
• Filter Bubbles
• Click here for an interestingTED talk on filter bubbles and learn more
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8ofWFx525s

5. Information Literacy Award
• Get rewarded for using your information skills in your essays
• Eligible essays are those submitted for this year’s Drama,Theatre & Dance courses
(DT2***) that are graded at 65% or more
• One entry per student
• Submit your application by 5pm,Wednesday 2nd May 2018
• 3 questions, 250 words for each answer:
1. Finding and identifying resources: Describe strategies that you used to search for relevant resources
for your essay
2. Evaluating and Analysing resources: Describe strategies that you used to select the relevant types of
resources for this essay and explain how this may have influenced your decision to use them
3. Library Services Used: How did you use library services and/or library resources for this essay?

6. My topic/question:
What do I want to find out?
Information Literacy Award: Finding and Identifying Resources

7. Developing a Search Strategy
Pick out the
keywords in
your topic
Find
alternative
terms
Identify
good
sources of
information
Combine
your key
words
Locate
texts
Read

8. Why do KeyWords matter?
When we speak, we use natural language to explain things to
one another – Library and research databases cannot
understand natural language and instead use a controlled
vocabulary to organise concepts by assigning them to certain
words.

9. Identifying KeyWords/Concepts
Keywords
• Pick out the key words/concepts in your dissertation
topic/question
• Can’t just type in your topic question
Example:
Discuss the role played by women in Japanese theatre,
with reference to a particular adaptation.

10. AlternativeTerms
Synonyms: different words with the same
meaning
Acronyms: this is where your keywords can be
condensed into a set of capital letters e.g. Royal
ShakespeareCompany or RSC
Alternative Spellings:Try UK and US spellings
Alternative & Related terms: actor, actress,
performer, star
InternationalTerms: film and motion picture
Former terms: Changing terminology over time
e.g. actor and player

11. Identifying Keywords
Discuss the role played by women in Japanese theatre,
with reference to a particular adaptation.
Concept One ConceptTwo ConceptThree Concept Four
Role Women/woman Japan Specific
production/play
Part Actress/performer/
playwright
Japanese Specific playwright
Function Character/type drama
purpose Specific forms of
theatre e.g. Noh,
Kabuki

12. Ways you can limit your search
Date: do you only want items published after a
certain date?
Language: Do you only want references in
English?
Geography: Do you want information about a
specific place or published in a particular
country?
Type of publication: are you looking for journal
articles, books, theses?This might influence
your choice of database

13. Now that I know what I want to find out:
What resources would I use?
Information Literacy Award: Finding and Identifying Resources
Information Literacy Award: Using Library Services

14. Selecting Information Sources
• Subject Guide: libguides.rhul.ac.uk/Drama
• Databases (found on the subject guide)
• Library Search
• Senate House Catalogue
• Other internet resources e.g. Google Scholar
These can also be found on the main library website

15. Now that I know what I want to find out
& where to find resources:
How do I search for information on
my topic?
Information Literacy Award: Finding and Identifying Resources

16. Combing KeyWords
AND – narrows results by returning results
with both terms listed as keywords
e.g.Theatre AND feminism
OR – broadens results by returning results with either
term listed as keywords
e.g. theatre OR performance
NOT – narrows results by returning
results with only one term listed as a
keyword

17. Searching Hints &Tips
• truncation allows you to search for work endings eg.
Theat* will search for theatre, theater, theatric, theatrical
?Wildcards allow you search for letter alternatives within a word
eg. Wom?n
“” phrase searches allow you to search for words in a certain order
eg. “JapaneseTheatre”
NB: Help Pages in online databases will explain which character is
used as the wildcard

18. Now that I’ve searched:
How do I access the material I find?
Information Literacy Award: Using Library Services

19. Books
• In depth research
• Culmination of years of research and work
• Can provide an overview of the topic at hand
• Can sometimes be made up of different essays/chapters
written by a variety of authors
• Can take a number of years to write and publish
• Written by those knowledgeable in the subject area
How to find them:
• Library – use Library Search “Books, Music & Films”
• Some are available online for free e.g. Google Books, BookBoon, Project
Gutenberg

20. Academic Journals
• Short articles on a very specific topic
• A journal is a collection of articles, a bit like a more academic
version of a magazine
• Published regularly throughout the year e.g. every month,
every 3 months
• They present the most recent research and are written by
experts
• They can be published in print or online or both
• The library will subscribe to an individual journal or the journal
may be part of a larger collection called a Database
How to find them:
• Library – use Library Search “All” search to find individual articles
• Use the Drama,Theatre & Dance subject guide to find Journal Databases such
as JSTOR, Project Muse, Literature Online

21. Abstract only
Sometimes you might only be able to read the abstract (short
summary) of the article and not the full text.This is because we
might not have access to it.
What to do next?
• Always try searching again via library search.We might have
the article available via different resources
• Check with your IC if you are not sure
• Check Senate House
• ILL

22. Solutions to common issues with accessing
resources

23. Now that I have found information on
my topic:
How do I know whether to use it for
my essay?
Information Literacy Award: Evaluating and Analysing Resources

24. The CRAAPTest
Currency When was it published? Is the information too old? When was it last
up-dated? How important is it that you have up-to-date information?
Relevancy Does it fit your project? Will your project be stronger if you include this
information?
Authority Who has published or written the information? Do you trust them? Is
it easy to find out anything about them?
Accuracy Is the information correct? Is the information supported by
evidence/references? Can you verify the information in another
source?
Purpose Why does the information exist? Is it trying to sell you something,
persuade you or give you an opinion? Once you figure this out, you
can then deceive how to use the information that you have found.

25. Reviewing your research
Do you have
enough/too
much
information?
Is it relevant
to your
research?
Does it
answer the
whole
question?
Is the
information
current/within
the date you
require?
Do you need
to review you
underlying
research
question?

26. Now that I have the information (books,
chapters, articles, webpages etc.) that I
need:
How do I manage & reference them?
Information Literacy Award: Using library services

27. Selecting & Saving results & full text
Most databases allow you to:
• Select and save results to a folder
• Save, download or email results to yourself
• Save search ‘history’ and re-run them
Always make a note of your search queries and which database you used.

28. Citation and referencing
• Acknowledge the author of the source
• Enable the item to be traced
• Evidence of scope and depth of your research
• Reference style – the layout and format of your bibliography (check with the
department)

29. Managing References with RefWorks
What is RefWorks?
Web-based reference management software which helps you to
record and organise your bibliographic references, and create
bibliographies in different formats.
How to access it
Visit your Subject Guide, go to Citing and Referencing, and
choose RefWorks
Help with RefWorks
Email the Rachel,YouTube: Learn to use RefWorks in 20 minute

30. RachelWhite, Information Consultant for Drama,Theatre & Dance
rachel.white@rhul.ac.uk
Subject guide: libguides.rhul.ac.uk/Drama
1-1s Appointments - rachel_white.youcanbook.me
Further information can also be found on the library website
www.royalholloway.ac.uk/library
Information Literacy Award: Using library services