Doing your literature review: an overview Katy Jordan Librarian, Economics & International Development Library & Learning Centre

Outline of session What is a literature review? Why review the literature? Identifying the literature - where do you start? Searching the literature Online indexes Statistical sources Subject gateways Sourcing the documents Reading – getting the gist Evaluating what you read A good literature review… More help and guidance

What is a literature review? “… a systematic…method for identifying, evaluating and interpreting the …work produced by researchers, scholars and practitioners.” FINK, A., Conducting literature research reviews: from paper to the internet. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage., p.3.

Why review the literature? “…without it you will not acquire an understanding of your topic, of what has already been done on it, how it has been researched, and what the key issues are.” HART, E., Doing a literature review: releasing the social science research imagination, by E. Hart and M. Bond. London: Sage., p.1.

Identifying the literature – where do you start? 1.Define your research area Essay/dissertation title Break this down into key areas Choose search terms (keywords) that express those areas This will be your search strategy Example Title: Biodiversity: why should we conserve it? Key areas: BIODIVERSITY and CONSERVATION and ECONOMICS Search terms: biodivers* AND conserv* AND economics

Identifying the literature – where do you start? 2.What sort of literature will there be? Different indexes cover different types of literature – there is no single source you can search… LiteratureExample of indexes/resources Journal articles – print/onlineEconlit, Web of Knowledge, Business Source Premier Conference papers – print/onlineISI Proceedings, ZETOC Monographs (books)COPAC Dictionaries/encyclopaedias COPAC, Library catalogue Reports – print and onlineCOPAC, SOSIG Theses/dissertations – Bath/elsewhereLib catalogue, Index to Theses Statistics – print and onlineUK Statistics online, ESDS, Eurostat, Stats collection ‘Grey literature’ – print and onlineSOSIG discussion lists/online forumsJISCmail website

Identifying the literature – where do you start? 3.Choose your sources of information Use an index that is relevant to your subject area – for pointers look at Sources of information for social sciences Resources for your subject Examples – permit-trading AND emissions For journal articles Econlit Business Source Premier For books – COPAC For reports and grey literature – SOSIG For statistics – UK statistics site, Eurostat, Library statistics collection, ESDS

Sample Search: Biodiversity: should we conserve it? Online source: Web of Knowledge, Social Science Why? It’s broad in subject coverage, with the possibility of including other datasets if results are minimal. Good for queries like this which border on the scientific. Search strategy using * to truncate: biodivers* AND conserv* AND economics

Sample Search: Has economic growth contributed to reducing poverty in Central America? Online source: Econlit Why? It’s the major index to economics literature which is most likely to cover this geographically specific subject area Search strategy using “” to indicate phrases: “economic growth” AND poverty AND “Central America”

Sample Search: Are longer working hours leading to a greater number of sick-days and more stress? Online source: UK National Statistics Online Why? You’re looking for statistical evidence for work stress – Nat Stats publish the Labour Force Survey which is likely to be a good source – but you will simply keyword search and follow any leads. Search strategy: stress

Source your documents From an online index Available online? – click on Links button Available in Library? – click on Links button OR if you’re using Econlit Available online? – check the A-Z of e-journals Available in Library? – check the Library catalogue IF your document is not online or in the Library Use Inter-Library Loans to get a photocopy or borrow a book from the British Library

Reading - getting the gist Check the introduction, conclusion, abstract or executive summary for the main points Check contents pages of books and reports – pick out relevant chapters/sections Use the index of books or reports First or last sentences of paragraphs often summarise

Evaluating what you read Think about… Relevance to your topic Intended audience Currency of the information Coverage of the topic that the information provides Accuracy of the information Authority of the author or information source Level of objectivity of the author

Record your sources Download references from online indexes Keep systematic notes of the full records – use A guide to citing references This will form the basis of your bibliography A good method is bibliographic software – the SORTED programme offers training in Reference manager Endnote Keep a note of the content of each document e.g. ‘Includes discussion of the idea of originality in postgraduate research projects.’

A good literature review… Goes beyond simply listing relevant literature Is a critical essay Refers to the bibliography at the end of your dissertation Assesses the range of literature available Is a critical summary of the literature Examines the background against which your own research is set Forms a significant section of your dissertation

A good literature review… Offers opinions and personal response to the different writings Relates different writings to each other, compares and contrasts Does not take the literature at face value Shows an awareness of the theories and values that underpin the research Uses particular language: authors assert, argue, state, conclude, contend