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Literature Review

This guide is an introduction to the Literature Review process - including its purpose and strategies, guidelines, and resources to get you started.
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Identifying sources

It's easy to think that the best way to search for sources is to use the Internet - to 'Google it'. However, while you will get many thousands of results, it is unlikely they will be academic sources.

For most literature reviews you will need to focus on academically authoritative, peer-reviewed texts such as academic books, journals, research reports and conference proceedings. You will find these in the library in print and online.

You can still use Google, but use it for general or background reading or to find information on corporations, organisations, for news and current events. If you use Google or any internet search engine alongside the Library resources they can complement each other. 

Where to start?
It is important to identify where you will search for information.

multitasking student

  1. Search FINDit. This is the library search engine, it will help you discover print and online materials from our subscription databases.
     
  2. Identify the key databases for your subject area. Select the area of study from the subject pull-down menu in the A-Z of Databases. You will then have a list of all the core and useful databases for that subject area. 
     
  3. Find your subject guide. Every course has a subject guide packed with information and resources for that subject area. 
     
  4. Use academic search engines such as Google Scholar 
     
  5. Make an appointment or email your Faculty Librarian. He or she will be able to give you lots of advice and help you with the literature review.

Searching strategies

Step 1 Start by identifying the key concepts/words in your research question. 

Once you have identified where you can search for good quality, relevant information the next step is to develop a search strategy.
Searching in a consistent, focused, and structured manner will save you time and give you the best results.  

Example research question: "Does the use of social media in the classroom  help students learn?"

What are the keywords?

social media 
classroom 
students
learn      

 

Step 2 Search terms: keywords and alternative words

Using your first set of keywords try and think of alternative words, similar words - synonyms, different spellings, words that are broader or narrower.

For example:

'Twitter' is narrower in focus than 'social media.
'University' is broader in focus than 'student'.

Using our research question example, below is a list of alternative search terms for the initial keywords identified.

Example research question: "Does the use of social media in higher education help students learn?"

What are the alternative keywords we can use?

Social media
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Social networking sites
Higher Education
University
Lecture theatre
Learning environments
Classroom
 
Students
Undergraduates
Young people
Mature students
Digital natives
 
Learn 
Social Learning
Mobile Learning
Teaching 

     

Tip: If you can't think of any alternatives use an online thesaurus.  

 

Step 3 - Searching Techniques

Using these techniques or a combination of these techniques can really help find the most relevant information.

 

Phrase searching

This technique can be used to ensure your results are as relevant as possible.  It can be very useful if the number of results retrieved is very high. Simply place double quotation marks around keywords that are phrases, i.e. two or more words.  
For example: "Social Media" " Higher Education" 

Truncation 

Using truncation and wildcard symbols allows you to simultaneously search for different spellings of a word, various word endings, and plurals.
For example student* = will find the words student and students (don't assume the database looks for both singular and plural unless you ask it to)

Wildcards

Similar to truncation, wildcards substitute a symbol for one letter of a word. It can occur in the middle, as well as at the end of the word
This is useful if a word is spelled in different ways, but still has the same meaning.
Examples:
wom!n = woman, women
colo?r = color, colour
organi#ation = organization, organisation

NB: Different databases use different truncation and wildcard symbols, check before searching. 

 

Step 4 - Boolean Operators 

One of the most important aspects of a successful search is the search string. You can combine your keywords and search terms, 'string' them together to form a comprehensive search.

You can do this by using Boolean Operators. They are used to connect your search words together to either narrow or broaden your set of results. 

They help you get the maximum relevant information and the least amount of irrelevant information.

There are 3 main operators AND, OR, NOT. Use capital letters to let the search engine know we are using Boolean Operators.

The AND operator
Use AND in a search to narrow your results. 
You are telling the database or search engine that ALL search terms must be present in the resulting records 

Why not use a phrase search as well.

Example: "Social Media" AND "Higher Education" 
Your results will contain both these phrases. 

The OR operatorven diagram
Use OR in a search to widen your results.
You are telling the database or search engine that ANY of the terms you enter can be present in the resulting records. 

Example: Facebook OR Instagram 
Your results will contain at least one of these words.

 

The NOT operator

Use NOT to exclude results.ven diagram
You are telling the database or search engine to NOT include results contacting the term in the resulting records. 

Example: Instagram NOT Facebook
Your results will not include the word Facebook

FINDit - Advanced search example using AND and a phrase search.

 

 
A Database search - Academic Search Complete using AND and a phrase search
Google Scholar - Advanced search example using AND and a phrase search.

google scholar search example

Peer Review

The Peer Review Process

In academic publishing, the aim of peer review is to assess the quality of articles submitted for publication in a scholarly, academic journal. This means articles found in peer-reviewed journals are good quality, reliable sources. 

How the process works

  1. The researcher/s writes the paper and submits it to the journal they would like to publish their work.
  2. The editor decides to accept or reject the paper.  If she/he accepts the paper is given to the reviewers, sometimes called referees.
  3. The reviewers will have specialist knowledge of the subject area. They will be experts in their field.
  4. They will make a decision to accept, reject or revise. 
  5. If the paper needs revision it is sent back to the researcher/s with the reviewer's feedback. 
  6. The paper is resubmitted and the editor makes the final decision to publish or not. 

 

FINDit makes it easy to find peer reviewed articles

1. You can use the peer reviewed filter on the left of the search screen. This will limit your results to peer reviewed journals only.
2. If carrying out a general search look for the icon in your list of results to identify which articles are peer reviewed.

 

SIFT Test

SIFT - The four moveschecklist with ticks

Determining if resources are credible or reliable can be a challenge. Whatever the source, it could be a book, a journal article, a website, a newspaper article, the SIFT Test can help you evaluate the source to determine if the information you have found is of good quality.

S: Stop
I: Investigate the source
F: Find better coverage
T: Trace information back to the source

This is a quick and simple approach that can be applied to all sorts of sources that will help you judge the quality of the information you're looking at. It gives you things to do, specifically, four moves you should make, whenever you find a piece of information you want to use or share

Remember, you can always ask your Librarian for help with evaluating information.

The SIFT method was created by Mike Caulfield. All SIFT information on this page is adapted from his materials with a CC BY 4.0 license.

Move 1 - Stop 

The first move is the simplest. 
When you find information before you start to read it — STOP and ask yourself whether you know and trust the website or the source of the information.

If you don't, use the other moves to get a sense of what you're looking at.

  • Don't read it or share it until you know what it is.
  • Do you know the website or source of information?
  • Check your bearings and consider what you want to know and your purpose.
  • Usually, a quick check is enough to establish whether you trust the source and it is suitable for your purpose. Sometimes you'll want a deep investigation to verify all claims made and check all the sources.
  • Make sure you approach the problem in the right amount of depth for your purpose.
 
 

Move 2 - Investigate the Source

Investigating the source means knowing what you’re reading before you read it. This doesn't mean you have to do an in-depth investigation into every source before you engage with it.
Taking sixty seconds to figure out where the information comes from will help you decide if it is worth reading it in full.

This initial step can also help you better understand its significance and trustworthiness.

  • Know the expertise and agenda of your source so you can interpret it. 
  • Consider what other sites say about your source. Search for information about the website you are looking at, the person giving an opinion or the organisation providing the information. A fact-checking site may help.
  • Read carefully and consider while you click.  
     

 

Move 3 - Find trusted coverage


Sometimes you don't care about the particular article that reaches you. You care about the claim the article is making.
You want to know if it is true or false. You want to know if it represents a consensus viewpoint, or if it is the subject of much disagreement.

  • Find trusted reporting or analysis, look for the best information on a topic, or scan multiple sources to see what consensus is.
  • Find something more in-depth and read about more viewpoints.
  • Look beyond the first few results, use Ctrl + F to search within a page to reach relevant sections quickly, and remember to stop and investigate the source of all the sites you find in your search. Even if you don't agree with the consensus, it will help you investigate further.
     

 

 

Move 4  - Trace

  • Trace claims, quotes, and media back to the original context

  • What was clipped out of a story/photo/video and what happened before or after?

  • When you read the research paper mentioned in a news story, was it accurately reported?

  • Find the original source to see the context, so you can decide if the version you have is accurately presented.