Prepare for your dissertation – learn how to complete a literature search

 Make sure you are ready to start your dissertation by first learning how to conduct a successful literature search. Follow these steps to get the rights skills so you get the right evidence.

Do you need a comprehensive introduction to literature searching? Complete our etutorial. Let Rhonda take you through the steps to create your literature search plan.

Options within the literature searching tutorial

Feeling confident already? Check our literature searching flashcards to make sure you’re comfortable with all the steps to follow. Can you identify all the steps?

example of a literature searching flashcard

Want help to get started with your question? Use these tutorials and tools to help you to identify your question and complete your literature search more effectively; complete the relevant worksheet to help you to breakdown your question:

• Identify your question - learn how to breakdown your question to help you to identify the information you need
• Using PICO - use the PICO tool to develop a clinical question
• More analysis tools - do you know your SPICE from your PICO? Learn about more tools to help you to analyse your question
• 6ws tool worksheet (MSWord, 14kb) - you can use this tool for any type of question
• sari tool worksheet (MSWord, 15kb) - this tool is particularly helpful for essay-type assignments
• pico tool worksheet (MSWord, 15kb) - use this tool to help you to identify the clinical question
• clip question tool worksheet (MSWord, 186kb) - use this tool to help you to breakdown questions about health service management issues
• eclipse tool worksheet (MSWord, 186kb)- use this tool to help you to breakdown questions about health service management issues
• spice tool worksheet (MSWord, 186kb) - use this tool to help you to breakdown questions about social science issues

For more help:

1. Check our Information Skills etutorials page for more tutorials
2. Take a look at our Literature Searching help page for more links to help you to develop your skills
3. Book a training session with our Librarians for a Nutshells workshop or 1-to-1 support