Library Research
Need help with your research?
The school librarians are very keen to help you with your research questions. Pop in to the Library or email them at library@riccarton.school.nz.
Research
There are heaps of places to find information – not just Google:
- Books – yes, people still use books and we have them in abundance in the library! They are great for getting a deeper understanding of a topic – and if you like reading about a subject, why not see if there is a fiction book on the same topic.
Search the Library Catalogue for your topic.
- Articles – newspaper, magazine, and journal articles, scholarly and peer reviewed articles, are a great source of up-to-date information.
- Databases are an excellent starting point to find articles on your research topic. Check with your teacher or the school librarians for a list of databases for your topic.
- Encyclopaedias – a good starting point to find information on a subject. We have a number of great encyclopaedias available in print and online.
Check out The World Book (available in print and online), Te Ara Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, Encyclopaedia Britannica.
The school librarians are keen to help with your research questions. Feel free to email them on library@riccarton.school.nz or pop over to the library.
Get Started
Here are some great places to get you started with your research:
- Useful Websites
- Databases
- Exam Prep & Homework Help
- Referencing & Bibliography
Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand – Great for anything relating to New Zealand, its’ history, culture, society, natural environment, and economy.
Digital NZ – Digital images, videos, texts, and audio relating to New Zealand.
Papers Past – Access to digitized New Zealand newspapers, periodicals, letters, diaries, and parliamentary papers from 1839 to 1971. Includes The Press from 1861 to December 1971.
Index New Zealand (INNZ) – Abstracts and descriptions of articles relating to New Zealand on a variety of subjects, including general interest, social sciences, the environment, science, agriculture, current affairs, the arts, and humanities.
New Zealand History – Wonderful resource for information on events, people, places, and topics specific to NZ.
The library has access to an amazing range of databases you can use to research your topic.
Log in using your library card number and password. If you don’t know this, please see one of the school librarians, or email us on library@riccarton.school.nz
Use the library catalogue for books, journal articles, eBooks, websites, encyclopedias, reading lists, databases and more.
Search the A-Z Directory of Databases, or select one of the favourites listed below.
Christchurch City Libraries exam info – lots of amazing info – website links, study guides, strategies, etc.
Links to exam, homework, and study support …
When writing a research project, it is important that you say where you got the information from and cite your resources correctly. You can do this with a list of references or a bibliography of your references. Riccarton High School uses APA style referencing.
Check out the bibliography docs below for more information.
Plagiarism occurs when you use someone else’s work and say it’s your own.
This is why it’s very important to make sure you cite your sources.