civil enginieerin a/prof hadi khabbaz email: [email protected] room 2.511b how to keep up to...
TRANSCRIPT
CIVIL Enginieerin
A/Prof Hadi KhabbazA/Prof Hadi Khabbaz
Email: [email protected]
Room 2.511B
How to keep up to date in your fieldHow to keep up to date in your field
Tips for Effective Literature Tips for Effective Literature Searching Searching
If we knew what it was we
were doing, it would not be
called research, would it?
Albert Einstein
RESEARCH is an endeavour that
scholars intentionally set out to enhance
their understanding of a phenomenon
and expect to communicate what they
discover to the large scientific
community. (Leedy and Ormrod, 2005, p. 4)
Publish or PerishPublish or Perish
“If I have seen a little farther, it is by
standing on the shoulder of giants”
Why do we need to use Literature?Why do we need to use Literature?
(Isaac Newton, 1643 - 1727)
“Standing on
the shoulder of
a giant”
Add at least an epsilon to Add at least an epsilon to the body of knowledgethe body of knowledge
We Need More Information
ConfusionConfusion
InformationInformation
The volume of publication output has exploded.
More Information less confusion
More Information Brings More
Confusion!?
ConfusionConfusion
InformationInformation
The volume of publication output has exploded.
Too much Information more
confusion!?
Question to a Tasmanian
Devil:
How do you eat a horse?
Ans: In small bites.
Teamwork!?Teamwork!?
How to Reduce Confusion with
Heaps of Information
Collect and integrate information in a systematic and well-organised approaches.Collect and integrate information in a systematic and well-organised approaches.
How to Reduce ConfusionAn Example in Engineering Discipline.An Example in Engineering Discipline.
• Historical Background
• Theoretical Aspects
• Mathematical Aspects
• Design Aspects
• Experimental Aspects (Field Measurements, Lab Testing)
• Numerical Analysis
• Construction Aspects
• Social, Economical and Environmental Aspects
• Case Studies/Case Histories
• Worked Examples
• Lessons learnt from previous collapsed structures/disasters
• Historical Background
• Theoretical Aspects
• Mathematical Aspects
• Design Aspects
• Experimental Aspects (Field Measurements, Lab Testing)
• Numerical Analysis
• Construction Aspects
• Social, Economical and Environmental Aspects
• Case Studies/Case Histories
• Worked Examples
• Lessons learnt from previous collapsed structures/disasters
Tips for how keep
up to date in the
field
Try appropriate and Try appropriate and different key wordsdifferent key wordsTry appropriate and Try appropriate and different key wordsdifferent key words
Starting Point:Starting Point:Starting Point:Starting Point:
TIPSTIPS
13
SAMPLE
• You cannot rule out the possibility that
your research topic has already been
addressed in a recently published paper.
• It is important to keep up with published
works in your field and use a structured
search strategy to make sure you don’t
overlook similar publications.
Large volume of publicationsLarge volume of publications
Source: EditageSource: EditageSource: EditageSource: Editage
• Avoid duplicating already published work
• Provide strong justification and discussion for your
study based on previous research
• Determine the best methods for your research
• Explore gaps and weaknesses in existing studies
• Become familiar with terminologies in your field
Benefits of a good literature search Benefits of a good literature search
Source: EditageSource: EditageSource: EditageSource: Editage
• Be familiar with alternative vocabulary used in your
topic
• Search multiple academic databases, e.g.
ScienceDirect
• Check publisher databases and journal websites
databases e.g., Scopus, ISI Web of Elsevier’s ScienceDirect,
Google Scholar, SpringerLink, Wiley Online
More Tips More Tips
Source: EditageSource: EditageSource: EditageSource: Editage
• Keep a written record of your searches.
• Maintain a list of keywords and keyword
combinations
• Use a reference manager like Endnote / MS-Excel
• Use alerts to keep up with new publications. e.g.
Table-of- Contents (TOC) alerts, citation alerts, and keyword alerts.
More Tips More Tips
Source: EditageSource: EditageSource: EditageSource: Editage
• Backward Searching: Follow the citations and
browse through the reference list of relevant
articles to find more related articles.
• Forward Searching: Look at papers that have
cited relevant articles since publication.
Backward and Forward Searching
Backward and Forward Searching
Source: EditageSource: EditageSource: EditageSource: Editage
Accept to be the reviewer of journal papers Accept to be the reviewer of journal papers and research applications.and research applications.
Read the related work (or previous work) section of the papers in the working set of papers. You'll usually find at least a few papers related to your subject. Include them in the working set. (This is a backward search.)
Do a search on Google Scholar or Citeseer for each paper in your working set. See what papers cited those papers, include them in the working set. (This is a forward search.)
Backward and Forward Searching
Backward and Forward Searching
Source: http://www.ece.ncsu.eduSource: http://www.ece.ncsu.eduSource: http://www.ece.ncsu.eduSource: http://www.ece.ncsu.edu
Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
Cite Seer.Cite Seer.
• Attend conferences and seminars in your field.
• Check conference proceedings as they can provide the
latest findings and discussions on the topic you’re
studying.
• Try to search various literature: including theses and
dissertations, books, conference proceedings government and
organizational reports, technical, and statistical reports and working
papers
• Social Networking Sites : e.g. Facebook, Linkedin ?
Conferences and Networking Conferences and Networking
THAnk You
&
Good Luck With your Research