Lecture 4: Finding the Evidence: Using Library Resources in Support of Nutrition Research

Question 1

How to select a research topic?

Answer 1

1. Brainstorm ideas
   a. Think of topics that interest you
   b. Browse your textbooks, the library catalogue, recent issues of journals in your area of interest, or even Wikipedia to find ideas
2. Familiarize yourself with your topic
   a. Read some background information. Textbooks and subject-specific encyclopedias are good resources
   b. Once you understand the basics, look for articles and books which go into more depth
3. Narrow/focus your topic
   a. Using the reading you’ve done, narrow your topic. Remember to keep the scope manageable!
   b. Consider focusing on a particular population, geographical region, time period, etc.
4. Define your research question
   a. Create a question you plan to answer with your research

Question 2

What does Boolean Operator “AND” do?

Answer 2

Restricts a search

All words/concepts appear in the results

Question 3

What does Boolean Operator “OR” do?

Answer 3

Expands a search

Results contain either one or both words/concepts

Question 4

What does Boolean Operator “NOT” do?

Answer 4

Restricts a search

Excludes results with the words/records

Question 5

What is a truncation?

Answer 5

To retrieve variant endings or plurals

child* retrieves:
• Child
• Children
• Child’s
• Children's 
• Childhood

Question 6

What is wildcard?

Answer 6

To replace a character or characters within a word

Col?r retrieves:
• Color
• Colour

Question 7

Give examples of some article databases?

Answer 7

• Scopus
• Web of Science
• PubMed
• CINAHL

Question 8

Give examples of some clinical tools?

Answer 8

• Practice-based Evidence in Nutrition (PEN)
• eNCPT
• Dietary Reference Intakes

Question 9

Give examples of some governmental and non-governmental organization websites?

Answer 9

• Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Health Canada
• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Question 10

What is an article database?

Answer 10

An online tool that allows you to search multiple journals simultaneously. Article databases may be multidisciplinary (covering a range of topics across academic disciplines) or subject-specific (focusing on a single field or several related fields).

Question 11

What are clinical tools?

Answer 11

Clinical tools are online resources or books designed to support dietitians and
other health professionals.

Question 12

Why to use clinical tools?

Answer 12

• Finding answers to questions commonly asked in clinical practice
• Learning about the dietary needs of various populations
• Nutritional screening and calculators for BMI and more
• Best practices information

Question 13

What information can I find using governmental and NGO websites?

Answer 13

• Food, health, and nutritional policies at province/state and federal level
• Nutritional programs and initiatives
• Statistics and data

Question 14

What is plagiarism?

Answer 14

Representing the writing, data, ideas or results of another person as one’s own. May be intentional or unintentional (usually as poor paraphrasing, or as a failure to cite one’s sources).

Question 15

What is falsification?

Answer 15

Manipulating research materials or processes, or modifying or omitting data in order to misrepresent one’s research or results.

Question 16

What is fabrication?

Answer 16

Making up experiments, data, or results and reporting them as if they were properly obtained and accurate.

Question 17

What does fall under academic misconduct?

Answer 17

• plagiarism
• falsification
• fabrication

Question 18

What is paraphrasing?

Answer 18

Paraphrasing is using a passage from another’s work and rephrasing it, using new language and structure, but retaining the meaning of the original. Using paraphrasing shows that you fully understand the meaning of the original information.

Question 19

What is citation?

Answer 19

Citation is the act of directly quoting or giving intellectual credit to another person’s work or ideas

Question 20

You must include a citation when:

Answer 20

• You use another person’s ideas, opinions, or theories.
• You use facts, statistics, graphics, drawings, music, etc.,
or any other type of information that does not comprise
common knowledge.
• You use quotations from another person’s spoken or written word.
• You paraphrase another person’s spoken or written word.