Literature searching for your project

ML-RS17
A review of the literature is important for a research project because it enables you to acquire an
understanding of your topic, with its key issues, and an awareness of relevant research that has already been
conducted. Exploring and selecting from the vast array of published information can be a time-consuming
task, so it is important to know how to plan and carry out this work effectively. The aim of this guide is to
help you to do this. You need to work systematically through the following stages.

1. Define topic.

Clarify the meaning of the topic and/or particular words. Dictionaries relating to the subject may be useful
here.

2. Decide on scope and boundary

If the area/topic is a large one you may need to choose a specific aspect. Bear in mind any resources
constraints like time; support available; library resources; and the length of the paper to be written.

3. Define topic in terms of "keywords"

Define your topic in terms of words to search for in the various information sources.

• Think of words that may be used as alternatives for your topic e.g. barrage and dam. Some
computer-based information sources include a thesaurus of terms known as "descriptors" which help
you to do this.
• Think about alternative meanings and contexts for your keywords and try to think of ways of
combining words to ensure that only the meaning you want is retrieved - words such as system and
network will need special care and even more precise words like mouse and icon now have more
than one meaning.
• Think of alternative spellings, particularly American ones, e.g. colour or color, aluminium or
aluminum and of possible truncations e.g. behavio* will retrieve behavior, behaviour, behavioral and
behavioural.
• Think of possible changes in terminology when looking for older materials. These can be due to the
development of a more technical vocabulary e.g. tuberculosis for consumption, to social changes e.g.
firefighter rather than fireman and to changes in what is considered appropriate language e.g.
visually-impaired rather than blind.
• Bear in mind the name-changes of places and countries, such as Peking/Beijing, Persia/Iran, and of
the emergence of many new countries in the last few years.
• Look at ways to link your keywords. Do you want records which contain all of your keywords or are
some alternatives; do you want to relate two words so that they are near each other; can you focus
your search by excluding words which might appear with other words you are searching for but in a
different context? How you do this and what options are available vary between databases so it is
important that you familiarise yourself with the way each one works by using the on-screen links and
help system. Some databases require that you enter your search in one go, so that it is important that
you get the "grammar" right, in others you can build up a complex search via a series of simple
searches.
• There is no consistency between databases so even if you are doing a very simple search you need to
check out each database. For example, the default settings vary so that if you type in neural
 networks, some databases will search for this as a phrase i.e. will only retrieve records where the
words appear together, others will retrieve records containing both words anywhere in the record.
This makes a great difference to the number and relevance of the results received. As well as the
help offered on screen, there are also guides to many of the services at
http://www.shef.ac.uk/library/libdocs/atof.html.
• More general help in using electronic resources can be found in the Library guide, "Database
searching: a basic guide," available on LibWeb at http://www.shef.ac.uk/library/libdocs/ml-
rs12.html, or from most Library Enquiry Desks.

4. Set limitations to your search

• publication date - how far back do you want to search?

• range - what types of publication or documentation do you wish to include?
• language - is it appropriate to limit your search to languages you can read yourself?
• geographical or time scope - do you want to limit your search to material relating to a particular
country or other geographical area or to limit it to information on a particular period?
• country of publication - do you want only material published in a particular country or range of
countries?
• are there any other limitations, for example in a such as age, gender of the subjects?

5. Draw up a list of sources/databases in which to search for references.

Sources may be print-based or computer-based.

There are many subject-specific guides to resources in the Library and on the Internet. As well as providing
information about how to obtain material relevant to your subject, they supply links to some of the resources
increasingly available on the Internet. These guides are available on LibWebat
http://www.shef.ac.uk/library/libdocs/docssub.html or from Library Enquiry Desks.

6. Conduct your searches

6.a Search through each source/database.

If the resource you are using has a thesaurus or other listing of descriptor, relate the keywords list that you
compiled at stage 3 to the descriptors used by each source. The specific thesaurus of terms for each database
will be useful here. e.g. one source may index material under universities another may use higher education.

Start with the most recent publications and work back.

All networked sources will require basic IT skills. You must be registered with the Corporate Information
and Computing Services and have read their documentation on file management, printing, copying to disc
and email.

6.b Keep a record of your searches

An essential part of literature searching is keeping accurate, consistent and correct records. These should
include the years of every print-based and electronic database searched, and the terms used.

6.c Record all useful references.

The useful references should be recorded from print-based sources or marked and downloaded from
electronic databases either to your own file on u: or to disc on a:

A detailed record of everything useful you find will enable you to provide an accurate bibliography at the
end of your project.

You need to become familiar with citation systems. Some Departments provide a handout. For others, the
use of the Harvard citation system is recommended. Help can be found on LibWebon all aspects of
recording, citing and presenting references at http://www.shef.ac.uk/library/useful/refs.html.

7. Review progress after searching 4 or so sources.

Have you found material which is likely to be relevant to your topic? If there seems to be too much or too
little, you may need to redefine your topic - and repeat stages 3 - 6!

Assess the value of the search in terms of relevance and usefulness; it's quality, not quantity of references
that counts. You should also seek guidance from you tutors as to how many references you are expected to
use.

8. Obtain copies of promising references.

Some bibliographical databases have links to the full-text of the articles, though usually only to journals for
which the Library has a separate subscription. In most cases, however, you will have to check Star to see if
the Library stocks the items you require. If not, they may be obtained via Inter-Library Loans, but check the
likely value of your reference before ordering. Bear in mind constraints of delivery time and resources in
relation to your deadline.

9. Read them!

Requires assessment, discrimination and judgement. Be wary of out of date, superseded, and irrelevant
material. Leave some time between readings for thought and note-taking.

10. Write your paper

Writing needs to be accompanied by a properly formatted bibliography. Consult your supervisor for the
recommended style. The care you took at stage 6.c will help you enormously here when deadlines are
looming! A brief guide to "Writing a bibliography" is available on LibWeb at
http://www.shef.ac.uk/library/libdocs/ml-rs11.html or from the Library Enquiry Desks.

URL: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/library/libdocs/ml-rs17.html