Conducting a Literature Search

1
Conducting a Literature Search

• Nola du Toit
• Center for Family and Demographic Research
• Workshop Series
• Spring 2008

2
What is a Literature Search?

• A literature search is a well thought out and
  organized search for all of the literature
  published on a topic. A well-structured
  literature search is the most effective and
  efficient way to locate sound evidence on the
  subject you are researching. Evidence may be
  found in books, journals, government documents
  and the internet.1

3
Purpose of a Literature Search

• Broadens your knowledge on a topic
• Shows your skill at finding relevant information
• Allows for critical appraisal of research

4
What is your question?

• Create a chart with possible key words
• Stay focused
• Unmarried fertility out-of-wedlock
  childbearing single mothers non-marital
  births

5
Search Strategy

• Set limits on your search
• What is your perspective?
• What is your contribution?
• Check syllabi
• Who are the big players?

6
Search Tools

• Truncated search words
• Marr married, marriage, marry
• Boolean logic
• Use OR, NOT, AND

7
Types of Literature

• 1. Research Journals
• Articles
• Reviews/commentaries/replies
• Reviews

8
Types of Literature

• 2. Books
• Topic books
• Handbooks
• Theory books

9
Types of Literature

• 3. Online reports
• Census
• Research institutes
• Government organizations

10
Sources of Literature

• 1. Library
• Hard copies of books and journals
• Interlibrary loan
• Online library

11
BGSU Library Homepage

• Academic Search Complete
• Search by journal name
• BGSU catalog
• 4. OhioLINK catalog

12

• Academic Search Complete
• Type in search word
• Limit by context (author, title, etc)
• Add more search criteria

13
Add to folder Click on the title opens the
abstract. Number of times cited in
database Narrow by subject Find It!
14
Open link to find full text version of
article If it is not online, check to see if it
is on the shelf
15
Search for a specific journal
Enter journal title or search by subject
16
Provides links to full text version of
articles CHECK DATES!!!!
17
OhioLINK Search by keyword, author, etc
18
Pick a book and click on title
19
See if BGSU has a copy If not, request the item
20
Sources of Literature

• 2. Internet
• Online journals
• Google Scholar
• Websites
• Government departments, research institutes, etc

21
Google Scholar Can search for books and
articles Can do an advanced search
22
Title links to abstract and possible source of
full text Find it with OLinks links to full
text version Link to articles that cited the
work Link to related articles
23
Now what?
24
Critique the Literature

• Is it relevant to my research?
• Is the study significant?
• Strengths and weaknesses
• What theories or methods are used?

25
Critique the Literature

• Is the research biased by emotions or public
  opinion?
• Who is the target reader?
• Public, academic peers, policy makers

26

• The CFDR can help!

27

• Thank you!
• Sources
• http//www.nursingtimes.net/ntclinical/how_to_cond
  uct_a_literature_search.html
• http//newadonis.creighton.edu/HSL/Guides/Lit-Revi
  ew.html
• http//www.utoronto.ca/writing/litrev.html