research methodology-01: review of research literature

Dr. Chetan B. BhattPrincipal,Government Engineering College,Sector – 28, Gandhinagar

Research MethodologyReview of Research Literature

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Unit - II

2

Review of Research Literature: Purpose and use of literature review, locating relevant information, use of library & electronic databases, preparation & presentation of literature review, research article reviews, theoretical models and frame work. Identification of gaps in research, formulation of research problem, definition of research objectives.

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Presentation Outline

3

Research ProcessLiterature Search

Purpose and UseLocating Relevant Information

Citation Index ServicesSearch Engine

Bibliography management

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Research Process

4

Identify Topic of Interest

State Unsolve

d Problem

s

Find or Develop Solution

Generate

Related Questio

ns

Literature Search

Documentation

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Research Process

5

Identify Topic of Interest

State Unsolve

d Problem

s

Find or Develop Solution

Generate

Related Questio

ns

Literature Search

Documentation

Literature Search (Review) is not one – time process, it is

iterative

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Research Process

6

Identify Topic of Interest

State Unsolve

d Problem

s

Find or Develop Solution

Generate

Related Questio

ns

Literature Search

Documentation

Research Proposal

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Research Process

7

Identify Topic of Interest

State Unsolve

d Problem

s

Find or Develop Solution

Generate

Related Questio

ns

Literature Search

Documentation

Research Papers/Progress report

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Research Process

8

Identify Topic of Interest

State Unsolve

d Problem

s

Find or Develop Solution

Generate

Related Questio

ns

Literature Search

Documentation

Synopsis

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Research Process

9

Identify Topic of Interest

State Unsolve

d Problem

s

Find or Develop Solution

Generate

Related Questio

ns

Literature Search

Documentation

Thesis

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Research Process

10

Identify Topic of Interest

State Unsolve

d Problem

s

Find or Develop Solution

Generate

Related Questio

ns

Literature Search

Documentation

Literature Search (Review) is not one – time process, it is

iterative

ThesisResearch Papers/Progress reportResearch

Proposal

Synopsis

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Purpose of Literature Search

11

A literature search serves three important functionsGives background informationDemonstrate your familiarities with research

in your fieldShows how your work contributes to body of

knowledge in your field

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Review Report

12

The review report demonstrateWhat others have accomplished in your filed

and how your work differs from works of others.

You demonstrate your understanding of the relevant works of others and your ability to summarize this information, for convenience of your reader

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Finding Sources

13

Sources of literature are –LibraryInternet

Sources are generally described as –Primary: primary sources are “materials of that you

are directly writing about, the raw material of your own research”

Secondary: books and articles in which other researchers report the results of their research based on (their) primary data or sources

Tertiary: tertiary sources are “books and articles based on secondary sources, on the research of others”

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Primary Sources

14

Examples of primary sources are data sets, computer runs, computer programs, scale models, drawings, and engineering notebooks. A well-kept engineering notebook can provide valuable information for later documentation of test conditions and assumptions, materials used, observations as well as measurements, and unusual occurrences that prompted further testing.

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Secondary Sources

15

Examples of secondary sources include conferences, proceedings, journals, and books. Journal articles are often the most current source of information on a topic of study that is new or subject to rapid change. Lists of references at the end of each journal article can provide leads to further sources.

Engineering journals are typically field-specific.

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Tertiary sources

16

Examples of tertiary sources include dictionaries, encyclopedias, guides, and handbooks. “Dictionaries and encyclopedias are excellent starting points for research. They can provide general background information to help narrow or broaden the focus of a topic, define unfamiliar terms, and offer bibliographies of other sources.

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Problems for novice researcher

17

As a beginner researcher, two of the most common problems one might encounter are –Not knowing where to

find sourcesOnce sources are

located, not knowing how to sift or sort through excess of information to determine what is useful

Where are resources?

Where I am? What is useful?

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Systematic ApproachFor literature Search and Bibliography Management

18

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Problems for novice researcher

19

As a beginner researcher, two of the most common problems one might encounter are –Not knowing where to

find sourcesOnce sources are

located, not knowing how to sift or sort through excess of information to determine what is useful

Where are resources?

Where I am? What is useful?

1. Not knowing where to find sources

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

A Search Plan

20

Consider how the topic progress through the research documentation life cycle.There are two approaches –

1. Look for books that are currently accepted reference text in your research area and find out who has cited them in recent years.

2. Look for original (seminal) reports, papers or these written by known experts and see who has cited them in recent years.

For these two approaches; Citation Index becomes a very important source.

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Citation Index

21

A citation index is a kind of bibliographic database, an index of citations between publications, allowing the user to easily establish which later documents cite which earlier documents.

Major citation indexing servicesThere are two publishers of general – purpose academic citation index (available to library for subscription) are –Thomson Scientific publishes ISI (Institute of Scientific

Information) citation index in print and CD form, available on line with name “Web of Science”; which in turn part of “Web of Knowledge”

Elsevier, which publishes “Scopus”, available online only. IEEE Xplore (http://ieeexplore.ieee.org)ACM (Association for Computing Machine) Digital Library (

http://dl.acm.org)

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Universally Available Free Citation Tools

22

Universally available free citation tools are –CiteBase (http://www.citebase.org); not yet

complete for academic evaluation. However papers’ abstract are available.

CiteSeerX (http://citeseer.ist.psu.edu) Google Scholar (http://scholar.google.com)Microsoft Academic Search (

http://academic.research.microsoft.com)

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Next step in literature search

23

After locating and reading at least the abstract of these papersCategorize the available papers by topic and

authors’ technical interest in a topic. (As most of the work is interdisciplinary)

Then look at the reference list for new papers. (As not all citation search provides similar result)

There are two possibility one may haveHave too few informationHave too many information

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Have too few information

24

If you have too few or no information, then topic might be too narrow –Look for new topic heading or terms any

newly found used for information cataloging. Search for that term in database

If search still yields little information, get help from library personnel or expert in field of your research.

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Have too many information

25

Plan to scale down your search to a manageable amount.

Specific aspects of a filed of study are often listed in annotated bibliographies.

Journal specific to a field can be a good resource.

Get advice from expert.

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Another sources of information: Search Engines

26

OAIster database (freely accessible); http://www.oclc.org/oaister/; Union catalog of millions of record available as open resource by Open Archive Initiative

Ebookee (http://ebookee.com) by tradepub (they provide many digital magazine at no charge)

Complete Planet O’Reilly’s CD Bookshelf (book accessible on-line)WebBrain (mind mapping site, provides

perspective of individual/organization) Google …and other general purpose search

engine

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Another sources of information: Library services

27

INFLIBNET (http://www.inflibnet.ac.in)Networked Digital Library of Theses and

Dissertation (http://www.ndltd.org) paid service (individual member charge is $25)

etd@iisc (http://etd.ncsi.iisc.ernet.in/); eprints@iisc (http://eprints.iisc.ernet.in/)

The DBLP computer science bibliography (http://dblp.uni-trier.de/db/index.html)

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Lost in Cyber Space/Information Overload

28

As a beginner researcher, two of the most common problems one might encounter are –Not knowing where to

find sourcesOnce sources are

located, not knowing how to sift or sort through excess of information to determine what is useful

Where I am? What is useful? So

much of information

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Lost in Cyber Space/Information Overload

29

As a beginner researcher, two of the most common problems one might encounter are –Not knowing where to

find sourcesOnce sources are

located, not knowing how to sift or sort through excess of information to determine what is useful

Information Overload / lost in

cyber space

Where I am? What is useful? So

much of information

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Lost in Cyber Space/Information Overload

30

As a beginner researcher, two of the most common problems one might encounter are –Not knowing where to

find sourcesOnce sources are

located, not knowing how to sift or sort through excess of information to determine what is useful

Information Overload / lost in

cyber space

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Tools to Manage Research

31

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Best Practices

32

Keep bibliographic trailKeep track of sourceUse tool to search resources on your desk -

topUse bibliography management tool

Use standard template (Microsoft Office/LaTeX/OpenOffice) for writing papers, reports, and thesis

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Keep Track of Resources

33

Location of resourcesDate of accessTitleAuthorsPage numbersYear of publicationLibrary Call Number (LCN), International

Standard Book Number (ISBN), International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Search resources on desk-top

34

There are many tools available for desk-top search. Use one of desk-top search tool of your choice.Copernic Desk Top Search (

http://www.copernic.com/en/products/desktop-search/index.html) (free home version)

Google Desk Top SearchWindows Desk Top Searchand ….many more

Disk catalog tool

Bibliography Management Tools: Features

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

35

There are six basic requirements expected from a bibliographic manager. Listed down below is a functional decomposing of these requirements.

Search: Search all the available academic/non-academic databases. Store: Store the reference and possibly a soft copy of the reference.

Viewer: View soft copy (doc, pdf, etc.). Annotate: Keep notes on the reference.

Overall: Just a single note on the reference Anywhere: A note anywhere in the document

Communicate: Import from and export to different formats. Import (BibTex, End Note, XML, etc.) Export (BibTex, End Note, XML, etc.)

Platform: Run on different platforms (Linux, Windows, etc.) Presentation: Present the data to some standard formats.

Formats (MLA, APA, etc.) Document (doc, pdf, html, etc.)

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Bibliography Management Tools: Off - line

36

Some bibliography tools are –JABREFMicrosoft Office Citation and Bibliography ToolsZotero (Bibliography plug-in for Firefox) and have

plug-in to insert citation in MS-Office and OpenOffice.

EndNote by Thomson Reuters (paid)On-line tools

WebCite (archive web pages)OttoBib.com (alphabetic citation creation for

Books from a list of ISBN)KnightCite (free online tool hsted

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Bibliography Management Tools: On - line

37

On-line toolsWebCite (archive web pages)OttoBib.com (alphabetic citation creation for

Books from a list of ISBN); http://www.ottobib.com/

KnightCite (free online tool hosted by Calvin College; http://www.calvin.edu/library/knightcite/)

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

Writing Style

38

There are various research writing style such as –APA Style (American Psychological

Association)Chicago Manual of Style/ Turabian StyleColombia Guide to Online Style (CGOS)MLA (Modern Language Association) StyleHarvard StyleCBE Style (Council of Biology Editors)LSA (Linguistic Society of America)

Templates are available for all these style and Bibliography management tools generate citation in various style.

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda

References

39

Lois E. Reed, ‘Performing a literature review’ (publication journal is unknown)

Other resources references are in slide as web link.

© Dr. C. B. Bhatt, VGEC, Chandkheda40

Click icon to add picture