LibrarySkills@UCL: Library skills essentials

When undertaking independent research you should invest time in planning your search thoroughly and effectively, and develop skills to:

• understand the steps involved in undertaking a thorough search for information. See 5 steps to effective library research.
• understand how to identify gaps in research and formulate a clear and focussed research question to address those gaps. See Understanding your search.
• be able to define the scope of your search based on the context and need. See Understanding the nature of your search.
• be able to deconstruct your research question in order to identify search concepts. See Defining search terms.
• be aware of different types of information sources, including information from different stages of the research cycle, and which are most appropriate to inform your research. See Types of information.
• know which resources to use to identify different information sources. See Where to look for information.

If you are working on your dissertation or a research project for your academic programme, our guide will direct you to the support, resources and guidance you need.