Finding Research Effectively

1
Finding Research Effectively

• Kirsten Robinson

2
Some research methods

• Work from known sources
• Track back
• Track forward
• Search trusted journals and websites
• Search for known authors
• Ad hoc searches

3
Systematic Literature Review

• From Evidence-Based Medicine
• Goal find high-quality sources through thorough
  and unbiased search of online resources
  (Tranfield, Denyer, Smart, 2002).
• Designed for large-scale research projects
• Can be simplified for our purposes

4
Step 1. Frame question

• Example What is the most effective use of text
  and graphics to support a variety of learning
  styles on a digital photography website?

5
Step 2. Identify sub-themes

• Examples
• What are learning styles? How many? Names?
  Characteristics?
• Which learning styles prefer text vs. graphics?
• What guidelines exist for designing tutorials and
  procedures, especially web-based?
• Is there any research on the usability of digital
  photography websites?

6
Step 3. Identify keywords

• Pick out keywords for searching from your
  question and sub-themes.
• Identify synonyms, root words, spelling
  variations, etc.
• Make a list of possible search terms.

7
Example keywords

• Learning, learn
• Style
• Text, word
• Graphic, picture, illustration, diagram
• Tutorial
• Procedur

• Web, internet
• Usability, design
• Digital
• Photograph, photo
• CBT, computer-based training, WBT, web-based
  training
• Web application

8
Step 4. Know your databases

• Identify databases you will search
• Proquest
• ACM Digital Library
• Google
• Find out what advanced search techniques are
  supported
• stemming, wildcards
• phrase searches
• Booleans
• near searches

9
Step 5. Search

• Build searches from multiple keywords and
  techniques
• Aim for a good sized set of results
• Define good size depending on your purposes
• 100-400 for large research project
• 50 or less for a short paper

10
Step 5 continued

• Too many results
• Add more keywords
• Restrict search using AND or near technique
• Quote phrases
• Restrict search to citation and abstract
• Too few
• Drop words
• Use wildcards
• Add synonyms using OR
• Use OR instead of AND

11
Example search refinement

• Proquest
• learning style 1,420 results
• learning style restricted to citation and
  abstract 105 results
• learning style AND web 20 results
• learning style AND (text OR word) AND
  (graphic OR picture OR illustrat OR diagram)

12
More examples

• Topic knowledge integration and organizational
  transformation in ERP projects
• Knowledge w/5 integrat
• ERP AND knowledge AND (shar OR transfer OR
  integrat)
• (organi?ation OR organi?ational) w/5 transform

13
Step 6. Evaluate

• Review titles, journals, authors first
• Then look at abstracts
• Establish criteria for using research
• Relevance
• Type experiment, case study, advice, review?
• Journals reputation
• Authors reputation
• Reference list
• Citation
• Methods

14
Step 6 continued

• Tip If you dont have time to review results
  immediately, copy down the searches that worked
  well and the number of results from each.

15
Source

• Tranfield, D., Denyer, D., Smart, P. (2002,
  April). Developing an evidence-based approach to
  management knowledge using systematic review.
  Proceedings of EURAM (pp. 1-29). Stockholm
  Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship. Retrieved
  February 11, 2004, from http//www.sses.com/public
  /events/euram/complete_tracks/collaborative_manage
  ment_research/tranfield_denyer_palminder.pdf