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HUMS 2043 UO: Finding academic sources for your literature review

What you need to do

This page will help you identify appropriate search concepts, build a search using boolean operators and find academic sources for your literature review. 

Remember to check the assessment details on your course website.

Plan your search

Planning your search helps you find information more efficiently.

Start by:

  •  Identifying the main concepts in your research question
  •  Thinking of any alternative concepts or synonyms for each concept
  •  Connecting your concepts together using boolean (AND and OR) to form a search

A table or mindmap can be a useful strategy for doing this. 

For example, if you are researching 'youth homelessness in Australia', you could do:

Main concepts

Concept 1
youth

Concept 2
homelessness

Concept 3
Australia
Synonyms (similar concepts)

young people
young person
teenager, teen 
adolescent, adolescence         

homeless
unstable housing
unstable accommodation        

Australian                              

Tip: As you search, you may come across more concepts or synonyms you can incorporate. Don't be afraid to change or modify your search as you go.

Understand boolean operators

Boolean operators (connectors) are what you use to connect your search concepts together to form different search strategies.

The below table summarises how they work:

Boolean operator What it does Example
AND
  • Narrows your search
  • The more concepts you connect with AND the more focused your search will become
 homelessness AND Australia
OR
  • Broadens your search
  • Includes results that use different terminology
 youth OR teenager OR adolescent
NOT
  • Removes concepts from a search
  • Not recommended as you can potentially eliminate relevant results
 youth NOT adult

Watch or read the resources below to see how to put together a search using boolean operators:

Use boolean operators

Test your knowledge of boolean operators with the activity below.

Academic sources

For this assessment, you will need to use academic sources. Academic, or scholarly, is an umbrella term for several kinds of authoritative and credible sources including peer reviewed articles, some books and resources known as "grey literature".

Watch or read to learn more:

Where to search

You can start by searching the Library Collection.

However, it is recommended you also search library databases. Library databases are search tools that help you find articles, book chapters, papers and more. Try one of the following:

Watch this short video to learn more:

Start your search

You can also try searching Google Scholar.
Remember to access it through the Library Homepage to see UniSA full text.

Here is a search example using the keywords we brainstormed earlier:

  • Start by adding a few different concepts, for example:

"young people" homelessnessExample screenshot of search in Google Scholar

  • Broaden your search by adding synonyms (similar concepts) using the connector OR, for example:

("young people" OR youth OR teenage) homelessnessExample screenshot of search in Google Schola

  • To focus your search add another concept, for example:

("young people" OR youth OR teenage) homelessness AustraliaExample screenshot of search in Google Schola

  • You can limit your results by date by using the Custom range. This may help you find recent information.

Tip: You may find it easier to use the Advanced Search option. For help see:

Search in databases

Here is a example search in ProQuest Social Science Premium Collection.

1. Select the Advanced Search option (top).
2. Add a different concept (keyword) in each new line using the connector AND. For example:
"young people"
AND
homeless
AND
Australia

Screenshot of ProQuest Social Sciences Premium advanced search

3. Add any synonyms (similar concepts) to each line using the connector OR. This will broaden your search.

For example: "young people" OR youth OR adolescent OR adolescence OR teenager

Screenshot of ProQuest Social Science Premium basic search

4. Focus your search further by using the options to the left of the results (e.g. peer reviewed and publication date).

 

 

 

Tips: 

  • Use our Save time searching databases handout for more helpful hints. 
  • Use Find It button to locate the full text. Find it is a service that helps locate the full text of an article and finds it within UniSA Library Collection. 

Here is a example search in JSTOR

1. Use the Advanced Search option (search box below).
2. Add different concepts (keywords) on each new line using the connector AND. For example:
"young people"
AND
homeless
AND
Australia

3. Add synonyms (similar concepts) to each line using the connector OR. This will broaden your search. For example:
homeless OR homelessness

4. If you want to add another concept to your search, such as the risk factors of homelessness, just select Add a search box.
5. Focus your search further by using the options on the left of the results.

Tips: 

Here is a example search in Scopus

1. Add more search fields by using the plus sign + (right of the search box).
2. Add a different concept (keyword) to each line using the connector AND. For example:
"young people"
AND
homelessness
AND
Australia

Screenshot of advanced search in Scopus

3. Add synonyms (similar concepts) to each line using the connector OR. For example:
Australia OR Australian

4. Remember if you want to add more concepts select the plus sign to add another field.
5. Focus your search further by using the options on the left. Click Limit to or Exclude.

 

 

 

 

Tip:

Use our How to save time searching databases  - PDF (301.43 KB) handout for more help.

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