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Research: Ready-to-research
checklist

Ready to research?

Ready-to-research checklist

This will check your familiarity with:

  • Library services, facilities & resources, e.g. borrowing, the postgraduate room at Mt Helen Library, EndNote
  • Skills assessment, e.g. searching using Boolean logic, creating automatic alerts

If you answer NO to any of the following questions, have a look at the appropriate material (links will appear if you answer NO to any item on the checklist) and/or make an appointment with your local campus librarian.

Borrowing and the Catalogue:

I know how to...

borrow items from the library, how many, for how long and how many renewals

Federation University postgraduate* students can borrow up to 100 items, for 42 days (6 weeks) with 20 renewals.
*includes graduate certificate, graduate diploma, honours, masters and PhD students
view and renew my loans online using My Library
activate and utilise My Reading History

Staff and students are able to opt in to using the Reading History, which keeps a record of every item borrowed from the Federation University Library, from the time you turn on the Reading History.

search for books, multimedia and realia using QuickSearch

search for journals (print and electronic) at journal title level

I know that hard-copies of journals/periodicals cannot be borrowed but the relevant article/s may be photocopied in the library
The Library has access to an extensive collection of electronic journals through databases we subscribe to. These journals are available by searching:

 

place a hold on an item from another campus or out on loan
access electronic books
  • eBooks
    Federation University Library has over 250,000 eBooks available to use, and our eBook collection is constantly growing. eBooks can be accessed in a number of ways, which may vary slightly depending on a particular title's publisher, or access routes provided by a particular provider.
  • Library Subject Guides - What are eBooks?
suggest an item for purchase from the library home page
Suggest a title for purchase
I can borrow from other university libraries using CAVAL

Eligible Federation University staff and students can obtain materials from other libraries. Please note: if you have overdue items at another institution's library, it could also impact on your entitlement to borrow at Federation University Library.

Library Databases:

I know ...

that QuickSearch also searches databases for journal articles
that not all databases are accessible via QuickSearch but can be accessed through the Databases tab
I am aware of the top three pertinent databases for my research area
to search the citation databases to find out if an author or journal article has been cited
to search the Libraries Australia database to locate books, journals and theses held in Australian libraries
the Ulrichsweb database will help me identify peer-reviewed journals
how to use the Boolean operators AND/OR/NOT when searching a Library database
Keeping up to date:

I know how to ...

set up search alerts and RSS feeds
Services:

I know ...

where to find campus library opening hours on the library webpage
 
I can make an appointment with an Liaison Librarian if I need help

To request an individual consultation you can use the appointment scheduler below:

Schedule an appointment

  • Cheryl (Mt Helen Arts/Education, Business, FoST)
  • Clare (Mt Helen Business, FoST)
  • Myles (Gippsland Health)
  • Peggy (Mt Helen Arts/Education)

If the times suggested by the scheduler do not suit, please contact libinfo@federation.edu.au or call 1300 552 567 to arrange an appointment at a mutually convenient time.

I can phone, use online Chat or use Ask the Library for help

Search FAQs by topic, browse popular questions or 'Ask Us' your own questions. The Live Chat box is also available if you want to chat instantly with a Librarian.

I can request material from other libraries using the Document Delivery service
the library runs workshops especially for HDR students through the Skills Development Program 
the library has online resources and tutorials available
the library has specific subject guides to resources on particular disciplines

Browse our best resources, organised by subject.

EndNote:

I know ...

the library delivers EndNote desktop training

The Library offers free classes for academic staff and HDR students during semester. You can self-enrol into library classes in two modes: on campus (classes held at Mt Helen, Gippsland and Berwick) OR online (through our virtual classroom).

To make an individual appointment for training, please contact libinfo@federation.edu.au or call 1300 552 567 to arrange an appointment at a mutually convenient time.

 

help and tutorials are available on the EndNote website

EndNote Training

citations from most databases can be downloaded and stored in EndNote

Library Subject Guide - EndNote desktop self-paced learning: Adding references from other databases

Theses:

I know ...

where to search for theses and where to find the list of thesis sources on the Research Subject Guide
to find Fed Uni or Australian theses I may need to search Federation ResearchOnline, and Trove

Federation ResearchOnline is an institutional open access digital repository.

Trove is the national database of material held in Australian libraries

ABN 51 818 692 256 | CRICOS provider number 00103D | RTO code 4909 | TEQSA PRV12151 Australian University
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