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Literature Searching: Home

Literature Searching for your dissertation or thesis. Frustrated with your literature search? Not sure how to find everything you need? Check out these tips and tools for a more productive and less stressful search process! All the keywords: Try out a wide variety of keywords to make sure you’ve got the right jargon for your topic. What words are the experts using? You should use them, too! All the databases: Search all the relevant databases in your research area. There are probably databases in your field you’ve never even heard of. Use the library’s Subject Guides to find the databases you’re missing. All the search tools: Use database features to make your searches more efficient, focused, and comprehensive. Limit your search by Subject, Article Type, Time Period, and more. All the citations: Scholarship is a conversation, and scholars talk to each other through citations. Look to see who’s citing whom. Use Google Scholar and Web of Science to track down citations. All the dissertations: Follow in the footsteps of the grad students who came before for useful ideas and perhaps even more useful bibliographies. Use ProQuest Dissertations and Theses and UofL’s ThinkIR to find dissertations. All the librarians: Meet with a subject librarian for expert guidance on finding sources. We love research, and we’re friendly, too! Schedule a research appointment online at uofl.me/lib-appt2. Finding everything? Keep track of it! Endnote citation management software is a must for research productivity! It’s freely available in the iTech Xpress store and allows you to create a personalized database of all your sources and generate in-text citations and bibliographies in any style.

Discover. Create. Succeed.