1. Scholastica C Ukwoma, Ph.D scholar.ukwoma@unn.edu.ng
Online resources: Formulating search strategies for effective information retrieval
Scholastica C Ukwoma, Ph.D

2. Goals and Objectives
Goal: To expose participants to winning strategies for doing original research.
Objectives:
To familiarize the participants with online resources available in the university library and other ones.
To expose the participants on how to carry out similarity checks during research using Turnitin
Impact the skill to use Boolean operators in online searches.
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018

3. Introduction
This session aims to introduce participants to winning strategies for doing original research. The presentation involves three main lessons- formulating search strategies, online resources and use of Turnitin. Some scholars lack the skills to search for or retrieve the information needed to carry out viable research.
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018

4. Introduction Continues
Some copy other peoples work while some are ignorant of the resources available to them to carry out research. These issues mar peoples effort to carry out viable research studies and at times land them in serious problems.
We will look at these issues one by one starting with “formulating search strategies, then onlinne resources and using Turnitin.
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018

5. OUTLINE- FORMULATING SEARCH STRATEGIES, ONLINE RESOURCES and TURNITIN
Formulating search strategy
Step 1. Introduction
Step 2. Breaking your topic into concepts
Step 3. Synonyms
Step 4. Boolean Operators
Step 5. Truncations
Step 6. Put it all together
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018

6. Online resources Open and secured resources
How to access online resources
Performing a simple search and Advanced search
Creating Google scholar account
Searching the databases
Other search options
Writing your research
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018

7. Turnitin (Outline). Turnitin-Meaning What is plagiarism
How to avoid plagiarism
Materials that can be checked in turnitin
Similarity index.
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018

8. FORMULATING A SEARCH STRATEGY
Get your self prepared. Think about the problem/topic/title (E.g. Competencies for developing Stronger School Libraries).
How many concepts or key words does it contain. Identify similar or related terms (Synonyms)
Competencies
Stronger
School
Libraries
Skills
better
School media centre
Viable
Resource room
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018

9. Boolean Operators and Parenthesis
Boolean Operators are: AND, OR, NOT. These allow you to link words (form compound searches by combining two or more terms together) for better search strategies.
Parentheses also allow you to group term together.
AND narrows a search by finding records that must contain all the terms you have entered. Using AND lets you be more precise by adding additional required concepts.
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018

10. Boolean Operators and Parentheses
OR broadens a search by finding records that contain either or all of the terms you have entered. Using OR makes your search wider by searching for similar or related terms.
NOT narrows a search by finding records that contain one term but not another. Using NOT lets you be more precise by excluding certain terms. E.g, “Apple not fruit”.
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018

11. Parenthesis and Question Marks
Parentheses forms compound searches by giving you the ability to group similar or related terms together.
Quotation Marks are used if you are searching for an exact phrase. By using quotation marks, your results will return only items that include those exact terms in that exact order. 
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018

12. Truncation Symbols or Wildcats
These are symbols that are used to represent any letter. The most common ones are:
* - the asterisk represents zero or more characters and is usually used at the end of a word.
? - the question mark represents one character and can be used at the end or in the middle of a word.
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018

13. Online Resources
These are resources that are accessed via the internet. Some of them can be free while some are secured (need authentication)
Open/free resources are those we can access without authentication i.e Username and Password
Secured resources can have access to the resources with authentication i.e username and password. Or it may be IP based.
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018

14. Simple and advanced search.
Searching generally within the database without any specific information as regards to the journal title, or date of publication. One can do a general search in Google or the databases.
In advanced search, one should specify exactly the type of information one want to retrieve. E,g. Document format (pdf, ppt, Ms word etc. Year or Language of the document.
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018

15. Various search engines for your online information search.
Google, Google Scholar. Excite, Lyncos, Altervista etc.
The most popular and widely used for academic purposes amongst them is the Google scholar.
Visit the university Virtual library at the University homepage for a feel of Online resources in the University Library.
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018

16. UNN home page- www.unn.edu.ng
Select Libraries
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
12/3/2018

17. Turnitin
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
12/3/2018

18. doaj
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
12/3/2018

19. Science Direct page
Click on all title to select journal titles base on alphabetical arrangement
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
12/3/2018

20. Turnitin - Meaning
It is a tool used to check the originality of research works of students and academics.
Purposes of Turnitin
It helps to stay away from plagiarism
Students/researchers are accountable for what they submit or publish.
To check similarity of text to other sources
To improve teaching and learning
To guide against misuse of online sources in research writing
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
12/3/2018

21. What is plagiarism
Using someone's ideas or words without citing the author appropriately (giving credit to the author).
Copying another persons ideas as if its your own idea.
You may have observed the above in your research, you do not need to use the exacts words of the author, try to summarize using your own words, otherwise you will have high percentage of similarity cheek.
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018

22. How to avoid high percentage of similarity check.
You can print out the materials, read them understand the main idea of the writer and put those ideas in your own words.
Avoid copy and paste
If you have read the materials online, try to summarize and write using your own words.
Ensure you always acknowledge the authors/sources you cited or used in your work.
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018

23. Materials that can be checked in turnitin
MS Word, WordPerfect, PostScript, PDF, HTML, RTF, and plain text documents
Turnitin.com DOES NOT check files in graphic formats such as TIFF, EPS, PSD, JPEG, PICT, etc.
Document Size:
Less than 40mb
Has a minimum of 25 words
Less than 400pages
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018

24. Similarity index BLUE (1) indicates that there are <0% matches
GREEN (2) 1%-25%
YELLOW (3) 26%-50%
ORANGE (4) 51%-75%
RED (5) 76%-100%
dent/Classic_Student_User_Guide/17_Similarity_Check
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018

25. Thanks for Listening For conclusion let us demonstrate the turnitin.
Workshop for postgraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka
20/10/2018