Generative AI tools integrated with scientific databases, such as AI Search of Helka, Scopus AI, and Web of Science Research Assistant, can search for publications within their databases. These tools typically generate summaries of 5-20 research papers on the topic you asked. Unlike references from general generative AI applications, these references are existing and identifiable, not hallucinated.
These AI assistants do not search all the information in the database. There are often publication date restrictions. In reference databases, only references with abstracts are included in the search. Some publication types, such as books, may be excluded. The selection of publications can still be biased, especially if there is a lot of research in a specific field, and may not be comprehensive. The results may include further questions for deeper exploration, insights, and visualizations of concepts, citations, or documents.
Many AI-based tools have been developed to search scientific literature, to summarize articles, to map connections between articles and citations, or to create visual networks of research results. Currently, the University provides access to Keenious (see more below). Other external AI services should be used with caution. For more information, please refer to the UH Helpdesk website Generative AI at the university.
Generative AI applications, such as ChatGPT or MS Copilot, use natural language queries and can be useful for finding information. They can help you generate and formulate research questions, find and summarize background information, and suggest new approaches, concepts, and search terms.
It's important to be aware of the limitations of these tools. Generative AI outputs can sometimes be biased, inaccurate, or outdated. Always verify the credibility of the sources provided by the AI. Additionally, avoid inputting sensitive, confidential, or copyrighted material into these tools. For more detailed instructions on the responsible use of generative AI at the University, please visit the UH Helpdesk website.
Electronic resources are available in the network of University of Helsinki or through remote access. Accessing the electronic resources from outside the library locations via a remote connection requires a University user account.
The Helsinki University Library (HULib) offers lectures, webinars, online courses, and workshops on finding and managing information, reference management, and data management.
Questions and feedback: contact the Library by online form or email.
Define key concepts of your topic and find alternative search terms for them. More search terms can be found from various sources, like general thesauruses (e.g. YSO, General Finnish Ontology) or field specific thesauruses in databases. Term banks, dictionaries and reference works can also be useful.
In Helka you'll find both printed and e-books acquired by the Helsinki University Library and other Helka libraries. Target your search to "Library catalog". When seeking books you can tweak your search results by choosing "Available online" (e-books), "Held by library" (printed books) or "Open Access" (e-books online open for all).
You can broaden your search results by using both Finnish and English keywords. In Helka printed books – regardless of their language – usually have Finnish keywords from the YSO thesaurus. In YSO you can find keywords in Finnish, English and Swedish. Go to YSO, write your keyword in English and you'll find the Finnish (and Swedish) translations (or vice versa). E-books have keywords in the language they have been written (majority of the e-books in Helka are in English).
You can use Finna portal for seeking printed books on other Finnish libraries. Make a search with your keywords and narrow search results by content type -> Book material.
There are several ways to know if a source is relevant.
Get to know your own subject. This knowledge will develop over time. Ask your teacher / instructor / researchers to tell you about the most central resources in your field.
Is the author affiliated with a serious organisation? Reputable universities and research institutes usually lend more credibility.
Who is behind the research? Is it objective or are there signs of bias or an agenda?
What kind of journal or book is it? Is it academic or popular? Is it published by an established academic publisher?
When is it published? In rapidly evolving fields this is important, in others it might be less important.
Is the information in the text detailed and accurately presented. Are the data and methods clearly described?
Peer review is a process where other experts in the field evaluate the work before publication. Peer-reviewed articles are generally seen as more reliable. Please note that the importance of peer review varies in different fields, and in some fields, it has not been used until recently.
You can filter for peer reviewed articles in most databases. In Helka journals that use peer review are clearly marked as such.
The Finnish Publication Forum (Julkaisufoorumi) is a classification of publication channels created by the Finnish scientific community to support the quality assessment of academic research. You can check both journals and scientific publication series, conferences and book publishers.
The Publication Forum uses three levels, Basic level, Leading Level and Top Level. All of them mean that it’s a good, academic source. There’s no practical difference for a standard user.
Note that the Publication Forum started 2012, before that there is no data.
Citations: Check how frequently the work has been cited by other researchers. In some fields the citation count might indicate influential and respected research. Note that something also can be frequently cited because other researchers want to argue against it.
Journal Impact: Some fields use a concept called impact factor of the journal where the work is published. Higher impact factors usually indicate more influential journals. Note that it doesn’t say much about the article, only the journal.
H-index is a number intended to represent both the productivity and the impact of a particular scientist or scholar, or a group of scientists or scholars (such as a departmental or research group). This is also used in some fields and not at all in others.
The Bank of Finnish Terminology in Arts and Sciences is a multidisciplinary project which aims to gather a permanent terminological database for all fields of research in Finland.
Tieteen kansallinen termipankki (TTP) rakentaa kaikkien Suomessa harjoitettavien tieteenalojen yhteisen, avoimen ja jatkuvasti päivitettävän termitietokannan tiedeyhteisön ja kansalaisten käyttöön. Hanke toteutetaan talkooperiaatteella yhteistyössä koko maan tutkijoiden kanssa.
Kasvatustieteiden termistö
Videos by Helsinki University Library in YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Hulibvideot/featured
