The Library Team can offer guidance on which databases to use when conducting literature searches as well as advice on planning and constructing sophisticated search enquiries using the most appropriate terminology.
We have worked with:
Researchers have told us that even though they had experience of searching databases, they found the session with Library staff very informative as they learnt how to use additional database features, such as the thesaurus, and had a better understanding of the difference between searching with controlled vocabulary and free-text searching.
See the Managing Your References (Zotero) page on the Referencing Guide for guidance on downloading and using Zotero, including FAQs on how to add materials into your Zotero library.
Impact Factors & Eigenfactors
An Impact Factor is generated from the average number of times articles published within a particular journal title have been cited.
Beware! Treat impact factors with caution as there are some key education journals that don't have them (Assessment in Education; Education 3-13; Emotional & Behavioural Difficulties for example).
Impact Factors are available through the Web of Science and can be accessed here.
Eigenfactors are available through http://www.eigenfactor.org/index.php.
Altmetrics
Altmetrics can show how researchers outputs are being shared and discussed via social media and online, which may supplement the information gained from traditional impact metrics.
Beware! Treat altmetrics with caution as sometimes articles are cited numerous times because they are a particularly bad example of research. A high impact factor isn't always a good thing!
You can access Altmetrics here.
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Whilst you are away from the Faculty, the Library Team can continue to support you in:
We will email you at the beginning of your leave with a reminder of the resources and services available to you. Just contact us if you would like help finding what you need. |
Lean Library - a new browser extension - cleverly integrates subscription access for the researcher with any Open Access alternative. Once installed, the extension will deliver the article in the browser regardless of where on the Internet the search is made, making access to electronic articles quick and easy.
Lean Library has been configured to recognise whenever the Cambridge user has access, no matter what platform is chosen for the search (this configuration is “picked up” by the user’s choice of institution when the extension is first downloaded). If the University does not have a subscription to an article, Lean Library will offer an Open Access alternative version of the article if one is available
Download Lean Library here
Find out more here
The University has created this Copyright for Researchers Guide which focuses on areas of copyright likely to be applicable to Cambridge researchers looking to share their work, including making a PhD thesis available via Open Access.
The following guides from the Office of Scholarly Communications work through how to manage your data and the team can be contacted on info@osc.cam.ac.uk with any questions you may have
Crafting your Data Management Plan
Lots of information is also available through the Research Data Management Website
The University's Self-Archiving Policy gives Cambridge researchers a cost-effective route to make the accepted version of their papers open access without embargo. Researchers may now retain their rights over their paper rather than signing them over to a publisher, allowing you to self-archive the work in the University’s repository, Apollo, making the work available via the so-called ‘green route’ to open access.
The publisher is notified in advance of submission that the researcher will release an open access version of their article upon publication. It allows researchers to comply with open access policies without additional payment by the University.
Further information about the Self-Archiving Policy can be found on the University's Open Access web pages.