Reference services

• University libraries play their role in serving the references through the reference service office, which is rotated by a number of information specialists to assist the researcher in obtaining the required information accurately and easily from the reality of the collections of books, references and various sources of knowledge available in the library in paper and electronic formats. A request is made to book rooms for audio-visual materials Also through the reference service desk

Automated search and how to use it

1. How do I start my research?

   • Choose the topic you want to search for

   • Determine the main idea of your research and choose the appropriate words for the search, excluding (with - to - that - etc..)You may need a general idea about your research topic.

   •  You can search for general information related to the topic in general encyclopedias, the scientific search engine "Google" or any other scientific tool.

   • Select scientific articles for your research using the unified search window on the Library Management website

      

2. How can I get help with my undergraduate research?

   • Visit the library, the reference service staff is ready to help you

      

3. Can I search all the information sources available in the library through one search window?

   • Yes, you can search in all sources of information available in the library through the unified search window on the Libraries Department website.

      

4. What does “call number” mean and how is it used?

   • The “call number” is a set of letters and numbers placed on an external sticker on the back of scientific materials (books – periodicals – audio and video…etc)

   • Foreign books and scientific materials are classified in the Library of Congress classification system by following the letters and numbers on the label from left to right and from top to bottom

   • Arabic books and scientific materials are classified using the Dewey Decimal Classification System. For more information, please see the Library Reference Service Desk

      

5. How do I get a book from the library

   • Start your search by visiting the Libraries Department website and accessing the Automatic Catalog

   • You can search either using the "simple search" or "advanced search" using (the list of titles, authors, or subject headings). 

   • Enter the data available for your search.

   • After finding the book to be used; You can locate it in any college library through the book location feature. Copy the "call number" and head to the rack.

      

6. How do I find an e-book?

   • Visit the Libraries Department website

   • Click on Unified Search

   • Click on "Browse" then Books

      

7. How can I find full-text peer-reviewed articles?

   • Visit the Libraries Department website

   • Click on the Unified Search button

   • After the search process, click on the (refine) button on the left side of the search screen, choose the full text online and the date of issue, then click on (Journal/Article)

      

8. How do I find an article that has been used as a reference in other articles?

   • Use specialized databases ISI Web Of Science or Scopus. These rules provide articles that have been used as a reference in previous articles by searching for an article in your field of research by searching by title or author’s name, click on the “cited by” button, and there you will find a link that will direct you to the main article that was used as a reference

      

9. Why is it not possible to get an essay as a full text?

   • The reason may be the non-subscription of the library management to that periodical or the failure to cover the subscription in the required year.

   • For more information, please see your library's reference service desk

      

10. How can I obtain master's theses and doctoral theses from Kuwait University?

    • Search for it using the automatic index, either by title or author's name, or by searching in information sources and unified search. Please note that master's and doctoral dissertations published by Kuwait University are considered non-borrowable materials, and photocopying is subject to certain controls, in order to preserve intellectual property rights.

    • For more information, please see your library's reference service desk

       

11. Can Kuwait University affiliates access databases and electronic articles from outside the university?

    • Yes, through a unified search and logging in using the KU email and password assigned to the Kuwait University website

       

12. How do I solve the problem of not being able to access the libraries website from outside the university despite entering the university ID and password?

    • Try to choose another search engine such as Safari, Firefox or Google chrome

       

13. What is the meaning of the "Google Scholar" engine?

    • It is an engine that allows researchers to search for (scientific articles, references, dissertations and e-books) from several different sources (publishers, universities, free available resources or institutions). specialized databases

       

14. How can I write bibliographic sources using the citation style?

    • There are several ways to write the “citation style” bibliographic description of information sources, and they differ from each other according to the scientific departments. You should check with the scientific section before you start writing the bibliographic description to determine what type you need for your research.