There are many sources of information and knowing where to look will ensure you always find the resources you need.
This section will cover:
Your assessment brief will often specify the types of sources required to support your research. Check with your tutor or teacher if you are not sure which sources are appropriate.
Click on the image hotspots (i) below to find out more about different types of information sources.
Activity: What type of information source am I?
You will often be asked to use scholarly or peer-reviewed journal articles in your assessments. Scholarly sources can include books, journal articles, conferences and theses.
Watch this video to find out more about scholarly and peer-reviewed sources.
RMIT University Library (7 February 2022) ‘What is a scholarly source?’ [video], RMIT University Library, YouTube website, accessed 14 February 2023. https://youtu.be/mmJlV642eTo
The Ulrichsweb: global serials directory is an authoritative source of information about journals. Use Ulrichsweb to:
RMIT Library's search engine, LibrarySearch, will include many of the resources you'll need to complete your assessments. Using LibrarySearch can save you time because you will find a variety of information sources in one place.
Log in to LibrarySearch to get full access to resources and to save your searches and results.
Watch this video to learn how to access resources through the RMIT Library.
RMIT University Library (7 October 2022) ‘What is LibrarySearch?’ [video], RMIT University Library, YouTube website, accessed 14 February 2023. https://youtu.be/MG3RhhlWKc0
Your subject guide will direct you to the most appropriate and relevant databases for your subject area.
Look for the Library Essentials section on the Library homepage and go to Subject guides to find the guide most relevant to your study area.
Watch this video for more information about databases.
RMIT University Library (28 October 2021) ‘What’s a Library database?’ [video], RMIT University Library, YouTube website, accessed 22 February 2023. https://youtu.be/aiw7E2At5LY.
Google Scholar offers a range of scholarly resources including journal articles, conference papers, theses and technical reports. Some of these sources are available in the RMIT Library online collections.
Accessing Google Scholar with the Library links setting set to RMIT will give you full text access to sources from the Library's online collections, as well as free resources. See using Google Scholar for further advice and tips.
Articles can be accessed by clicking on the PDF or the FindIt@RMIT link.
