Assignment Help: CREA 4004

• Record your search strategy so that you (and others) can replicate the process - this is generally advised to ensure transparency and replicability. Document search tools used, date searches conducted, search terms, any limits (e.g., year, language), and number of hits.
• Sign up for accounts with key database providers (e.g., Ovid and ProQuest) so that you can save articles, search strategies, alerts, and more for later use.
• Set up alerts so that you keep up to date with material as it is published on your topic.
• To conduct a comprehensive search, go beyond the major indexed databases to locate grey literature.
• Manage and organise your search results using bibliographic management software such as EndNote.

Successfully retrieving relevant information begins with a clearly defined, well-structured question.

Davies, K.S. (2011). 'Formulating the evidence based practice question: a review of the frameworks', Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, vol. 6, no. 2, p. 75.

Video length: 7 min 24 sec

Developing a research question by Academic Skills, University of Melbourne (2018)

A range of standardised frameworks have been developed to assist in developing focused, answerable questions which can be easily broken down into searchable components for more relevant results.

Watch or read the below for more information on how to put together a search using operators:

Watch Plan your search (2 min 26 sec).

Read How to plan your search (PDF, 276 KB) on the Library help pages.

View the Writing your assignment page on the Study Help guide for more information on interpreting your topic and planning your search.

The Library Collection can be a useful starting point in locating information. Use the advanced search function to split your concepts on to different rows.

For example: "machine learning" OR automation OR "artificial intelligence" OR AI

AND

architecture OR "building design"

Use Refine my results on the right hand side to narrow your results. The following are useful refinements to try.

• Show only - Peer-reviewed journals
• Resource type - Book chapters
• Publication date - Limit to the last 10 years

The Library Collection does not list everything we have access to. Try a database when you are not finding relevant results in the Collection or if you want to restrict your results to a specific discipline, topic area, or material type.

Below is an example within ProQuest Central. ProQuest Central is a multidisciplinary database covering 160 subject areas including architecture, interior architecture, communication design, contemporary art, industrial design, and urban and regional planning. Ensure you only use references from this database that are from the relevant subject areas, as you may find a reference from an unrelated subject area that seems relevant but might not be appropriate to include in your literature review.

For example: "machine learning" OR automation OR "artificial intelligence" OR AI

AND

architecture AND "building design"

• Put a different concept on each line.
• Use OR to connect any similar terms (synonyms).
• Tip: Use the Find it button to locate full text articles.

Google Scholar searches only within academic or scholarly sites, rather than the whole internet. You will be able to link directly to articles that the Library has access to by clicking on the Full-text at UniSA link. Search in Google Scholar directly from the Library homepage for best access to full text references.

The Advanced search option gives more flexibility when you search. To access it, select the hamburger menu (three lines) in the top left corner of Google Scholar. This menu will appear once you do an initial search in Google Scholar.

Here is an example:

Add the phrase 'machine learning' to the 'with the exact phrase' field and add the term 'architecture' to the 'with at least one of the words' field.

BrowZine allows you to easily access and browse journals available online via UniSA. Access via Library homepage > Journals.

For your literature review, it is important that your references are from relevant sources. From the left-hand menu within BrowZine, you can filter down to your subject discipline.

You may wish to use archives in the course of researching for your literature/artefact review. Our Archival Research Guide showcases key Australian archives and can help you develop basic archival research skills.