Before you start writing your thesis, you should gather materials and check the current state of knowledge on the topic you are interested in. Below you will find tips on how and where to look for research materials.
To search for materials, start with the AGH University Libraries online catalogue. You can search the catalogue by title, author name and subject headings. Remember not to enter the entire theme of your thesis in the search window. Instead, think about the theme of your thesis and enter proper keywords into the online catalogue. Turning the theme of your thesis into a searchable query will make your searches more detailed and the results more relevant.
Have you found an interesting book and want to see if we have more collections on this subject? Click on the title of the item, then select the "details" tab, you will find linked subject headings. By clicking on them, you will search for all publications on this subject in our collections.
If you wish to borrow the books you have searched, please make sure you have a valid library account. You can borrow books with a BG-Strefa Wolnego Dostępu location on your own in the Open Stacks Area. Books with BG-Magazyn location can be ordered to the Circulation Desk. You can pick-up your order after an hour.
In the AGH University Libraries online catalogue you can find journal titles we have in our collections.
If you want to search for articles, use BazTech, a database of the content of Polish technical journals. The bibliographic-abstract database has been registering articles from Polish journals in the fields of technical sciences, science and environmental protection since 1998. Annex bibliographies are added to the article descriptions (since 2005) and, based on agreements with the publishers, the full texts of the publications. Use the search window by entering the keywords that define the theme of your thesis. You will be given a list of articles whose descriptions contain your keywords. Some of the results may have access to the full texts, the others are only bibliographic information.
If a description of the article is all you have, check if we have this journal in our collection. To do this, enter the title of the journal in the AGH University Libraries online catalogue. Click on the title you have searched for and then click on the "Issues" tab. Here you will check whether we have the selected year and number of the journal in which the article is located. If so, order this journal by filling out the form. Your order will be processed within an hour and you can use the journal on site in the Main Reading Room.
Please remember you can not borrow journals outside the Main Reading Room, but you can:
If you are looking for standards and patents check the offer of the Special Collection Department. Here you'll find printed standards and patents as well as databases containing standards and patents.
Information about maps can be found in the AGH University Libraries online catalogue and in the Cartographic documents card catalogue which can be search on site in the Special Collection Department Reading Room.
Take advantage of e-resources. There you will find Polish and foreign literature; recent publications and research results; peer-reviewed scientific articles; monographs; conference proceedings; reports; financial data; statistical data. In the list of e-resources by subject, select the subject you are interested in. Here you will find a list of Polish-language sources, foreign sources, and databases of standards and patents. Click on the selected database to learn more about its contents and access rules.
You need to have a valid library account to use e-resources remotly.
Using our e-resources you will find both full texts and abstracts. Select a database, enter search terms and browse the list of results. If there are too many results, in most databases you can narrow them down using filters. Filters you can choose from are e.g. detailed topics, years of publication or type of documents. If there are too few results, use a broader query or add more search terms, look for spelling variations and alternative words.
Each database works differently, so you need to adjust your search strategy for each database. Test your search strategy and refine it after reviewing your search results. As you search and review articles and abstracts, you may discover new terms to improve your search.
It may happen that you have a description of a publication, but can not find full text either in the AGH University Libraries online catalogue or in the e-resources. In such a situation you can use other Krakow libraries. We particularly recommend the Jagiellonian Library. It is one of the largest libraries in Poland, has the status of a national library, and collects all Polish publications. Check the availability of publications in the Jagiellonian Library online catalogue. Also, check how to create a library account.
If you cannot find the publication you are looking for either in AGH University Main Library or in other libraries in Krakow, remember that you can use the Interlibrary Loan Service. We are able to provide you with books and articles from any Polish or foreign library. To place your order, fill out the form. Fill in all the information about the publication you have. Full details about your order can make it faster for us to locate materials in other libraries. We will send you an email with search results and information how to complete and finish your order.
Visit us if you need help with your search:
Once you have gathered the materials for your paper, make sure what rules for writing diploma dissertation apply in your Faculty.
Ask your supervisor or search your Faculty website for writing diploma dissertation rules and editorial guidelines. Remember to download an up-to-date template for the title page from the Faculty website.
Remeber to add footnotes when citing others. At the end of your dissertation include a bibliography of all publications you have used in your work.
If you want to make your work easier, check out bibliography managers. These are tools that help you manage data about the materials you use such as articles, books, chapters, websites, etc. With the help of a manager, you can automatically generate bibliographic descriptions as you write your paper according to your chosen standard, insert references and an appendix bibliography.
If you have questions or doubts about how to describe a particular publication, you can come to the Reference Department Reading Room. Remember to bring with you the guidelines from your supervisor and the publication you wish to describe.
For further details, check out the training courses on using e-resources and creating bibliographies run by the Reference Department.