accessing and reviewing the literature

1

ACCESSING AND REVIEWING THE LITERATURE

JENNIFER THIESSEN

LIAISON LIBRARIAN, EDUCATION

JANUARY 2013

2

OUR AGENDA:

• What is a literature review?

• Finding journal articles [refresher]

• Search tips• Google Scholar

• Finding studies that use a particular research design

• Finding out more about research design/methodology

• Did we forget something? Want to know more?

• Go to Sakai, the Library website or contact Jennifer

WHAT IS A LITERATURE REVIEW?•A place to make connections between what you are investigating and what has already been investigated in your subject area

•A place to engage in a type of conversation with other researchers in your subject area

•A place to identify previous research on the topic

•A place to show there is a gap in the literature which your study can fill

•A place from which to begin your own investigation

Ridley, D. (2008). The literature review: A step-by-step guide for students. London: Sage Publications, p. 2.

SIMPLY PUT…Helps you and your readers understand:

• What you know about your topic

• What other people know about your topic

• What research has been done

• How research was done

• Where are the gaps?• Jumping off point for

your study

by  wizardhat 

HOW TO BEGIN?FINDING APPROPRIATE SOURCES OF INFORMATION• Know what is appropriate:

– Scholarly, academic, peer-reviewed material– Material that presents empirical data/evidence to back up

claims, not just opinions– Material that presents an introduction, purpose,

background literature, method, procedures, findings, discussion, implications, conclusion

• Know where to begin searching:– Book catalogues– Library databases – Education Research Complete, ERIC,

Academic Search Complete, Sage Journals Online

WHERE TO START?

BOOKS

•They gather a lot of information on one topic in one place.

•They can provide a good overview or good background information on a topic.

•They often offer extensive bibliographies.

•Look for encyclopedias or handbooks for info on key theories and researchers

• E.g. Encyclopedia of the social and cultural foundations of education

•E-books

JOURNAL ARTICLES

•Journal articles discuss one perspective.

•Each article makes a unique contribution.

•Articles can supplement information found first in books.

•Articles can offer more up-to-date information.

FINDING JOURNAL ARTICLES

• Use library databases

• Try Google Scholar

For finding info about research methodology

9

SEARCH TIPSUse quotation marks for phrase searching

• “popular culture”; “educational leadership”

Use truncation

• Canad*; leaders*; pedagog*

Think of synonyms

• Teenager, adolescent, adolescence, teens, etc.

Limit to peer-reviewed articles

SEARCH EXAMPLE

SEARCH TIPS…Look for subject headings to focus your search

• E.g. internet and teaching:

12

• What about Google Scholar?

• Another database• Find works that cite a

particular article/book• See who the important

authors/researchers are• Search for an article by

DOI• Watch:

Get Better Results with Google Scholar

SET UP LIBRARY LINKS IN SCHOLAR SETTINGS

Why?

FINDING STUDIES THAT USE A PARTICULAR RESEARCH DESIGN

Try adding “literature review”

• you will see examples of lit reviews, plus get an overview of some aspect of your topic

Or “narrative” or “quantitative” etc.

16

RESEARCH DESIGN HELP

Use Sage Research Methods Online to find background and introductory information about a particular methodology…

17

…or to get a visual map of where that methodology fits in.

FOR MORE HELP…

Graduate Education Research GuideResources folder in Sakai

See the Library Help pages: http://www.brocku.ca/library/help-lib

Contact the Library Help Desk

• 905-688-5550 x. 3233 or use email form

Contact your liaison librarian:

• Jennifer Thiessen (phone, chat, email)