Research projects
Getting started
Need help starting your research?
- Contact your Library Services team via Ask the Library to make an appointment - meet with a librarian to discuss search tools and strategies
- Explore the library's online research guides
- Attend a research workshop
Like assistance with writing your thesis? PhD, Masters and Professional Doctorate by research students can access a range of services and resources
Literature review: overview
Video Length: 2 minutes 11 seconds
This short video from the Steely Library at Northern Kentucky University provides a quick introduction to literature reviews.
For help completing your literature review please see the following links:
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Literature Reviews (UniSA)Explains what a literature review is and gives guidance on how to produce one
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Introduction to literature reviews (Monash University)Provides an overview of literature reviews and the literature review process
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Literature Review (Central Queensland University)Information on the purpose of a Literature review, searching for information, analysis; synthesis of the literature and writing the review.
The Library's Systematic Review guide provides an overview of the scoping. narrative and systematic review types.
- Record your search strategy so that you (and others) can replicate the process - this is essential for systematic reviews, but 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
- Systematic review methodology was developed for medicine and healthcare, and aspects of the approach prescribed in the discipline may be inappropriate for certain social sciences research questions. Alternatives such as that developed by the UK Social Care Institute for Excellence may be more appropriate
"Successfully retrieving relevant information begins with a clearly defined, well-structured question."
Davies, KS 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 minutes 23 seconds
Developing a Research Question (Academic Skills, University of Melbourne)
The literature review: where and how to search
Some of the key search tools for Political Science:
- ProQuest CentralProvides access to more than 11,000 publications. Covers current and international content in over 160 subject areas.
Key multidisciplinary databases
- ScopusOne of the largest bibliographic, multidisciplinary databases.
- Web of ScienceBibliographic database covering sciences, social sciences and arts & humanities.
Tips for searching databases
- How to save time searching databases with truncation/wildcards/phrase searching - PDF (301KB)Different databases use a range of truncation and wildcard symbols as well as phrase searching features. This print-out explains how to use the truncation symbol * and the wildcard ? depending on the type of database.
Use limits to refine your search
Your selection criteria/parameters will determine any limits you will apply when searching, e.g. age range, male/female, English/other languages, and/or type of study.
The limits available vary across databases. You will need to adapt your search strategy to each database (e.g. search for study types as a separate search string, rather than selecting these from a refinement option).
Capture your search strategy
Most database, including ProQuest and Google Scholar, have a Search History function.
This enables you to view all of the searches that you have performed in a search session (including any limits applied), edit and re-run searches, variously combine searches and save searches for future reference. Copy or export your search history to demonstrate the search strategy used for your review
Find theses
Why?
Why look for existing theses?
- Ensure that your topic has not been, or is not being, investigated by another researcher
- Gain knowledge of other related research in your area of study
- Discover the research that has preceded your topic
- Explore methodologies and layouts used by other researchers in your field
Where?
Have a look at our Theses Library Guide
This guide will help you to search databases to find theses, find exemplars and share your thesis through the UniSA Research.
Research methods
Research methods are the techniques, processes, system or procedure followed where data or information is created and then analysed. It is essentially the way you collect your data for your thesis.
Sage research methods
Sage Research Methods is a comprehensive online collection of resources which you can access through the Library. You can explore methodological concepts to help you design your research project, understand a particular research method or identify a new method, and write up your research.
Video Length: 2 minutes 7 seconds
Methodspace
- Methodspace: 'home of the Research Methods community'Sponsored by publisher SAGE 'the site is created for students and researchers to network and share research, resources and debates...' on research methods.
Grey literature
Video Length: 5 minutes 13 seconds
- AACODS checklistJess Tyndall, Flinders University, 2010. Guidance on how to evaluate and critically appraise grey literature.
- Grey Literature and Other Sources Research GuideGrey literature defined with key sources and search techniques provided