S + M Text, Chapter 3, Part 1
Chapter Overview
Developing Your Literature Review
Focus on enhancing research skills for accessing scholarly literature.
Importance of systematic research in academic contexts.
Learning Objectives
Skills to systematically gather scholarly research.
Techniques for locating and obtaining authoritative sources.
Understanding the searching process in scholarly databases and beyond.
Benefits of maintaining accurate notes during research.
Approach to writing an effective literature review.
Research Skills Development
Building on Existing Skills: Most individuals already possess basic research skills (e.g., using Google).
Importance of Research Design: Just as sound research requires a design, so does effective searching.
Dynamic Process: Searching for relevant literature occurs at various stages of research projects—beginning, middle, and end.
Search Techniques
The Role of Search Plans: Having a well-structured search plan informed by research questions enhances efficiency.
Flowchart of Steps for Retrieval: Illustrates clear paths for locating scholarly articles, highlighting common sources and potential barriers.
Searching Academic Resources: Emphasizes differences between commercial search engines and academic databases.
Citation and Bibliographic Records
Understanding Citations: Research articles are cited with key details (authors, titles, publication year).
Types of Citations: Different academic fields use distinct citation styles (APA, MLA, APSA).
Library Catalogs: Essential for searching and organizing academic literature.
Authentication and Access Issues
Often, relevant articles are behind paywalls or require access via institutional logins.
Authentication Process: Can be transparent for university network users but poses challenges for external users.
Systematic Literature Search
Word Mining: A four-step approach to maximize search efficiency:
Scan the Information Environment: Identify existing knowledge and gaps pertaining to research topics.
Use Abstracts Effectively: Utilize summarized information to refine search queries.
Explore Full-Text Libraries: Access detailed articles to gather rich data.
Return to Broad Searches: Revisit wider web resources as needed to fill gaps.
Ethical Considerations in Research
Avoiding Plagiarism: Importance of proper attribution when using others' work.
Never paraphrase without citing the source, and always use quotation marks for direct quotes.
Bibliographic Style Guides: Essential to convey references clearly to readers.
Utilizing Resources
Research Exercise Examples: Engaging assignments to familiarize with search processes and tools.
Different databases provide various access points and records for articles.
Importance of understanding specialized classification systems used in libraries (e.g., SuDoc for government documents).
Catalog Searching Strategies
Keyword Searches: Essential for locating relevant articles, books, and journals in library systems.
Familiarity with call number systems enhances search effectiveness.
Online Sources and Tools
Web and Library Catalogs: Essential for conducting initial scans, but limitations exist for accessing full academic works.
Wikipedia and Other Online Resources: Useful starting points but require critical evaluation of information quality.
Importance of Detailed Note-Taking
Maintain organized records of citations and relevant notes during the research process.
Consider creating a grid or system for categorizing search terms and results to streamline the search process.