planning your literature search
DESCRIPTION
Library Research Services workshop, October 2013 Find the worksheet here: http://www2.le.ac.uk/library/downloads/planning-your-literature-searchTRANSCRIPT
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Planning yourliteraturesearch
Outcomesfrom today
Review the information and
publishing landscape, as it relates to your research area.
Recognise the elements of an effective search
strategy.
Plan your search strategy.
Identify resources relevant to your
research.
Information landscapehow does it look to you?
• Discuss the types of publications you will be reading & using for your thesis - think of at least 4 different formats
• Which are the most important dissemination and publication methods for research in your subject area?
Books
Journals
Conferences
Internet
Reports
Specialist data
People
Reference books Text booksMonographs Novels & Plays
Academic PopulistProfessional
Company information Government informationIndividuals Social media: Blogs, TwitterAssociations Organisations
Statistics PatentsCase Law LegislationStandards PerformancesExhibitions
Peers Supervisors
Information landscape
Why?
our thoughts…
Academic context
Critical practice
Refine ideas
Why?
our thoughts…
Defend
Explain
Be aware
Search strategyhow do you search?
In pairs discuss:
How you currently search for information?
Do you think you are a successful searcher? yes / no – why?
The type of literature review you undertake will affect the way you
search
Different reviewsdifferent searches
Wide range of publications
Current and recent
literature
Go beyond your discipline
Help and advice
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Keyword Searching
Keywordscommon search strategy
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Jeffreys, Alec John
Jeffreys, Alec J
Jeffreys, A J
Jeffreys, A*
Author searchingspecialist search
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Advicefollow
recommendations
Supervisors
Colleagues
Conferences
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Browsing
Adviceother strategies
Browsing
References
Alerts
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Citation Searching
Find a good article
Find out who cited this article
Citationsspecialist search
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Citation SearchingWhere to start
key concepts
Example thesis title: Discuss the extent to which violence on television affects teenagers
What do you think the key concepts are ?
There are three key concepts:
1. Violence 2.Television3.Teenagers
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Citation SearchingKeywords
identifying alternatives
Violence Television Teenagers
AggressionBrutalityViolentAnger
TVTellyMedia
TeenTeenagerAdolescentJuvenile
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Citation SearchingKeywords
identifying alternatives
Keyword
Broader Term
Synonym
Narrower Term
Antonym
Specialist
Abbrev
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Citation SearchingKeywords
combining
Connector Use
AND To combine your different concepts.
OR To combine your alternative keywords.
NOT To exclude words.
“second world war”
Use speech marks to search on a phrase.
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Citation SearchingKeywords
spelling and truncation
Database options
Use
Arch?ology Arch*ology
Wildcard symbols (?*) to find British and American spellings.
Battle* will find battles, battlefield, battlement
Truncation symbols (! * $ ?) to find different word endings.
Your turn…complete activity 2 on the worksheet
What is your research question?
Generate a list of key
concepts & keywords
How will you connect your
keywords?Identify limits
Search tools
Books
Journals
Conferences
Newspapers
Archives
Media
Library All Search COPACFull text databases Google Books
Library All Search Google ScholarSubject specific databases
Library All Search Subject specific databasesWeb of Knowledge/Scopus
Archives Hub Specific archive cataloguesGoogle
Google Box of Broadcasts
Nexis/Factiva Specific newspapers British Library (Digital archives)
How to select databases to search…
Databases
how to chooseMy Subject pages
Recommendations
Trial searches
How Many Databases are Enough?Database
s
how many?3-5 quality resources
Use completed theses
Golden RulesGolden Rules
to help your search
• Start early
• Keep records
• Modify your search strategy
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