Search strategies Literature reviews Information searching Research Skills

Today’s objectives 1.Become more aware of how to build a search strategy 2.Learn about different types of literature for your research 3.Learn how to search the Library catalogue 4.Learn more about the online resources available to you

What is a search strategy? Your search strategy is your plan of action It helps you find the information you need to complete your work. It makes you think about your work. It helps you work out what information you need, and how you're going to find it.

What do I do first? Look at your research project title and make sure you understand it. Use a dictionary or thesaurus to find related words If you are not in the Library you can use an online reference service: Oxford Reference Online

Mind mapping and keywords Research question Break down into concepts Related topics Definitions and context Keywords and synonyms Narrower concepts and specialist areas Specific theories and authors

What type of information do you need? a definition so you understand your main concept? an overview on the topic so you can identify key issues? statistical data to back up your arguments? a review of recent debates? the latest research?

Reviewing the literature What is a literature review? “The literature” means the works you consult in order to understand and investigate your research problem.

What literature should you review? 1. Books: ProsCons

What literature should you review? 1. Books: ProsCons Good starting pointLess up-to-date Accepted knowledge Provide references for further reading

What literature should you review? 2. Journal articles ProsCons

What literature should you review? 2. Journal articles ProsCons Up-to-dateMay not always be peer-reviewed For an academic audience Millions of titles! Peer-reviewed or refereed

What literature should you review? 3. Trade Journals / Magazines ProsCons

What literature should you review? 3. Trade Journals / Magazines ProsCons Up-to-dateNot peer-reviewed Company or product news not available elsewhere Not for an academic audience Easy to readMay have corporate bias

What literature should you review? 4. Conference proceedings: ProsCons

What literature should you review? 4. Conference proceedings: ProsCons Latest researchCan be hard to find in print Leading practitioners May be Un-reviewed

What literature should you review? 5. Theses and dissertations ProsCons

What literature should you review? 5. Theses and dissertations ProsCons Original researchUnpublished Often includes original data Can be hard to obtain Varying quality

What literature should you review? 5. Internet: ProsCons

What literature should you review? 5. Internet: ProsCons Usually up-to-dateUnfiltered for quality Large amounts of information Often for a general audience May be biased

Library catalogue Available online from all over the world

Useful electronic resources E-books Books 24x7 Safari

Useful electronic resources via MetaLib ACM Digital Inspec Computer Source

The library’s gateway to electronic resources Metalib

Searching electronic resources Search engines e.g. Google Subject Gateways e.g. Intute Scholar

Need help? Library website Information Literacy web site Intute – Virtual Training Suite Floor 6 Subject Office