Literature Searching

1. What exactly is a literature search?

A literature search is in essence a detailed and organised search for work that has been done in your field of interest. The results are carefully recorded, and the searches themselves should be reproducible.

Broadly speaking, post-graduate and academic research is a source-driven process, and it is likely that during the course of your work you will make use of a greater range of information formats than previously. The picture below indicates some of the source materials you may encounter, although exactly what you use will be determined by your subject. 

It is also the case that the applied nature of certain areas of study and research means that our information needs will often extend beyond scholarly, peer-reviewed academic literature to include professional/vocational information, publications and services.

The prsentation below highlights the important differences between academic information and professional or vocational information:

Academic vs professional information

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