Welcome

This guide was created to help you with your assessments and make your research process easier. 

Each section introduces the steps you should take when researching for an assessment. You'll find links to videos and resources that will give you the tools to find great information. Use the activities on the test your knowledge tab to see what you need to revise.

Getting started with your assessment

The first thing is to make sure you clearly understand the task and what topic you are seeking information for; this is called topic analysis. Check your assessment task details in your Subject Outline.

The task or instruction terms tell how you are to deal with the content. Charles Sturt has a list of explanations for common instruction words.

Before you start searching, you should analyse your topic a little further to identify search terms. 

From your assessment task:

Keywords Synonyms or related terms
Old Testament

Tanakh, Hebrew Bible, Hebrew scriptures, Pentateuch
Cultural social, traditional, ethnic, racial
Theological  religious, doctrinal, scriptural, sacred, theologic

You may not need to use all of these while searching in Primo, but it's a valuable exercise to help you to think about the scope and nature of your topic.

For guidance in topic analysis check out:

Create a search strategy

When you search using Primo Search or a library database use the keywords and limits you identified above to create your search. Combine the keywords with search operators, rather than searching with a whole sentence or question. Search operators tell Primo or the database how to search with your keywords.

Search operator Example
Use AND to retrieve results that contain both of your search terms Prophet Muhammad AND Medina
Use OR to retrieve results that contain any or all of your search terms period OR era
Using NOT to exclude irrelevant results Medina NOT Ohio
Combine terms with parentheses to create complex searches (Islamic OR Muslim) AND Medina
Use quotation marks to search for a phrase "Social reforms"
Search for terms with different word endings using an asterisk develop* = developed, developing, development, develops
A question mark can be used to replace a single letter within a word analy?e = analyse, analyze

For your assessment topic some potential search strings could include:

  • "Old Testament" AND politic*
  • ("Old Testament" OR Tanakh OR "Hebrew Bible") AND culture AND ancient
  • (religious OR doctrinal OR scriptural) AND ("Old Testament" OR Pentateuch)

Remember: you will need to try a range of searches. Don't stop after just one.

To understand how search operators work check out:

Choose the right place to search

Before you start searching, think about what types of information you need and where you can search to find those types of resources.

Primo Search

Primo Search is a good place to start as it allows you to use one search box to bring back results from most of our Library collection including books, eBooks, journal articles, newspaper articles and more. You may get a large number of results and some of these will be from outside your subject/discipline area. Check the content is relevant to your assessment task before you use it.

Library databases

Databases will help you find academic resources and are often subject specific. You will get fewer results than Primo, but they will be more relevant to your subject/discipline. 

I recommend trying the following database:

The Islamic Studies Library Guide list has more databases you can search.

 

Learn how to search efficiently in Primo and Library databases:

Other sources

In your assessment you've been asked to include two academic works from websites. The below websites will be able to assist you with this criteria.

Evaluate

Using credible information will improve the quality of your assessment and may result in better marks, but how can you tell whether the resources you've found are credible and suitable for your assessment? Have you been asked to use peer reviewed, academic, or refereed articles? Are you using authoritative websites?

The information below will help you evaluate the information you find in books, journal articles, or online to make sure it’s reliable.

Citations and referencing in Chicago Style

The Notes and Bibliography format from the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed. is used throughout the humanities, and this is the style you can use for THL105 and THL408. This style uses numbered footnotes.

Each time you need to include a citation, add a footnote and include details about the source in the footnote. The footnote will correspond to an entry in your Bibliography. 

Refer to The Chicago Manual of Style Online for more information.

Keen for more?

If you're interested in finding out more, check out the following:

Getting started

Your textbook

Good news!

Your textbook is available online through the library!

However access to your textbook is limited. Follow the best practice in the video below to ensure you have access to what you need without disadvantaging other students in your subject.

Search skills demonstration: Introduction to the library website

Watch this video for an overview of the library website and how to search for information.

Search skills demonstration: How to find and use eBooks and library databases

Watch this video for an overview on using ebooks, library databases, and how to search for information.

Search skills demonstration: Finding and using your Leganto list

Watch this video for an overview of the library services and how to search for information.

Using AI

Generative AI tools can be helpful study companions — they can support your thinking, help you explore new ideas, and guide you toward useful resources.

You might use Gen AI to:

  • Generate topic ideas or refine research questions
  • Clarify tricky terms or complex concepts
  • Suggest useful sources or recommend databases
  • Improve your keywords or search strategies

Important: Always check your subject outline to see if using AI tools is permitted. Using AI without permission could breach academic integrity rules.

Think of AI as a starting point — a way to support your research, not replace your critical thinking or use of credible academic sources.

See more on AI: