Step 2: Plan Your Approach
After you have determined your research question, it is important to discern what method you will use to research, and which specific terms you will use to conduct your search. Determine what kind of literature you want to look at, whether it be journal articles, books, electronic resources, newspapers, or even other literature reviews on similar topics.
You will also need to determine what databases you want to use based on your topic. Toronto Metropolitan University has over 300 databases available to students, visit the A-Z List.
However, it would be beneficial to narrow down your search in your topic according to the relevant discipline. For example, if you were writing a literature review for a class in social work, you would benefit from using the the Social Work databases.
Guide to Finding Articles
Make a list of databases, resources, or source types you want to search. Are you only interested in scholarly peer reviewed journal articles or would newspapers also help your search?
Guide to Finding Newspapers
Guide to Finding Books
Books & EBooks
Building Research Design in Education by ISBN: 9781350019492Publication Date: 2018-06-14Building Research Design in Education provides insights into the ways in which foundational knowledge of research and research processes can be applied in order to build rigorous research design. If your research is to have meaning and value, this text will enable you to make informed choices and decisions about your design, bearing in mind the complex ideas and theoretical framing needed to underpin it.
Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review by ISBN: 9781473912465Publication Date: 2016-08-15Showing you how to take a structured and organized approach to a wide range of literature review types, this book helps you to choose which approach is right for your research. Packed with constructive tools, examples, case studies and hands-on exercises, the book covers the full range of literature review techniques.
Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review by ISBN: 9780857021359Publication Date: 2012-01-24Reviewing the literature is an essential part of every research project. This book takes you step-by-step through the process of approaching your literature review systematically, applying systematic principles to a wide range of literature review types. Through numerous examples, case studies and exercises, the book covers often neglected areas of literature review such as concept analysis, scoping and mapping.
Internet Resources
- Choosing Which Method to UseIn this video, Pat Bazeley discusses how to choose which research method to use.
- Planning and Practicalities by David ByrneResearch is a craft. We can be very competent research craft workers, but if we don't know how we are making and justifying our claims for knowing the world, then our research will go nowhere useful.