Online Search Services
What is a Literature Search?
A literature search can retrieve a list of citations to articles, reports, papers, books, theses, proceedings, and other documents on a specific subject. Searches can include or be limited to specific subjects, authors, languages, years, or types of publications.
Each record retrieved contains information necessary to locate the complete article, book, or report. Many of these records contain abstracts which summarize the contents, thus expediting your research.
Why do a Literature Search?
A literature search is useful:- to locate a list of relevant citations with the help of experienced library staff.
- to locate articles or other materials relating to a precisely defined topic or a combination of topics.
- to create a comprehensive list of available citations on a particular topic.
Is a Literature Search Always Appropriate?
- A literature search is appropriate if:
- the topic is complex and involves two or more terms
- the topic is unique
- a thorough review of literature is needed for a research paper, thesis, grant proposal or publication
- A literature search is inappropriate if:
- only a few citations are needed and can be found easily in either printed indexes, abstracts, or bibliographies
- a single-term search would produce an unmanageable number of citations.