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Reviewing the Literature Room

Reviewing the literature is a major part of any research process. It is important for many reasons, including finding the basis for your research, checking the current knowledge and thinking in your subject area and demonstrating that you can find, read and synthesise a range of literature in your subject domain. As you create your literature review, you will also be building your skills in literature sourcing, retrieval and management. These include effective reading, synthesis, rationale-building, organisation and writing. As you study the constellations in this room, keep referring to the think map on the left. This will help you to see the relevance of a particular constellation to the overall picture.
Reviewing the literature > Sourcing the literature > Defining your search topic

Defining your search topic

Defining your search topic

Magnifying glassIt might sound really obvious, but your literature search should begin by defining your topic. Be clear about your topic or area of search and write down exactly what you are interested in. Now take a few moments to consider what your search, or research question is? Why are you sourcing literature? What do you want to find out? Try to think of questions that you need to answer.

Mind mapping and generating search questions

You may find using mind mapping a useful techniqueto help you to focus on a search question or series of related search questions. Mind mapping is a graphical technique that can help you to build a 'picture' of your literature search. The strength of these techniques lies in their use of patterns and pictures. Humans are pattern-matchers by nature. Seeing complex interactions between various ideas can be difficult in a linear, text form. To help you get started with mind mapping, this short animated and narrated presentation on how to use mind mapping, together with some examples and a link to a website where you can download a trial version of mind mapping software. You can also download a pdf file with the full text of the script of the presentation.

Of course, we all have our own preferred method of generating ideas and no one method is correct for everyone: some people prefer to use more linear systems such as building heading outlines.

Whichever type of focussing method you prefer to use, spend some time now generating some search or research questions or some statements for your literature search.

Comments:

Melanie (20/09/2010 17:49:37)
Hi Liz thanks for this - helpful for the sessions for the new project module version for EH students which is now a desk based literature study
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