This page will help you get more out of your Library resources for your assignments, projects and dissertations in Learning at Work.
Use the University VPN to access to these resources, any time, anywhere.
New students might like to take a Virtual Tour of the Library.
For the briefest of introductions, see this slide set.
For an introduction to these Subject Pages see this video.
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"Ask the librarian for research help and she will guide you to some amazing resources you would never have found on your own. These extra discoveries make the difference between an average paper and one that shines. As an added bonus, this exercise also shaves hours from your research time."
Cal Newport - Monday Master Class: The Most Important Paper Research Advice You’ve Never Heard [1].
Your Faculty Librarian - see contact details right - can't be available 24/7 but these pages offer some of the best advice and resources available. However, feel free to get in touch to make a face-to-face or virtual appointment if you think that would be helpful.
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You may also wish to look at our Information Literacy pages which help guide you through the research process. We have also created a suite of AI Literacy pages which may be of interest and a short Library Guide on using Generative AI in your work which you may find helpful.
A short guide on how might legitimately use generative AI such as Chat GPT in your coursework, dissertations or research.
Sometimes it can be difficult to get started with your research for an assignment, as there are so many sources and so much you could read!
Remember to check your reading lists in Moodle as the best starting points, and then explore our Library resources.
For general reference sources and for study help, try Credo.
Can I use ChatGPT?
See under Plagiarism below for comments on the use of generative AI such as ChatGPT. See also our small suite of AI Literacy pages.
Google
You can of course start searching Google for a topic and you may well find useful information. (Here are some short cheat sheets to some of their less well known search commands.) However, it can be time consuming to sort the wheat from the chaff particularly if you're under pressure of deadlines. Use Library resources detailed on these pages to quickly find good quality information. Or use Google Scholar to begin to find academic information.
Searching
To get the best from any database search, watch these short videos: Improving search results with keywords part 1 and Improving search results with keywords part 2 to improve your results using keywords and advanced searching, or see this Library Guide on Choosing Keywords.
fully searchable in EBSCO Discovery
A variety of reference works, including dictionaries, which tutors may well prefer to Wikipedia, and it even tells you how to set out a reference to what you find. Try out the 'Mind Map' feature to see how your keyword links to others - useful for essay planning and dissertation work.
These short videos show you how Credo can speed up your research:
- Search tips
- Using the automated mind map
Additional access instructions:
What
- A variant of Google that searches for academic literature
Why
- Provides access to articles, books, conference papers and preprints
- Links to Full-text @ Portsmouth where available when settings are applied
How
- Simple or advanced searching allowing refinement by date, author etc
- A Library Guide to this resource is available
Books
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Options for finding book material. 
Login to access services restricted to University members including off-campus passwords, edissertations and interlibrary loans
We offer a range of ways to help you. From chat, email and phone to bookable appointments with a librarian.
Our referencing page helps you reference sources correctly with guidance for an extensive range of print and online sources.
Visit the Library blog for advice on study, student living and resources, news and technology highlights plus random fun or topical items which may be of interest.
