For BA Sport and Community Development students at Middlesex University, 2017-18

1. Literature searching for
Literature Reviews /
Research Projects
BA Sport & Community Development top-up
November 2016

2. © Middlesex University
Today
• Refresh and review literature searching strategies and
sources
• Finding the full text
• Citation searching
• What would you like to cover?
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3. Where to search?

4. © Middlesex University
Finding resources
myUniHub > My Study > My Library
Access Summon,
journals and other
resources

5. Summon
Searches journals,
books and more
Good starting point
for your research
Covers ALL subjects
taught at the
university

6. © Middlesex University
Refine your search
 Full text online
Scholarly &
peer review
 Journal
Articles only
 Date range
 Discipline,
e.g. recreation &
sports

7. © Middlesex University
Beyond Summon – other places to
search
• Specialist sources (databases)
— Sport Discus
— Medline / PubMed
— PsycInfo – for psychology/coaching topics
— Education Research Complete
— Access: MyUniHub > My Study > My Library > Databases
• Google Scholar
• Individual journals specific to your topic
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8. © Middlesex University
Google Scholar – lots of useful features
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Author’s profile
– check for
other research
on the same
topic
Papers that
have
referenced
this one
The same paper on
other websites –
sometimes good for
getting full text
Full text from
Middlesex and
other sources
BUT…
- Limited ability to combine different keywords
- Older articles can appear first in results – use the date limits!

9. © Middlesex University
What makes a good search?
Think about:
• Areas of interest
• Keywords
• Scope of subject - limits?
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10. © Middlesex University
Keywords
• Brainstorm – it will save
you time later!
• Searching only one word
for each concept will not
necessarily bring you all
the results. And sometimes
none.
Not everyone uses the same
terminology for the same idea.

11. © Middlesex University
Fundamental
movement
skills
• Movement skills
• Skill acquisition
• Skill development
• Skill proficiency
• Motor skills / ability
Children
Adolescents
• Child*
• Adolescen*
• Youth
• Teenage*
Physical
Education
• PE
• School sport
Physical
activity
• Exercise
• Sports
participation
• Enjoyment
• Engagement
Does targeting
fundamental
movement skills in
PE improve
physical activity
levels in children &
adolescents?
Specific
skills
• Gender?

12. © Middlesex University
Over to you...
Using the worksheet:
• Briefly summarise your topic in the first box
• Narrow it down to some key words
• List any synonyms, alternative spellings or related topics

13. © Middlesex University
• Widen your search
eg. Sport OR Exercise OR physical activity
• Narrow your search
eg. Community development AND sports participation
Search tips

14. © Middlesex University
• Search for phrases (“”):
eg. “sports management”
• Broaden your search (*):
eg. coach* (finds coach, coaches, coached, coaching
etc)
Search tips

15. © Middlesex University
Activity: exploring further
Using your keywords and the help sheets, try your search on
Summon, Sport Discus and/or Google Scholar
Looking at your search results:
• How many results do you get? (Compare with the other
databases)
• What kind of articles are they?
• Are your results from a range of journals?
• Can you refine your results further?
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16. © Middlesex University
Getting full text of journal articles
• Regardless of where you’re searching…make sure
you’ve logged into myUniHub and click on a My
Library/My Study link first
• If you’re not lucky…
• Double-check (Summon/Google Scholar)
• Google it!
— Researcher networks (e.g. ResearchGate, Academia.edu), contacting
authors
— Authors’ & institutions’ websites
• Inter-Library Loans

17. © Middlesex University
Citation searching
• Which articles have cited an earlier article
• Find articles on similar/related subject
• How many times an article has been cited
• Best journals in your field

18. © Middlesex University
Citation searching
• Allows you to move forwards and backwards in the
literature
• Use Google Scholar, Summon or Science Citation Index

19. © Middlesex University
Citation searching - Summon
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See articles
which cite this
one in Web of
Science / Science
Citation Index
Mentions on
social
media,
blogs, news
sources etc

20. © Middlesex University
How much attention did it get?
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21. © Middlesex University
SPSS
• Available to download from MyUniHub – PC and Mac
versions
o My Study page > Software box ‘Download software for my PC or Mac’
• SPSS Statistics Essential Training tutorial from
Lynda.com
o Access from the databases list: My Study > My Library > Databases
o Create a profile first (free)
o Login and search for SPSS Essentials
o More info on the SES ‘My Subject’ guide.
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22. © Middlesex University
Learning Enhancement Team
• Help with academic writing, maths and statistics
• Drop in at the Study Hub, 12 - 3 Monday – Friday for
feedback and advice on your written work
• Appointments also available
— In person
— Feedback by email on a draft of your work
• http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/your-study/learning-enhancement-team
• Appointments also available for Maths/Statistics help – book through
the link above or email numeracy@mdx.ac.uk
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23. © Middlesex University
Need help?
• Librarians in the Study Hub (1st floor of Sheppard
Library) 9-5 Mon-Fri
• Ask a Librarian
https://unihelp.mdx.ac.uk/askalibrarian
• SES Library Subject Guide – Jo’s contact details
and presentations/helpsheets
http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/sport

24. © Middlesex University
Getting Full text of journal articles
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• Troubleshooting guide can be found here
— http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/accessingelectronicresources
• If you’re not lucky… REMEMBER – it won’t always be directly available
to you – especially for the dissertation
— Double check the library catalogue by copying journal name into the
‘journal search’. If we have it there’ll be a record and a link with the
dates we have access to.
— Go to Google Scholar and look for PDF signs
— Search for Author’s website/institution’s repository, often they have
uploaded a pre-publication version
— ResearchGate, Academia.edu…
— Emailing authors
— Order a copy via the inter-library loan service (you’ll be emailed with a
link to a PDF) (£3.00 added to your library account)
http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/study/library/resources/ill/index.aspx