Benefits of Conducting a Literature Review

While there might be many reasons for conducting a literature review, following are four key
outcomes of doing the review.
 Assessment of the current state of research on a topic. This is probably the most
obvious value of the literature review. Once a researcher has determined an area to
work with for a research project, a search of relevant information sources will help
determine what is already known about the topic and how extensively the topic has
already been researched.
 Identification of the experts on a particular topic. One of the additional benefits derived
from doing the literature review is that it will quickly reveal which researchers have
written the most on a particular topic and are, therefore, probably the experts on the
topic. Someone who has written twenty articles on a topic or on related topics is more
than likely more knowledgeable than someone who has written a single article. This
same writer will likely turn up as a reference in most of the other articles written on
the same topic. From the number of articles written by the author and the number of
times the writer has been cited by other authors, a researcher will be able to assume
that the particular author is an expert in the area and, thus, a key resource for
consultation in the current research to be undertaken.
 Identification of key questions about a topic that need further research. In many cases
a researcher may discover new angles that need further exploration by reviewing what
has already been written on a topic. For example, research may suggest that listening
to music while studying might lead to better retention of ideas, but the research might
not have assessed whether a particular style of music is more beneficial than another.
A researcher who is interested in pursuing this topic would then do well to follow up
existing studies with a new study, based on previous research, that tries to identify
which styles of music are most beneficial to retention.
 Determination of methodologies used in past studies of the same or similar topics. It
is often useful to review the types of studies that previous researchers have launched
as a means of determining what approaches might be of most benefit in further
developing a topic. By the same token, a review of previously conducted studies might
lend itself to researchers determining a new angle for approaching research.
Upon completion of the literature review, a researcher should have a solid foundation of
knowledge in the area and a good feel for the direction any new research should take. Should
any additional questions arise during the course of the research, the researcher will know
which experts to consult in order to quickly clear up those questions.

Steps in Conducting a Literature Review

Conducting a literature review involves using research databases to identify materials that
cover or are related in some sense to the research topic. In some cases the research topic
may be so original in its scope that no one has done anything exactly like it, so research that
is at least similar or related will provide source material for the literature review. The selection
of databases will be driven by the subject matter and the scope of the project.
Selecting Databases -- Most academic libraries now provide access to a majority of their
databases and their catalog via a so-called discovery tool. A discovery tool makes searching
library systems more "Google-like" in that even the simplest of queries can be entered and
results retrieved. However, many times the results are also "Google-like" in the sheer quantity
of items retrieved. While a discovery tool can be invaluable for quickly finding a multitude of
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resources on nearly any topic, there are a number of considerations a researcher should keep
in mind when using a discovery tool, especially for the researcher who is attempting a
comprehensive literature review.
 No discovery tool works with every database subscribed to by a library. Some libraries
might subscribe to two or three hundred different research databases covering a large
number of subject areas. Competing discovery systems might negotiate agreements
with different database vendors in order to provide access to a large range of materials.
There will be other vendors with whom agreements are not forthcoming, therefore
their materials are not included in the discovery tool results. While this might be of
only minor concern for a researcher looking to do a fairly limited research project, the
researcher looking to do a comprehensive review of the literature in preparation for
writing a master's thesis or a doctoral dissertation will run the risk of missing some
materials by limiting the search just to a particular library's discovery system. If only
one system covered everything that a researcher could possibly need, libraries would
have no need to subscribe to hundreds of different databases. The reality is that no
one tool does it all. Not even Google Scholar.
 Book collections might be excluded from results delivered by a discovery tool. While
many libraries are making results from their own catalogs available via their discovery
tools, they might not cover books that are discoverable from other library collections,
thus making a search of book collections incomplete. Most libraries subscribe to an
international database of library catalogs known as WorldCat. This database will
provide comprehensive coverage of books, media, and other physical library materials
available in libraries worldwide.
 Features available in a particular database might not be available in a discovery tool.
Keep in mind that a discovery tool is a search system that enables searching across
content from numerous individual databases. An individual database might have search
features that cannot be provided through a discovery tool, since the discovery tool is
designed to accommodate a large number of systems with a single search. For
example, the nursing database CINAHL includes the ability to limit a search to specific
practice areas, to limit to evidence-based practice, to limit to gender, and to search
using medical subject headings, among other things, all specialized facets that are not
available in a discovery tool. To have these advanced capabilities, a researcher would
need to go directly to CINAHL and search it natively.
 Some discovery tools are set, by default, to limit search results to those items directly
available through a particular library's collections. While many researchers will be most
concerned with what is immediately available to them at their own library, a researcher
concerned with finding everything that has been done on a particular topic will need
to go beyond what's available at his or her home library and include materials that are
available elsewhere. Master's and doctoral candidates should take care to notice if their
library's discovery tool automatically limits to available materials and broaden the scope
to include ALL materials, not just those available.
With the foregoing in mind, a researcher might start a search by using the library's discovery
tool and then follow up by reviewing which databases have been included in the search and,
more importantly, which databases have not been included. Most libraries will facilitate
locating its individual databases through a subject arrangement of some kind. Once those
databases that are not discoverable have been identified, the researcher would do well to
search them individually to find out if other materials can be identified outside of the discovery
tool. One additional tool that a doctoral researcher should of necessity include in a search is
ISI's Web of Knowledge. The two major systems searchable within ISI's Web are the Social

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Sciences Citation Index and the Science Citation Index. The purpose of these two systems is
to enable a researcher to determine what research has been cited over the years by any
number of researchers and how many times it has been cited.
Formulating an Effective Search Strategy -- Key to performing an effective literature review
is selecting search terms that will effectively identify materials that are relevant to the
research topic. An initial strategy for selecting search terminology might be to list all possible
relevant terms and their synonyms in order to have a working vocabulary for use in the
research databases. While an individual subject database will likely use a "controlled
vocabulary" to index articles and other materials that are included in the database, the same
vocabulary might not be as effective in a database that focuses on a different subject area.
For example, terminology that is used frequently in psychological literature might not be as
effective in searching a human resources management database. Brainstorming the topic
before launching into a search will help a researcher arrive at a good working vocabulary to
use when probing the databases for relevant literature.
As materials are identified with the initial search, the researcher will want to keep track of
other terminology that could be of use in performing additional searches. Sometimes the most
effective search terminology can be found by reading the abstracts of relevant materials
located through a library's research databases. For example, an initial search on the concept
of "mainstreaming" might lead the researcher to articles that discuss mainstreaming but which
also look into the concept of "inclusion" in education. While the terms mainstreaming and
inclusion are sometimes used synonymously, they really embody two different approaches to
working with students having special needs. Abstracts of articles located in the initial search
on mainstreaming will uncover related concepts such as inclusion and help a researcher
develop a better, more effective vocabulary for fleshing out the literature review.
In addition to searching using key concepts aligned with the research topic, a researcher likely
also will want to search for additional materials produced by key authors who are identified
in the initial searches. As a researcher reviews items retrieved in the initial stages of the
survey, he or she will begin to notice certain authors coming up over and over in relation to
the topic. To make sure that no stone is left unturned, it would be advisable to search the
available, relevant library databases for other materials by those key authors, just to make
sure something of importance has not been missed. A review of the reference lists for each
of the items identified in the search will also help to identify key literature that should be
reviewed.
Locating the Materials and Composing the Review -- In many cases the items identified
through the library's databases will also be available online through the same or related
databases. This, however, is not always the case. When materials are not available online,
the researcher should check the library's physical collections (print, media, etc.) to determine
if the items are available in the library, itself. For those materials not physically available in
the home library, the researcher will use interlibrary loan to procure copies from other libraries
or services. While abstracts are extremely useful in identifying the right types of materials,
they are no substitute for the actual items, themselves. The thorough researcher will make
sure that all the key literature has been retrieved and read thoroughly before proceeding too
far with the original research.
The end result of the literature review is a discussion of the central themes in the research
and an overview of the significant studies located by the researcher. This discussion serves
as the lead section of a paper or article that reports the findings of an original research study
and sets the stage for presentation of the original study by providing a review of research
that has been conducted prior to the current study. As the researcher conducts his or her
own study, other relevant materials might enter into the professional literature. It is the

3
researcher's responsibility to update the literature review with newly released information
prior to completing his or her own study.
Updating the Initial Search -- Most research projects will take place over a period of time and
are not completed in the short term. Especially in the case of master's and doctoral projects,
the research process might take a year or several years to complete. During this time, it will
be important for the researcher to periodically review the research that has been going on at
the same time as his or her own research. Revisiting the search strategies employed in the
initial pass of the ltierature will turn up any new studies that might have come to light since
the initial search. Fortunately, most research databases and discovery systems provide
researchers with the means for automatically notifying them when new materials matching
the search strategy have entered the system. This requires that a researcher sign up for a
personal "account" with the database in order to save his or her searches and set up "alerts"
when new materials come online. Setting up an account does not involve charges to the
researcher; this is all a part of the cost borne by the home library in providing access to the
databases.
Summary of the Process
The following summarizes the steps in conducting a literature review:

1. Identify appropriate library databases for conducting the research. This might begin
with the library discovery tool, OneSearch.
2. Identify relevant search terms for use in conducting a database search.
3. Review initial search results, review article abstracts, and revise search strategy and
terms accordingly.
4. Look for key concepts that appear in the literature and identify significant authors who
are frequently cited in the literature.
5. Conduct a new search for materials by the key authors identified in the previous step.
6. Locate the materials revealed by the literature review and read and digest.
7. Construct a written overview of the major concepts revealed by a thorough reading of
the literature. How does this material relate to the current study?
8. Once the original research is completed, do a follow-up review of the literature to
determine if there is anything significant that should also be included.

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 Introduction
1. Introduction
Not to be confused with a book review, a literature review surveys scholarly articles, books
and other sources (e.g. dissertations, conference proceedings) relevant to a particular issue,
area of research, or theory, providing a description, summary, and critical evaluation of each
work. The purpose is to offer an overview of significant literature published on a topic.

2. Components
Similar to primary research, development of the literature review requires four stages:
 Problem formulation—which topic or field is being examined and what are its component
issues?
 Literature search—finding materials relevant to the subject being explored
 Data evaluation—determining which literature makes a significant contribution to the
understanding of the topic
 Analysis and interpretation—discussing the findings and conclusions of pertinent literature
Literature reviews should comprise the following elements:
 An overview of the subject, issue or theory under consideration, along with the objectives of
the literature review
 Division of works under review into categories (e.g. those in support of a particular position,
those against, and those offering alternative theses entirely)
 Explanation of how each work is similar to and how it varies from the others
 Conclusions as to which pieces are best considered in their argument, are most convincing of
their opinions, and make the greatest contribution to the understanding and development of
their area of research
In assessing each piece, consideration should be given to:
 Provenance—What are the author's credentials? Are the author's arguments supported by
evidence (e.g. primary historical material, case studies, narratives, statistics, recent scientific
findings)?
 Objectivity—Is the author's perspective even-handed or prejudicial? Is contrary data
considered or is certain pertinent information ignored to prove the author's point?
 Persuasiveness—Which of the author's theses are most/least convincing?
 Value—Are the author's arguments and conclusions convincing? Does the work ultimately
contribute in any significant way to an understanding of the subject?

3. Definition and Use/Purpose

A literature review may constitute an essential chapter of a thesis or dissertation, or may be
a self-contained review of writings on a subject. In either case, its purpose is to:
 Place each work in the context of its contribution to the understanding of the subject under
review
 Describe the relationship of each work to the others under consideration
 Identify new ways to interpret, and shed light on any gaps in, previous research
 Resolve conflicts amongst seemingly contradictory previous studies
 Identify areas of prior scholarship to prevent duplication of effort
 Point the way forward for further research
 Place one's original work (in the case of theses or dissertations) in the context of existing
literature
The literature review itself, however, does not present new primary scholarship

5
DEFINITION
A literature review is an evaluative report of information found in the literature related to your
selected area of study. The review should describe, summarise, evaluate and clarify this
literature. It should give a theoretical base for the research and help you (the author)
determine the nature of your research. Works which are irrelevant should be discarded and
those which are peripheral should be looked at critically.
A literature review is more than the search for information, and goes beyond being a
descriptive annotated bibliography. All works included in the review must be read, evaluated
and analysed. Relationships between the literature must also be identified and articulated, in
relation to your field of research.
"In writing the literature review, the purpose is to convey to the reader what knowledge and
ideas have been established on a topic, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. The
literature review must be defined by a guiding concept (e.g. your research objective, the
problem or issue you are discussing, or your argumentative thesis). It is not just a descriptive
list of the material available, or a set of summaries"
PURPOSE
In general, the literature review should:

 provide a context for the research

 justify the research
 ensure the research hasn't been done before (or if it is repeated, that it is marked as
a "replication study")
 show where the research fits into the existing body of knowledge
 enable the researcher to learn from previous theory on the subject
 illustrate how the subject has been studied previously
 highlight flaws in previous research
 outline gaps in previous research
 show that the work is adding to the understanding and knowledge of the field
 help refine, refocus or even change the topic

STEPS
There are several steps in developing a literature review. These include:

 selecting the topic

 setting the topic in context
 looking at information sources
 using information sources
 getting the information
 organising information (information management)
 positioning the literature review
 writing the literature review

Use the pulldown menu for more details on each topic

YOUR TOPIC
Ideas for topics come from a myriad of sources - some will be generated by interest in a
particular area of previous work, others by discussing issues with peers, academics, and by
reading the literature. Initial ideas may also be in various stages of development - some will
be vague; others clear and well defined; and many will be require refining.
When thinking about a suitable topic , it is important to consider the implications of your
choice:
6
  Can information be gathered locally?
 Are you in a position to travel to use various sources?
 What are your interests and will this interest be maintained for the duration of the
research?
 Who will be interested in this research ?
 Is it sufficiently interesting to keep you, the author, working for the next 2 – 3 – 4
years?
 Is the scope wide enough to be able to ascertain a particular niche?
 Is the scope so broad that it will lose direction?
 Does it involve technology that is readily available?
 Is training in technology and / or software readily available?

In the early stages it is probably wise to give all topics under consideration a title and write
them down. Include a brief description of the content of each idea and a plan of how each
topic could be developed. Writing sometimes helps define ideas and helps you to plot a course
of action. Although the topic may change or aspects of it may change, it is still useful to record
thoughts. It is also interesting to look back once the research has been completed and see
how the topic evolved!
While thinking about research topics:

 discuss ideas with colleagues

 browse the literature, especially journals
 discuss ideas with your supervisor - he/she is an expert within the discipline and can
help you decide on an appropriate topic.

THE CONTEXT
For your topic to grow there must also be a context that is influenced by existing knowledge.
Other influences include your work and study environment; your interaction with colleagues;
peers and supervisors; and current opinions and attitudes towards your discipline. The role
of the literature review is to analyse the existing literature and give justification as to how
your research will fit into the existing body of knowledge.
When placing your topic in context, it is often useful to think about the following:

 What is the scope of the topic?

 What is the purpose of the research?
 Who is the intended audience?
 What is the time period?
 What is the geographical coverage?
 What are the relevant/related disciplines?

TYPES OF INFORMATION SOURCES

You will need to consult a wide range of information sources. Informal sources include contact
with peers, colleagues, other researchers, library staff, and your supervisor. Just as important
as the network of informal contacts are the formal sources, including:
Books Use Library Search to find which books are held in the Library
Use Library Search to find journal articles held in the Library
Journals – To search for journal articles on a specific topic use a
scholarly/popular Library database

7
 These can be found in many areas including the Library
Research papers Search, databases and on the university and government web sites

Theses/
Refer to the Finding Theses page for more information
Dissertations

Conference These can be found by searching the Library Search, databases as

proceedings well as the professional association website

Search subject directories and use meta-search engines as part of

Web sites (URLs)
your internet search processes.

Government The best starting point for government documents are government
websites. For further information have a look at our Finding
documents
Government Information guide
Legislation Refer to the Law LibGuide

Standards Refer to the Standards LibGuide

Refer to the Statistics LibGuide for a list of the types and sources
Statistics
of statistics
Bibliographies and references found in information sources often
Bibliographies
prove useful when looking for further information.
Print encyclopaedias and dictionaries are kept on the library
Encyclopaedias/ shelves. Use Library Search to locate them, or browse the shelves.
Dictionaries The Library also subscribes to an online database of reference
works, Oxford Reference Online
Newspapers Refer to the Library’s Finding Newspaper Articles guide

USING INFORMATION SOURCES - INTRODUCTION

Using information sources in a systematic and structured manner will save you a good deal
of time. Developing a search strategy is vital as it provides you with an overall structure for
your search and provides a record of your search history. This is an extremely useful record
to have as you find yourself needing to refine or change the focus of your searching as your
research develops. It can also improve the relevancy of results obtained as you have thought
about keywords and synonyms and how these relate to each other.
STEP 1. DEFINING THE INFORMATION NEED AND STATING IT AS A QUESTION
Start by expressing your information need in words. Give your topic a working title and write
an abstract. This will assist you in thinking about what you need and determining terms to be
used later. You may need to consult dictionaries or encyclopedia to clarify the topic.
STEP 2. BREAKING THE TOPIC INTO ITS COMPONENT PARTS
From the title and abstract of your topic it is possible to identify various concepts and
keywords. A concept map / mind map is a useful way to plot ideas.
For example:
Title: Attitudes and levels of knowledge of Hepatitis B in Aboriginal women

8
STEP 3. IDENTIFYING SYNONYMS AND PRIORITISING KEYWORDS
At this stage you need to identify synonyms for the keywords and concepts you have
previously developed. You should choose words that uniquely describe the topic, and you
should also list words and concepts you do not want included. You may also need to think
about the discipline area and database(s) you will be searching, as there may be a subject
specific or database-specific thesaurus that will help you further identify keywords. One way
of listing keywords and alternate terms is in a table.
For example:
Title: The impact of humans on the Great Barrier Reef
Description: Identify examples of activities by humans and discuss the effect on the reef.
impact humans Great Barrier Reef activities
damage people marine life agriculture
pollution population ecosystem mining
climate change tourists water temperature tourism
global warming coral dredging
coral bleacing shipping
STEP 4. SEARCHING SPECIFIC SOURCES
The sources you select will be determined by the requirements of the breath the literature
review covers. No matter how carefully you have thought out your keywords you will only
retrieve relevant material if you are using an appropriate source. CQUniversity Library has a
range of LibGuides and list of Databases by subject to help identify appropriate sources. It is
also important that you ascertain the scope (content, years covered) of each source and learn
the features (eg. is truncation used? is boolean logic supported? etc). The help screens on
each information source and the advanced searching tips will allow for more accurate
searching.
STEP 5. EVALUATING THE INFORMATION
As sources are retrieved, look at each one closely. Read the abstract, introduction and
conclusion to determine whether the work is relevant to your topic. The steps below will guide
you in assessing the scope, integrity and standing of the relevant sources.
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  assess the standing of the author - is he/she an academic? a journalist? another
student? a researcher?
 look at the date of publication - is the topic representative of thinking at that time
 who is the intended audience - was the material written for a general audience? other
researchers? particular groups with particular views?
 notice the writing style - is it conversational? academic? provocative? sensational?
descriptive?
 look at the presentation - does the author use tables, graphs, diagrams, illustrations
appropriately? are the descriptive details sufficient?
 refer to the bibliography and references - has the author referred to the work of
others? have all ideas been acknowledged and cited? are there any citations listed
which would further your work?
 look at the type of publication and its' purpose - is it a scholarly journal? a popular
journal? a refereed publication? a book? conference proceedings?
 identify the seminal works.

As sources are selected to be used in your literature review, use the steps below as a guide
to critically analyse the content.

 determine the facts / arguments / points of view

 look at new findings - is there clear evidence to support each finding?
 ascertain the reliability and accuracy of the document - are all assumptions valid? are
there any flaws in the methodology? is the research based on established fact?
 determine the significance of work - is it a landmark article? does it merely discuss
what is already known? what does it contribute to accepted theory?
 ascertain the limitations, flaws, weaknesses, strengths and underlying assumptions of
the analysis in relation to the related literature and current thought.
 contextualise the work within the discipline - where does it fit? which thoughts and
ideas relate/contradict/support current thought?
 study the methodology - is it appropriate to the type of study?

STEP 6. EVALUATING THE SEARCH PROCESS

Keep reviewing your search strategy. Too few, too many or irrelevant results means that you
need to consider breaking your search into smaller batches; using narrower or broader search
terms; or combining your search terms in a different way. Be comphrehensive and look for
different types of sources.
It may be helpful to keep a list of keywords, search strategies and techniques along the
way. Also keep a list of those that didn’t work. By adding a date to all your searching activity
you will be prompted when searches need updating.
Remember:

 bibliographies and references usually found in sources often prove useful when looking
for further information.
 it is useful to identify researchers who have worked in the selected field, ascertain
exactly what they have done and if possible, contact them to discuss further ideas.
 not all the required sources will be readily available - at some stage you will need to
use document delivery services.
 after your initial search you may find it useful to develop a current awareness system
to keep you up to date with developments in the area.

10
GETTING THE INFORMATION
If you are not able to obtain the full text the item from CQUniversity Libary's database it may
be availalbe through the Library's Document delivery service, you may also consult the
catalogues of other university libraries.
ORGANISING INFORMATION (INFORMATION MANAGEMENT)
Select a strategy for managing your information so that the full reference is recorded
accurately for later use. Most researchers use a software system to organise their references
such as EndNote. CQUniversity has a site licence for installing EndNote which permits
CQUniversity staff and students to use the software both on and off campus. The main
functions of EndNote are:

 creating and maintaining a database of references

 downloading references from other databases
 use with MSWord and Open Office Writer to insert citations into your work and produce
the bibliography in the referencing style of your choice

More information about EndNote is available in the EndNote LibGuide.

CARD FILES
Card file systems are an alternative to an electronic system.
The idea behind a card file is to establish a set of individual cards, each of which will represent
a document or physical piece of information. These include the full reference, as well as any
notes and annotations you make. One common arrangement of these cards is alphabetic, by
the author's surname. Some researchers allocate a running number to each reference, and
use this as their point of access. You must decide which is the most appropriate method for
your own purposes.
Other details that can be noted on the cards are relevant keywords or subject headings,
quotes or notes pertaining to the reference, abstracts or summaries, and a call number (if
appropriate). Some people also add keywords or subject headings cards to assist
locating reference at a later date. These 'guide cards' can be colour coded.
FILING SYSTEMS
Whichever system you use, if you choose to keep paper copies of your references, you will
need to devise a filing system. Here are some suggestions:

 alphabetic by author
 by running number or EndNote record number
 by topic or project area
 alphabetic within topic or subject area
 by stage of research - introduction, methodology, data collection
 currency, or date retrieved
 by unique code number

Make sure that you are consistent within your system, and that you link your physical files
with your information management system, eg. include the relevant code number in your
database record or card files.
ORGANISING INFORMATION (INFORMATION MANAGEMENT)
Select a strategy for managing your information so that the full reference is recorded
accurately for later use. Most researchers use a software system to organise their references
such as EndNote. CQUniversity has a site licence for installing EndNote which permits

11
CQUniversity staff and students to use the software both on and off campus. The main
functions of EndNote are:

 creating and maintaining a database of references

 downloading references from other databases
 use with MSWord and Open Office Writer to insert citations into your work and produce
the bibliography in the referencing style of your choice

More information about EndNote is available in the EndNote LibGuide.

CARD FILES
Card file systems are an alternative to an electronic system.
The idea behind a card file is to establish a set of individual cards, each of which will represent
a document or physical piece of information. These include the full reference, as well as any
notes and annotations you make. One common arrangement of these cards is alphabetic, by
the author's surname. Some researchers allocate a running number to each reference, and
use this as their point of access. You must decide which is the most appropriate method for
your own purposes.
Other details that can be noted on the cards are relevant keywords or subject headings,
quotes or notes pertaining to the reference, abstracts or summaries, and a call number (if
appropriate). Some people also add keywords or subject headings cards to assist
locating reference at a later date. These 'guide cards' can be colour coded.
FILING SYSTEMS
Whichever system you use, if you choose to keep paper copies of your references, you will
need to devise a filing system. Here are some suggestions:

 alphabetic by author
 by running number or EndNote record number
 by topic or project area
 alphabetic within topic or subject area
 by stage of research - introduction, methodology, data collection
 currency, or date retrieved
 by unique code number

Make sure that you are consistent within your system, and that you link your physical files
with your information management system, eg. include the relevant code number in your
database record or card files.
WRITING THE LITERATURE REVIEW
Your literature review will demonstrate the depth and relevance of your reading; your
understanading of where your research fits in within your discipline; and scope for future
research.
TIPS
Tip 1: Taking notes
How you take notes must be linked to your record keeping system, typically EndNote. You
must record the full citation so you can return to it later. Interpreting your notes as you go
along is effecient. They are an analysis of the article and demonstrates how it fits with the
literature not merely a transcript.This approach helps with your later writing, but also reduces
the danger that you have unknowingly plagiarised another author's work. In writing your
dissertation or research report, you need to have linked and integrated any such ideas and

12
concepts with your personal knowledge framework. There are fields in EndNote that allow
you at record notes and attach your own megadata (e.g. chemical names, processes,
theories, methodologies, relevant chapter in thesis, software etc.) for later retrieval.
Tip 2: Recording authors' names
Establish a consistent format for recording names, to prevent the occurrence of several
versions of the same name. This is particularly important where there may be more than one
format of name for the same author (see examples below), include as much information as
possible.
R.F. Samuels
Bob Samuels
Bob F. Samuels
Robert Samuels
Samuels, R.F.
Samuels, Bob etc
Tip 3: Recording search strategies
It is useful to record your search strategies, so that you can revise your strategy or return to
it at a later stage ; and to annotate the search strategy with database used, date and number
of hits.
Tip 4: Current awareness services
Current Awareness Services are available from a number of databases (as well as from
publishers and websites). Such services are useful in keeping you up to date with literature
in your field. As new resources are added current awareness services automatically notify you
of relevant citations or table of contents. For more information see the Current Awarenees an
Alerting Services LibGuide.
WEBSITES
These are some other websites that may be useful:
The Literature Review - a Few Tips on Conducting It – University of Toronto
Writing a Literature Review – James Cook University
Literature Review in the Social Sciences – Libraries of Adelphi University
WHAT'S IN THE TOOL KIT?
Database Searching Current awareness &
alerts
Learn about:
Learn about
the range of available
databases for your discipline the different types of current
Use the links in the left awareness services available
hand menu to open these the best techniques and to you
guides on: strategies for searching
databases how to set up alerts, e.g.
journal alerts or conference
alerts, so you can keep up to
date with new publications in
your area of teaching or
research.

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Open Access Access to resources from EndNote
resources for other libraries
Learn about
researchers
Learn about creating individual records for
The interlibrary loan and
books, journal articles and
document delivery service
what Open Access is and other resources
provides CQUniversity
how it benefits you
researchers access to organising large numbers of
information sources the
open access publishing references
Library does not hold.
e-prints and institutional using Cite While You Write for
repositories in text citations and reference
lists
open access resources
you can search Free downloads for our staff
and students

 EndNote Software
 CQU Harvard style file
 Tutorial booklet &
information sheets

Research Data Literature Review Tutorial Research impact

Management
Learn about earn about
Learn about
 what a Literature  journal & author
 Data management Review is ranking
plans  the purpose it serves  author profiles
 Data storage  how to write one  altmetrics & other
 Describing measures
research data  where to discover the
 Data sharing impact of your own
 Finding data research from citation
 Data retention data
and disposal

Scholarly publishing Finding Theses Useful websites for

researchers
Learn about Learn about
This list provides some web
 scholarly  finding theses from resources that may be of a
publishing CQUniversity and other particular interest to
 choosing journals universities in Australia researchers
and publishers and overseas.
 Higher Education  resources to help you
Research Data write your thesis
Collection
(HERDC) &
Excellence in

14
 Research for  how to deposit your
Australia (ERA) thesis with the Library
and in ACQUIRE

USING THIS GUIDE

The Database Searching Library Guide has been designed to introduce you to the range of
databases available at CQUniversity Library, and to some search techniques and strategies
that will help you.
RESEARCHING YOUR DISCIPLINE LITERATURE
Every discipline has its own literature. The content of this literature reflects the nature of the
individual discipline: engineering will utilise different sources to medical imaging or
environmental science.
However, despite the differences between disciplines, they all utilise journals as a critical
source of information. New research is communicated and reviewed in the journal literature,
and all disciplines have their key journals. Many of these journals will have a very specific
focus, for example:

Cell Biology and Toxicology

Environmental Chemistry
Engineering Failure Analysis
Cognitive Therapy and Research
Clinical Nursing Research
To research the journal literature relevant to your discipline, you need to use journal
databases. Some databases contain information that is specific to one subject area (e.g.:
health, education, engineering, law), whilst others are multidisciplinary and cover a range of
subject areas.
Note: There are databases which focus just on a specific type of information, like Standards
Australia, but these will not be discussed in this module. Information about these databases
can be obtained from the Selecting Databases page.
WHAT ABOUT THE WEB?
When people talk about "searching the web" they are usually referring to a search engine
(like Google), which scans millions of pages. Because the web is unstructured, there is no
control over the organisation of these resources. The level, quality, authenticity and currency
of information varies not only from site to site, but also from page to page within sites.
Databases, on the other hand, are unique entities: each database is developed, structured
and maintained to meet specific information needs. Databases are much more focussed on
both specific subject areas and specific types of information: journal articles (original research
and reviews), conference proceedings, book chapters, and reports. If you search a database
highly relevant to your subject area, you should be able to identify significant publications -
and authors - in the field. You should also be able to 'track' research in the field over a set
timeframe.

Many databases are extremely expensive and will never be freely available on the web.
However, the web has provided the technology to enable some databases to move into the
public arena where they can be freely accessed by all. One example is PubMed, the premier
index to medical literature. Some of the new biodatabases that have evolved as a result of
rapidly expanding knowledge in the biosciences/biotechnology areas are both freely available
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on the web, and the primary source of information in the area (for example, RSCB Protein
Bank).
For a succinct comparison of database and web search engines, select the 'Beyond the web'
tag on this
link: https://flexiblelearning.auckland.ac.nz/business_information_skills/9.html#7_6
The video below, produced by the Wellington Medical and Health Sciences Library at the
University of Otago, runs for just under 3 minutes and provides a good overview of the
differences between searching the web and searching databases.
TYPES OF DATABASES
Databases are generally divided into three types depending on the level of content they
provide: index, full-text, or combination of both. Details about individual databases (including
the level of content included) are included under the details for each database on
the Databases page.
Which type of database you use will depend upon what is available in your discipline area:
Indexing databases provide a citation (and usually an abstract). They do
not provide direct access to the full-text of journal articles. The lack of
full-text should not stop you using an index. The Library provides access
to many thousands of journals online. Try searching for the title of the
journal in Library Search. Your citation will provide the date, volume and
Indexing issue number where the article appears.
databases
Most disciplines have at least one index - sometimes an index can be the
key source of information about the research published in a specific field
(e.g.: CAB Abstracts is the key database for Plant Science).
Details of the key indexes available at CQUniversity Library are included
under the Selecting Databases tab (above).
Full-text databases will provide access to complete articles. However,
some full-text databases contain the publications of just one
publisher, so they don't provide a comprehensive overview of what's
been published on a topic.
Fulltext
For example, each of the following databases only offers access to the
databases
journals of a single publisher:
Science Direct (only Elsevier publications)
Wiley Interscience (only Blackwell/Wiley publications)
SpringerLink (only Springer/Kluwer publications)
These databases tend to be multidisciplinary (that is, they cover a range
of different subject areas). They include content from a wide range of
publishers, and what level of content is made available will depend on
Combination the arrangements made with individual publishers.
databases
Consequently, your search results in these databases will include a
mixture of journal article citations (and abstracts) and full-text journal
articles.

SELECTING RESEARCH DATABASES

Selecting the most appropriate databases is an important step in your research process.

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The Library provides access to a number of research databases that aim to index a broad
range of publications across a discipline area, from many different publishers. These
databases will include citations and abstracts of publications, and may have links to the full
text of some papers.
Most disciplines have one or more key research databases, and searching those will ensure
that a broad range of publications is covered. A full list of databases available at CQUniversity
can be found on our Databases page.
Major research databases are listed below.
RESEARCH DATABASES @ CQUNIVERSITY

 Business Source Ultimate

Description: Business Source Ultimate provides access to literature (journal articles,

country economic reports, company profiles, case studies) on all aspects of business.
Endnote: Direct export

 CAB abstracts

Description: Provides abstracts of significant research and development literature in

the applied life sciences, including agriculture, forestry, human nutrition, and the
environment. Coverage dates back to 1973.
Maximum Users: 1 concurrent user
Endnote: Direct Export

 CINAHL Complete

Description: Provides full text for over 1,400 journals dating back to 1937, citations
and abstracts for over 5,400 nursing, midwifery and allied health journals, and
searchable cited references for more than 1,500 journals.
Endnote: Direct Export

 ERIC

Description: ERIC (Education Resource Information Center) is a key education

resource providing access to journals covered by the Current Index of Journals in
Education and Resources in Education Index, and full-text documents dating back to
1966.
Endnote: Direct export

 Humanities Source Ultimate

Description: Comprehensive database providing access to the full text of hundreds

of journals, books and other published sources relevant to the field of humanities.
Endnote: Direct export

 Psyc+INFO

Description: Database from the American Psychology Association (APA) providing

abstracts from the international literature (journals, books, dissertations) in psychology
and related disciplines.

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 Endnote: Direct export

 PubMed

Description: PubMed is a free service of the US National Library of Medicine which

provides free access to MEDLINE. It contains citations and abstracts for over 27 million
articles; full text links are provided to PubMed Central and other open access resources.
Endnote: Direct export

 Scopus

Description: A large indexing and abstracting database providing access to scientific,

technical, medical and social sciences literature. It contains records going back to the
1960s, and provides citation links across a wide body of scientific abstracts.
Endnote: Filter

SEARCHING THE JOURNAL LITERATURE

There are six basic steps in the search process:

1. Selecting keywords that reflect the various aspects of your research topic.
2. Identifying whether specific strategies should be applied to your keywords (eg:
phrase searching, truncation).
3. Combining your keywords correctly to build an effective search.
4. Identifying specific database strategies that optimise your searches.
5. Reviewing/evaluating your search results.
6. "Value adding" - making the most of your search results.

Searching is not a linear process - you will find that as you continue to search and read the
literature related to your topic, your will often need to amend your searches to include other
keywords you come across, or other aspects of the topic you need to investigate.
STEP 1 - SELECTING KEYWORDS
Produced by the Hartness Library, Community College of Vermont and Vermont Technical
College
STEP 2 - KEYWORD SEARCH STRATEGIES
Depending on your choice of keywords, you may need to use one or more strategies to
maximise the effectiveness of your searches:

 Phrase searching: If one of your keywords is a phrase, use quotation marks to

enclose it, for example "ozone layer". This ensures a search for the exact phrase
(rather than separate words anywhere in a record, which may be quite different to
what you need).

 Truncation: If you need to search for variant endings of a keyword, truncate the root
word using the relevant symbol for in the database you are using, for
example pollu* will search for pollution, pollute, polluted. Truncation symbols vary
slightly between databases, so use the 'Help' or 'Search Tips' options to check which
one you need.

 Wildcards: If there are variations within a keyword which may impact on your search
results, you can use a wildcard character (usually a $ symbol, but this can very between
databases) to cover the variation in terms, for example wom$n will search for
18
 both women and woman.

 Plural terms: Check how the database you are using searches
for single/plural versions of keywords - this can have a huge impact on your results,
as some databases will automatically search for the plural version of a singular term,
but not the reverse (this information is usually included under 'Help' or 'Search Tips').

STEP 3 - COMBINING KEYWORDS

How you combine your keywords is a critical element of searching for information, and can
either "make or break" your research efforts.
In databases, keywords are combined using:

 AND
 OR
 NOT

You may see these referred to as Boolean operators. The operators you use - and the order
in which you use them - can change the meaning of your search, and impact heavily (positively
or negatively) on the results of your search.
If you have previously relied on internet search engines, you will need to alter your search
methods when using Library databases - this just involves recognising the basic elements
which will help you find better results, more quickly. (You can also use these techniques to
make your web searches more effective!)
Demonstration: you may find it easier to understand how Boolean operators work by
watching them is use. The University of Auckland has produced a Boolean operators clip,
which provides a good overview of Boolean operators, and is highly recommended viewing.
STEP 4 - DATABASE SEARCH STRATEGIES
Most databases provide a range of options which enable you to optimise your results by
manipulating specific elements of your search.
Whilst there are differences between individual databases in terms of the options offered, the
options below are common to most databases:
There are basic limits like 'Publication Date', 'Type of Publication' and 'Peer-
Basic Reviewed' content.
limits These options usually just require you to tick a checkbox, or select/enter dates.
Article Similarly, you may be able to limit your search to a specific type of
type article/document, like review articles.
All databases organise information (authors, article titles, subject headings etc)
into specific fields.
You can build much more accurate searches by utilising the options to search for
Specific your keywords in specific fields - these will be available from the dropdown box
fields next to the box where you enter your keywords.
The clip Subject Headings vs Keywords, opposite, demonstrates the effectiveness
of searching the subject heading field of records.

STEP 5 - REVIEWING SEARCH RESULTS

You need to review your search results both during, and after, your searches. This helps to
ensure that your results are relevant and comprehensive.
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During your searches:

 Reflect on the number of articles in your results lists. What could be considered too
many, or too few, results will vary according to the topic you are researching - new
areas of research may only have a few dozen articles published whilst a well-
established area will have hundreds (or more).

 Generally, aim for results lists with no more than 100-150 articles per search - larger
numbers will be difficult to work through, and may indicate that your search has
not focussed closely enough on specific aspects of your topic.

 Briefly review each article. Don't rely on the article title - read the abstract to get a
clearer picture of what is covered in the article; often, you will still need to read the
article itself to determine how relevant it is to your topic.

 As you work through the articles, you might like to check whether you have a balance
between research and review articles, and recent and older research - the preferred
balance will vary according to the nature of the topic.

After your searches:

Consider your results "as a whole". If you have some familiarity with the topic, you may be
able to identify whether well-known researchers are represented in your results, or research
that you were already aware of (if not, why not?). Consider whether the results appear to
be a fair representation of what you would have expected to find, or whether there are
elements missing.

STEP 6 - VALUE ADDING

Databases are designed to be "mined" for information, so make the most of them and get as
much information as you can from your search results:

 Once you have located a relevant citation, look at the complete record to see if there
are other terms listed which might be useful for searching. Depending on the database
you are using, these may be called subject
headings, descriptors, concepts, codes etc.

 Check the reference lists of relevant articles for other relevant citations.

 If you have identified significant researcher/s, try an Author search on their name/s.

 If you are using the Scopus database, use the 'cited by' links to see how other authors
have utilised a particular article (see the Scopus Cited Reference Searching video
tutorial for details).

 If a particular search has yielded good results, consider establishin this search as an
alert, so that the dtatbase will run the search automatically on a regular basis, and
notify you when new articles are published in your area of interest. The Current
Awareness and Alerting Services Library Guide provides links to more details.

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