ZOOLOGY LIBRARY TRAINING
MASTERS: Wetlands and River Ecology Courses
25 January 2010, 8.30-10.30h
1. Welcome and Introduction
Subject Librarian, Pavlinka Kovatcheva, , Tel: 011 559-2621
2. Sciences Librarian Portal and How to find information
2.1 Portal overview (Find relevant resources, services, facilities, help etc.)
2.2 Zoology Subject Portal: One step for your research needs (Overview)
3. Engaged in Research: the Research Process
- Direct access to Engage in Research (Research web for Biosciences) (http://www.engageinresearch.ac.uk)
- Use the Sciences Librarian Portal: Engage in Research: the Research process with step-by-step guidelines: http://ujsciencelibrarian.pbworks.com/Engaged-in-Research
3.1 Getting Started in Science research
Research is an investigation or enquiry into a topic, with the aim to discover, revise or interpret facts. The end result of your research should enhance existing knowledge of your chosen subject area and often provides more questions for you or other researchers to investigate further
3.2 Choosing your Research Topic: for example “Freshwater and Wetlands ecology in SA”
3.3 Identify Research Questions
The research question is the specific aspect of the topic you're interested in. Examples:
- What are the consequences of the water users on the environment …
- How the pollution affect the wetlands, etc.
3.4 Research at a Coursework
If your coursework involves a research project you may find that you’re given a research topic, but you have to develop the research question.
3.5 Hypothesis
Generating and testing hypotheses is a fundamental aspect of scientific research. But what is a hypothesis? A hypothesis is an educated ‘guess’ at what the results of a piece of research will be.
4. Reviewing Literature: Literature Review
4.1 Literature Review
This is where you read around your research topic, using both primary and secondary sources. The aim of a literature review is to understand the background theory and to find all of the important research (or the vast majority at least!) that has been conducted on your topic.
4.2 Where to look for information
- Sciences Librarian Portal (http://ujsciencelibrarian.pbworks.com) or
- Zoology Subject Portal (http://ujsciencelibrarian.pbworks.com/Zoology)
- Search the Library Catalogue, Databases, Internet, etc.
4.3 Secondary & Primary resources
4.3.1 Secondary Sources: for Background information on the topic
- Print Books: UJLink: Library Catalogue
- Online Books & References: CRC EnvironetBase; AccessScience; Oxford Reference Online
- Websites (Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Water Research Commission, etc.)
- Journal Reviews - Although scientific journals are generally classed as primary literature, they may also contain review articles on a subject which are 'technically' classed as secondary sources of information. Review articles discuss previous research on a particular topic, but don't present new results.
4.3.2 Primary Sources:
Researchers rely on peer-reviewed primary literature more than secondary literature. This is partly because they are extremely specific in terms of the subject area, but also because primary literature represents the cutting-edge of science.
- Scientific papers (peer-reviewed journals): Search the databases from your Zoology Subject Portal for the latest research in your topic (ScienceDirect, Wiley Interscience; SpringerLink, ISI Science Citation Index, Water Resources Worldwide, etc.)
- Conference proceedings: Researchers often present the results of their work at national and international science conferences. Each presenter provides a written overview of their presentation and this is given to conference attendees in the form of a 'conference proceeding'. (Databases)
- Dissertations: Review T & D for current and completed research (why, where to search). Dissertations (sometimes called theses) are produced by MSc and PhD students. (Search the UJLink: Library Catalogue for UJ T & D; UJDigispace for online T & D; Consult other available resources on the Subject Portal.
4.4 Finding Scientific Information
- Identify search terms from your topic, which you will use while searching the databases
- Use Boolean Operators to combine your terms for better search results:
AND – Narrow your search results. "I want only documents that contain both words."
OR - means "I want documents that contain either word or both in the record."
NOT - NOT logic is used to exclude a particular term. We retrieve only records in which ONLY the first term is used, but exclude the second term.
- Access “Getting Started with your Research Assignment” for videous and useful information on Online Searching skills. (via the Sciences Portal)
- If full-text is not available, then you need to search the following resources to retrieve it: UJLink: Library Catalogue and CASE: A-to-Z Journal list. For additional resources consult the Zoology Subject Portal.
- Accessing papers: REMOTE ACCESS to the Databases is available. To LOG-IN use you Surname, Student Number and PIN. If you don’t have it is easy to create.
- Accessing papers: If the paper you need is not available, I can order the paper through Inter library Loan – no cost is involved (nationally)
4.5 Starting your Literature Review: Stay focused; Plan your sections; How much should I read; Analyse what you have read.
4.6 Acknowledging Resources (Referencing & Citing)
From the start of your University career, particularly when you produce written work and presentations, you will be expected to acknowledge any sources eg books, papers, web sites, etc that you have used in the production of your work.
- Consult the Plagiarism Portal available through the Sciences Librarian Portal
(http://ujsciencelibrarian.pbwiki.com/Library-Resources%3A-Plagiarism)
- Consult the Harvard method reference techniques – available on the Sciences Portal
- Consult your supervisor, which Harvard method you need to follow. It could be a specific ZOOLOGY JOURNAL.
- Consult VUMA Portal – (writing skills; research skills; thinking and learning, etc. http://www.vuma.ac.za
5. Statistics
6. Writing Scientifically
7. Presenting
8. Going Professional
Useful Library books on the Research process are available through this portal:
http://ujsciencelibrarian.pbworks.com/Engaged-in-Research
Search the Library catalogue:
Useful Books (maybe on RESERVE):
· Managing wetlands: an ecological economics approach / editors, R. Kerry Turner, Jeroen C.J.M. van den Bergh, Roy Brouwer. BBJ BROU
· National wetland inventory : development of a wetland classification system for South Africa / prepared for the Water Research Commission (WRC) and South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) by J.L. Ewart-Smith ... [et al.]. 2006. BBM EWAR
· An inventory of the Wetlands in the Mkomazi Catchment of KwaZulu-Natal / Whyte, C.R. and Shepherd, J.K. 1999. BBJ WHYT (not online)
· Wetland water quality and the ecological reserve / report to the Water Research Commission by H.L. Malan and J.A. Day. 2005. BBJ WATE 1311
· Guidelines for implementing volunteer water quality monitoring in South Africa / by L. Rossouw and D. A. Februarie. 2006. BBJ WATE 0175.
· Assessment of the occurrence and key causes of drinking-water quality failures within non-metropolitan water supply systems in South Africa, and guidelines for the practical management thereof: report to the Water Research Commission / by Grant MacKintosh and Unathi Jack ; on behalf of Emanti Management. 2008. BBJ WATE TT373
Useful Theses & Dissertations (also search UJDigispace for Online UJ research
· A framework methodology for the cumulative impact assessment of wetlands / by Aiden Stoop. AA10 STOO (available also ONLINE)
· A generic environmental management plan for the lacustrine wetlands of the East Rand of Gauteng / by Bronwyn Collen. AA10 COLL (not online?)
Search the Databases (available through the Zoology Portal) :
Databases & Journals for Wetlands, Water quality, Rivers, etc. courses)
· Africa-Wide: Nipad (EbscoHost, Africa & South Africa)
· Academic Search Premier (EbscoHost)
· Biological & Agricultural Index (EbscoHost)
· BioOne (Abstracts)
· CRC EnvironetBASE – Online books
· GreenFile (EbscoHost, Abstracts)
· JSTOR (not the latest research, but for background)
· Proquest Theses & dissertations (full-text)
· SA E-Publications (SA articles)
· SA Media (SA Newspapers, National & Regional information0
· ScienceDirect (full-text from 1995+)
· Science Citation index (ISI)
· SpringerLink (full-text)
· Water SA journal – available online on SA E-Publications
· Water Resources Worldwide – Databases, Abstracts, EbscoHost, Abstracts
· Wiley Interscience – Journal articles, full-text 1997+)
Environmental Law/ Legislations
- SabinetOnline Law
- JutaStat
- LexisNexis
FET Water Programme in Rivers and Wetlands (via Zoology website)
http://www.uj.ac.za/zoology/FETWater/tabid/15609/Default.aspx
Module 1: Functionalfreshwater and wetland ecology
The aim of this course is to provide students with the relevant background information of different wetland and river types found in South Africa and the intricate interactions between the various components of these ecosystems.This will provide them with the necessary skills to engage in research and management in these ecosystems.
Module 2: Water quality and pollution
The aim of this course is to provide students with the relevant background information on water quality and pollution to evaluate the consequences that the various water users have on the environment, to support measures aimed at controlling water-related diseases, and to protect ecosystems.
Module 3: Monitoring of wetlands and rivers
This course is aimed at providing the students with the knowledge and skills to plan and conduct monitoring and biomonitoring surveys in rivers and wetlands as well as enabling them to interpret the results of biomonitoring surveys.
Module 4: Estuaries and the near-shore marine environment
The aim of this course is to provide the student the relevant background information on the function and structure of estuaries and the near-shore marine environment and to demonstrate the intricate interactions between the various components of freshwater and the near shore marine environment with the focus on estuaries.
Module 5: Legislative aspects related to rivers and wetlands
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the different environmental laws, which may have an influence on the use and management of rivers and wetlands.This includes international conventions, common law and other important legislative developments that will impact on water resource management.
Module 6: Wetland and river management
The aim of this course is to give the learner the relevant background information on policy, strategy, and management instruments that will facilitate the management of riverine and wetland resources.
Module 7: Wetland and river remediation and rehabilitation
The aim of this course is to provide students with the necessary information to identify factors affecting river and wetland functioning and the strategies involved in remediating these factors and rehabilitation of the systems.
Module 8: Research Project
The research project will require the completion of a project management phase (including project proposal, project budget and development of the research proposal (presentation to the higher degree committee).For the one-year full-time and two year part-time degree, data gathering, analysis and write-up must be completed within the specified registration period.Research projects are encouraged within the fields of expertise of the candidate.
24/January/2010 Pavlinka Kovatcheva
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