1. Walden University Academic Residencies:
Organizing and Analyzing Research Literature
PhD Residency 1

2. Session Learning Objectives
Develop ways to build the student’s research literature collections through ongoing course research and subject searches.
Apply organizational tools, including a search log and a literature review matrix.
Identify citation management software for personal use.

3. Session Agenda Building your research collection Organizational tools
While in courses
Reading broadly in your area of interest
Building off of a useful article
Organizational tools
Search Log
Literature Review Matrix
Citation Management Software

4. Building your personal research collection
In courses: save useful articles as you go
Make a personal goal: read one research study per week
Start reading broadly in your area of interest
Will familiarize you with useful databases, journals
Help formulate ideas for your own study

5. Identifying Other Sources Based on Existing Article
Bibliography or citation mining
Cited reference searching
Suggestions for related articles (provided by databases or Google Scholar)
Search for an author’s CV or website
See if we have the journal:
How do I find an article by searching for the journal title?

6. Activity #1: Identifying more research using an existing article (15 min)
Go to Google Scholar (scholar.google.com) or to a Library database
Run a search using any keywords of interest to you
Choose a result:
Look at its References
Look at “Related Articles”
Look at “Cited by”

7. Organizational tools Keep a search log to track your searches.
Use the Literature Review matrix to organize and analyze individual articles.
Use Citation Management Software to collect your literature.
Quick Answers!!
What is a search log or matrix?
Does the Walden Library have citation management software?

8. Search Log SocINDEX teen AND cannabis, limited to FT 11 PsycINFO
Database
Search Terms
Results
Notes
SocINDEX
teen AND cannabis, limited to FT 11
Better keywords: teenager AND marijuana
PsycINFO
Teen* OR adolescent* AND cannabis OR marijuana, limit to FT, peer review,
461
Broader term: drug abuse
Journal of Substance Abuse shows up a lot
MEDLINE
Teen* OR adolescent* AND cannabis (as subject) OR marijuana (as subject), limit to FT, peer review,
706
Lots of good info from the medical side, covers the physical side and the effects on the brain

9. Literature Review Matrix
Template and sample are available in the Residency 1 materials
Templates and samples are available on the Writing Center website: Organizational Tools
(To locate: go to Writing Center website, and search for Literature Review Matrix)

10. Literature Review Matrix Template
Author/
Date
Theoretical/
Conceptual
Framework
Research
Question(s)/
Hypotheses
Methodology
Analysis &
Results
Conclusions
Implications for
Future research
Implications
for practice

11. Citation Management Software
Explore your software options.
Comparison of software
Download software and try it for yourself; see software website for information and tech support.

12. Literature Review Matrix
Activity #2: Organizing Literature with the Literature Review Matrix (15 min)
Download the Literature Review Matrix Template (if you don’t already have it).
 Literature Review Matrix
Enter an article in the matrix. Think about what information will be useful for your own personal research topic.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You will use this matrix in Residency 2.

13. Final Note: BACK IT UP!! Store to the cloud Email yourself a copy
a friend a copy
Drop box!
Anything. Just don’t’ have one copy.
Note: reflection assignment, then this video!
Video clip from BBC: South Africa student fights to keep thesis in robbery (13 Sept 2017)

14. Final Assignment
Take 2 minutes right now to reflect on what you learned from this session.
Write down notes for your reflection assignment.
Key Takeaways 
Resources I Will Need 
Next Steps for Improvement