LibGuides: Food product reformulation resources: Guidance on literature searching

Researching your assignments

These videos from our Study Advice Team give guidance on starting your research for an assignment, taking effective notes and evaluating your sources.

Help from the Study Advice Team

For help on critical notetaking, using sources in your work, writing assignments and many other study skills, take a look at the resources on the Study Advice webpages, or arrange a one-to-one appointment.

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Help on literature searching from your Librarian

Jackie Skinner

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Contact:

Please contact me if you have a query or need advice on literature searching, accessing resources, referencing or using EndNote/Mendeley.

Email me, or make an appointment using the buttons above. Appointments can be in person or online via MS Teams.

In term-time I also hold a weekly drop-in for quick queries on Tuesdays 13:00-14:00. See the drop-in box on this page for more detail.

Subjects: Chemistry, Food science, Nutrition, Pharmacology, Pharmacy, Physician Associate

Literature searching guidance

This series of three videos (available via the tabs in this box) cover:

What is a literature search, including tips on getting started
Analysing your topic and search techniques for creating a comprehensive search
Evaluating and summarising the literature

You will need to login using your University email address and password to view the videos.

Literature search plan template for food
Download this Word document to help you analyse your topic and plan a literature search
Literature search plan example - blueberries and cognition
This is an example of a completed literature search plan.

This video covers:

analysing your topic
search techniques for creating a comprehensive search (using AND/OR, truncation and wildcards)
an example search on Web of Science

This video covers:

evaluating journals (peer review)
evaluating articles (citation counts and altmetrics)
critical reading
using tables to help summarise literature
referencing and reference management using EndNote (brief summary)

Video: searching Food Science and Technology Abstracts (FSTA) on Web of Science

This video was created by IFIS (International Food Information Service) showing how to do a basic search on their FSTA database on the Web of Science.

There's also a PDF guide explaining how to use the thesaurus to select your search words:

Using the FSTA thesaurus on Web of Science
Find out how to use the FSTA thesaurus in Web of Science to select the best words to use in your search.
Google Scholar vs FSTA
This short video explains how the underpinning thesaurus in FSTA makes it a better tool for a literature search than Google Scholar.

IFIS have also produced a best practice guide for literature searching:

Literature searching best practice guide
Produced by the International Food Information Service (IFIS) this guide covers all the steps involved in doing a literature search.
Literature searching best practice guide (Chinese)
IFIS have translated their best practice guide for literature searching into Chinese.

Library and ASK drop-in

Got a question about the Library, finding information, referencing, literature searching or using EndNote/Mendeley? Or about study skills such as writing assignments/lab reports, time management, using references in your work or preparing for exams?

Then come along to the Library and ASK drop-in for Food and Nutritional Sciences. Your librarian and ASK Adviser will be on hand to discuss your question.

When? Tuesdays 13:00-14:00 term-time only

Where? Harry Nursten Building Room 2-64 (the PC Lab at the back of the 2nd Floor)

If you would like to meet with your Librarian online please make an appointment at another time using the link on my contact page:

Make an appointment with Jackie Skinner