S + M Text, Chapter 3

Developing Your Literature Review

Chapter Overview

  • Learning Objectives:

    • Build search skills for scholarly research.

    • Create a search plan based on theory/research plan.

    • Understand the four-step scholarly research discovery process (word mining).

    • Utilize search skills efficiently in scholarly databases and online.

    • Recognize benefits of accurate note-taking for research reporting.

    • Approach the structure of a literature review.

Importance of Research Skills

  • Everyday Researching:

    • Individuals use research skills in various contexts (e.g., Google searches on local topics or current events).

    • This chapter aims to refine these skills into a more systematic methodology for gathering information.

Searching and Researching

  • Parallel Techniques:

    • Literature searching is akin to empirical research techniques discussed in the book.

    • Effective searching requires clear focus on research questions, similar to how meaningful research relies on research design.

  • Lifetime Search Process:

    • Searching is an ongoing process:

      • Initial searches help refine and focus questions.

      • Searches evolve through the research lifecycle (start, middle, end of research).

Example of Searching for Scholarly Articles

  • Flowchart Exercise:

    • Illustration shows steps in locating and obtaining research.

    • Distinction between common tools versus academic resources for accessing materials.

  • Authentication:

    • Authorization often required for accessing proprietary materials through academic subscriptions.

Building on Your Skills

  • Scoring Academic Research Tools:

    • Differences between web search engines and academic searching in terms of authority and access.

    • Importance of learning to locate scholarly journals and authoritative publications.

Library Resources for Research

  • Research Exercise Overview:

    • Practical exercise for retrieving a specific scholarly article (Blattman, 2009).

  • Citation Elements:

    • Importance of understanding citations.

Understanding Citations

  • Definition and Format:

    • Citations provide detailed information about an article for locating and retrieving it.

    • Examples of citation styles: APA, MLA, APSA.

  • Citations in Articles:

    • Different formats used across disciplines (footnotes in humanities vs. author-date in social sciences).

Why Citations Matter

  • Bibliographic Records:

    • Importance of bibliographic records in finding and citing relevant articles.

  • Lessons from Citation Styles:

    • Each style manual prescribes how citations should be structured.

Navigating Library Catalogs

  • Online Searching:

    • Techniques for conducting searches in catalogs (title, author, subject).

  • Call Numbers:

    • Understanding how to find materials on library shelves using call numbers (Dewey Decimals vs. Library of Congress).

Importance of Physical Libraries

  • Research Advantages:

    • Physical libraries provide access to materials not available online.

    • Browsing shelves can lead to discovering additional relevant items.

Searching Strategies

  • Initiating Research:

    • Questions to define and focus the search process:

      • What story is this research telling?

      • What kinds of information are required?

      • Who cares about the topic?

      • What tools simplify the search?

  • Word Mining:

    • Comprehensive strategy for organizing search keywords.

Word Mining: A Four-Step Program

  1. Scan the Information Environment:

    • Identify relevant scholarly publications.

  2. Use the Power of Abstracted Information:

    • Learn to extract high-value search terms from sources.

  3. Dig into Library's Full-Text Resources:

    • Access and annotate relevant materials.

  4. Return to Cyberspace:

    • Broaden search to non-academic resources.

Practical Research Ethics

  • Plagiarism Rules:

    • Always attribute sources; never misappropriate others' work.

Information Scanning Techniques

  • Library Catalog vs. General Search Engines:

    • Discuss efficient scanning of resources, recognizing unique research space.

  • Subject Guides and Specialists:

    • Use library guides and consult with subject librarians for precise searches.

Maximizing Literature Searches

  • Using Bibliographic Records:

    • How to effectively read bibliographic records to navigate literature more effectively.

  • Evaluating Search Strategies:

    • Regularly reflect on search techniques and refine based on outcomes.

Note-Taking Techniques

  • Documenting Search Progress:

    • Organize search terms, notes on findings, sources, and citations.

    • Employ a grid for categorizing concepts and related terms.

Conclusion

  • Continuous Improvement:

    • Regularly adapt search strategies.

    • Emphasize the interplay of emerging insights throughout the research process.