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CMNS 362. Sylvia Roberts Liaison Librarian, Communication Spring 2010. Why a literature search?. Establish an identifiable need for your research (gap analysis) Situate your research question within a current intellectual context
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CMNS 362 Sylvia Roberts Liaison Librarian, Communication Spring 2010
Why a literature search? • Establish an identifiable need for your research (gap analysis) • Situate your research question within a current intellectual context • Increase your breadth of knowledge: key concepts, constructs, works • Identify opposing views • Review relevant methodologies CMNS 362 - Spring 2010
Characteristics of scholarly literature • Vehicles to communicate research and ideas to other scholars around the world • Written by experts, uses language and theoretical approaches familiar to those in the discipline • PEER REVIEWED • Typically research articles include: • Research affiliations of authors • Literature review and sources consulted • Research methodology CMNS 362 - Spring 2010
Learning objectives for tutorials: • Find suitable search terms to describe your research interests • Select appropriate search tools for finding relevant literature • Use the capabilities of these tools effectively • Assess your search results to select scholarly research publications • Capitalize on your findings and/or modify your search strategy for better results CMNS 362 - Spring 2010
Hands-on searching • CMNS 362 research guide • Exercises • Super searching strategies • Coaching & consultation CMNS 362 - Spring 2010
Can’t find anything on topic? • Cutting edge topic? • Too narrow a focus? • Maybe it’s not an area worthy of research or not trendy • Try thinking of related questions that you can use • Consult reference librarians (use Ask Us for options) or contact me CMNS 362 - Spring 2010
Good luck with your research! Sylvia Roberts sroberts@sfu.ca / 604-291-3681