Birkbeck Library
Understanding your reading list and
using the Library catalogue
Outline
• Understand the references on your
reading list:
• Book chapter references
• Journal article references
• How to find the items on the Library
catalogue.
• How to find the items in the Library
• Citing and Managing references.
Reading lists
Reading lists
• Lecturers give out lists of
recommended resources to
help you gain a greater
understanding of your subject.
• These lists include references to:
• Books
• Sections of books/chapters
• Journal articles
• Web sites
Book references
Understanding book references
All book references will include basic
information such as the author, title and
date of publication. They also include
publisher’s name and place of publication.
Book chapter references
Understanding references to book chapters
Sometimes, you will be asked to read a specific
section, or chapter, rather than the entire book.
The reference will often give additional
information about the chapter.
Journal article references
What are journals?
• Academic publications issued at
regular intervals.
• Usually published monthly or
quarterly.
• Each issue has a range of articles
written by different people.
• Contain current research – usually
primary research.
• Ejournals are online versions
of print journals.
Understanding journal article references
Details include the author, article title, name of the
journal, date of publication, volume and issue
details. Usually includes the page numbers that
the article appears on.
Journal title
Volume and
issue number
Article title
Author(s)
Year of
publication
Common abbreviations
Abbreviations: et al.
• Latin abbreviation meaning
‘and others’.
• Sometimes used when there are
several authors of a book or article.
• Instead of listing all the authors,
the first author is listed followed
by ‘et al’.
• e.g. Smith, B. et al.
Abbreviations: others
• pp. is an abbreviation for ‘pages’.
• Don’t forget ed. can mean ‘edition’ or
‘editor’.
• If there is a number in front of it,
it means ‘edition’. e.g. 4th ed.
• If there is a name in front of it,
it means ‘editor’.
e.g. Jones, S. (ed.)
How to find the items in
the Library
The Library catalogue
• Use the catalogue to find information
about:
• Books
• Ebooks
• DVDs
• Print journals
• Ejournals - access via eLibrary
The Library catalogue
• This information includes:
• Publication details
• Shelfmark (location)
• Number of copies
• Loan length
• Availability
OR
• Link to access ebook.
Search tips
• For books: use the author’s surname and
one or two keywords from the title.
• For DVDs: use the director’s surname and
one or two keywords from the title.
• Don’t type in the whole title.
• Don’t include first names, initials or dates.
• For print journals: use the
full name of the journal,
not the article details.
Finding items in the Library
• Make a note of the shelfmark.
• Books/DVDs are grouped by subject.
• Newer books have a number reference, e.g.
330.1 CAM
• Older books have an alphabetical
reference, e.g. GY [Dac].
• DVDs are shelved together in the quiet
study area.
• Print journals have no
shelfmark and are kept in
alphabetical order of title.
Finding items in the Library
Shelfmarks are found
on the spines of the
books, videos and
DVDs.
Finding items in the Library
• Go to the relevant floor of the
Library.
• Level 1: 001 – 745 (+ all DVDS)
• Level 2: 745 – 865
• Level 3: 865 – 999 and A – Z
• Level 4: print journals
Journals: electronic or print?
• There is no difference in content.
• Easier to access articles electronically
as remote access is possible.
• The Library has more titles
electronically than in print.
• If the journal title or the date you
need is not available
electronically, check out
the print journals.
Accessing journals electronically
• Go to the Library web site at
www.bbk.ac.uk/lib and select
eLibrary.
• Type the name of the journal in the
ejournal search box.
• If the Library subscribes, a link to the
ejournal will appear.
• Select the year, volume and
then issue that you require.
Citing references
Citing references: why?
• To acknowledge the use of other
people’s work.
• To avoid plagiarism.
• So those that read your essays can see
how widely you have read.
• So those that read your work
can see what influenced you
to draw the conclusions
you did.
Citing references: how?
• List all the resources that you have
read or consulted at the end of your
essay in a bibliography.
• List the resources in alphabetical order
of surname.
• There are different ‘styles’ of citing
references. Be consistent.
• Check your course handbook
for your department’s
preferred style.
Citing references: books
•
Example: Drury C., (2004)
Management and Cost Accounting.
7th ed. Andover: Cengage Learning.
•
Author’s name (surname first).
•
Date of publication.
•
Title of book.
•
Place of publication.
•
Publisher.
Citing references: journals
•
Example:
Deakin, S. and Konzelmann, S. (2004)
‘Learning from Enron.’ Corporate
Governance. 12(2), pp.134-142.
•
Author’s name (surname first).
•
Date of publication.
•
Title of the article.
•
Name of the journal.
•
Volume.
•
Issue.
•
Page numbers.
Citing references: web sources
•
Birkbeck Library (2012) Birkbeck
eLibrary.
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/elib/
(Accessed: 25 June 2012).
•
Author’s name or company/organization name.
•
Date document was produced or updated.
•
Title of the document.
•
URL (web site address).
•
Date you accessed the web
site.
Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2013) Cite them right : the essential
referencing guide. 9th ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
.
Managing references
Managing references
•
Keep full bibliographic details of all
material read as part of your studies.
•
If photocopying material, also
photocopy the front cover or write
the source details on the photocopy.
•
Reference management
software, e.g. EndNote,
can be useful for large
projects.
Help
•
•
•
•
Contact the Library Help Desk
Tel: 020 7631 6063
Email: library-help@bbk.ac.uk
Library summer opening hours:
10am-8pm Monday-Friday
10am-6pm Saturday & Sunday (self
service only)
• Further details of opening hours:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/about/hours
Any questions?