To solve challenges, you need answers. But finding those answers may be as difficult as the questions being asked. That is where the search comes in – and not all search is created equal. How you search, and with what tools, can make the difference between solving your problem and creating a new one.
Please feel free to contact the your Faculty Librarian, Sue Rionda, if you need more help.
Selecting a Topic
The library provides access to information on past and current research projects. By looking at these projects, you can gain a better idea of what you should write on. Go to Find books, e-books & theses for Rhodes University theses, theses from other South African universities as well as theses from around the world in ProQuest Theses and Dissertations Global.
When looking for literature, Search All is a good place to start. Search All provides simple, one-stop searching for books and e-books, videos, articles and digital media held by Rhodes University Library.
You can also look for journal articles. Click here to see a list of recommended databases that you can use to find journal articles.
If you find an interesting article or book that Rhodes University Library does not have, you can request it through Inter-Library Loans.
Citation Databases
When searching for literature, it is important to use citation databases such as Scopus and Web of Science to give you an overview of your subject area. Citation databases provide a record of what has been published and citations between publications. However, it is important to note that no citation database covers all publications.
With citation databases you are able to:
For more information on publishing in Accredited Journals and avoiding Predatory Publishers, please see the following:
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Watch Cover to Cover: Profiling Predatory Publishing - a webinar sponsored by Cabells
Transformative Agreements | Open Access publishing
In academic publishing, transformative agreements are contracts between academic institutions and publishers that aim to transition the traditional subscription-based model to more sustainable and open-access publishing models, ensuring broader access to scholarly
research while maintaining the viability of academic publishing.
The South African National Library and Information Consortium (SANLiC) negotiates the Transformative Agreements for Southern African academic Libraries with publishers. Their aim is to facilitate affordable access to scholarly electronic information in support of the teaching,
learning and research activities of its members.
For more information on the read and publish agreements negotiated by SANLiC (including the names of the participating institutions) please access the following link: https://sanlic.ac.za/read-and-publish-agreements/.
The above website also provides a description of the agreements, the length of the agreements and a list of Journal Titles within the agreements.
For more information on Academic Publishing, please see the Scholarly Communications Guide
