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- 1. Researching your dissertation: finding material and making connections ric Licence Chris Bradford and Sam Johnson (Academic Support Librarians)
- 2. I’m confident finding material for my dissertation 12 0% 0% 0% 1. Yes 2. No 3. Up-to-a-point
- 3. What is a literature review? • Fink (2005) “systematic, explicit and reproducible method for identifying, evaluating and synthesising the existing body or completed work produced by researchers, scholars and practitioners” • Hart (1998) “the selection of available documents…on the topic…written from a particular standpoint to fulfill certain aims or express certain views on the topic and how it is to be investigated, and the effective evaluation of these documents in the relation to the research being proposed”
- 4. Analyse your question • Be clear what it is you are researching – What different concepts are involved? – What terms may describe these concepts? – List your terms (keywords) by concept • Dictionaries/Encyclopedias/Philosophers Index – International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioural Sciences – Encyclopedia of Political Theory – Oxford Reference Online – Cambridge Histories Online
- 5. Identify your literature • Varies according to information you require – Original documentation MRC • e.g. minutes, reports, correspondence – Scholarly analysis and research catalogues, databases • e.g. books, journal articles, conference papers – Facts and figures UK Data Service/National Statistics/DataStream • e.g. official publications and statistics – Popular commentary and analysis Factiva • e.g. news reports, political magazines, weblogs, twitter
- 7. Books on a topic Database
- 8. Articles on a topic • Abstracting and full-text journal databases • Broader and more focused subject coverage than full-text services (and Google Scholar) – Key abstracting databases organised by subject on the Library web pages – Or, via links from the catalogue or Encore
- 9. Indexing/abstracting databases • Specialist subject focus • Broad coverage of scholarly materials in discipline • High search flexibility and control • Transferable search principles/techniques • Similar functionality – Search Select Save/print/email
- 12. Citation data
- 13. How many words does the average user put in a search statement? 1 2 3 0% 0% 0% 1. 2 2. 3 3. 14 Nicholas (1998:p131) “Typically one –third of users enter one word in their search statements, about the same proportion two words and the remaining third three words or more. Just under half of all users employ just a single search during a session or visit and just under a quarter undertake two” Looking at Science Direct – 35% 2-4 Searches being undertaken 9% 5-10 searches being undertaken 1% Over 10 searches 12
- 14. keywords Catalogue record Journal Index Journal article - record
- 15. Search planning • Pre-planning makes for better searching – Look at database help and search tips – Identify and list your conceptual keywords – Use these keywords to build and refine search – Refine your search incorporating descriptors/key-words/limiters from the database
- 16. Limiting your search horizons Picture by CaptPiper, reproduced under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 2.0 Generic Licence.
- 18. Too many results...? 1 2 3 4 0% 0% 0% 0% 1. Limit to title field 2. Restrict the year 3. Restrict the type of publication 4. Increase precision of search terms 15
- 19. Too few results? • To increase recall of search: – Use broader terms to express concepts – Add alternative search terms (OR) – Try another database
- 20. Statistics on a topic • Ask: who would produce the data you want? – National statistical agencies? International organisations? Trade bodies? Other? • ESDS database (http://www.esds.ac.uk/) • Extensive UK, IMF, OECD and World Bank datasets • Registration (free!) required • See Statistics subject page for access
- 21. Output – EndNote Web • Keep records of your searches and results – Database alerts and saved searches • Organise and manage resources you read – Bibliographic reference management software • EndNote or EndNoteWeb
- 22. Staying up-to-date Database search alerts
- 24. What do I do a journal article I want is not in stock? 1 2 3 4 0% 0% 0% 0% 1. Give up and look for something else. 2. See if the article is available in another format 3. Use Article Reach 4. Use Document Supply 12
- 25. Article Reach Note –average request takes 27hours
- 26. Document Supply
- 28. Question your research needs • Review your progress periodically • New ideas, concepts, events, people, countries and authors to (re)search • Trace material from book/journal references
- 29. Questions?
- 30. Questions? Picture by g - s - h, reproduced under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 2.0 Generic Licence
- 31. Further help • One-to-one support from Academic Support Librarian • EndNote Web Training
- 32. References • BIGGAM, J. (2011). Succeeding with your master's dissertation a step-by-step handbook. Maidenhead, Open University Press. • BOOTH, A., PAPAIOANNOU, D., & SUTTON, A. (2012). Systematic approaches to a successful literature review. London, Sage. • HART, C. (1998). Doing a literature review: releasing the social science research imagination. London, Sage Publications. • NICHOLAS, D. (2009). Digital consumers: reshaping the information professions. London, Facet Publishing. • OLIVER, P. (2012). Succeeding with your literature review: a handbook for students. Maidenhead, Open University Press. • RIDLEY, D. (2012). The literature review: a step-by-step guide for students. London, SAGE.