STAGE 2: Justifying the Research Problem

Gathering background information

The purpose of sourcing out background information is to get a general grasp on the research problem. It is vital to search effectively, and here are three different approaches you can take to kickstart your research process:

1. Databases - EBSCOhost (Supported by SMU Libraries)
2. Google Scholar
3. Generative AI - Scite.AI (Supported by SMU Libraries)

What you use to go about gathering information is up to you, it can be a mixture of approaches, or just one. However each approach has its own pros and cons, which you can find out more below.

Search Engine	Advantages	Disadvantages
EBSCOhost Database	Can access a vast collection of scholarly sources that focus on specific subject areas, and that are reliable and reputable Keyword searching is extremely efficient and allows precise search queries using keywords and Boolean operators, saving time	Might require some learning curve for advanced search techniques
Google Scholar	Familiar and easy-to-use interface Able to do specify searches with Boolean operators and filters for publication date relevance	Search options can be less precise compared to databases Not all sources are peer-evaluated, and credibility must be assessed carefully
SciteAI	AI generated summaries make it easier to grasp information, no need to read through to sift sources as much - some of the work has already been done for you Helps to give a skeleton of how various sources link with each other	AI may not be able to filter irrelevant publications as much Too much dependence on AI tools might make you miss out on other critical sources that the AI did not mention

Toggle the tabs below to learn more about each method.

• Using databases (EBSCOhost)
• Using Google Scholar
• Using Generative AI (Scite)

Conducting a Literature Review

Conducting a literature review is extremely helpful in organising your thoughts and synthesising your sources to develop your research, and it has two main components:

Review and summarise	What research has already been done Phenomena, theories, evidence etc Recurring themes among sources Any conflicting findings
Evaluate and discuss	The existing content Relevance of the various sources The credibility, research framework and methodology As well as... Input your insights and interpretations from what you understand

A.R.T.S. for a Good Literature Review:

• Audience Awareness: "Who is your research speaking to?"
  Consider the groups your inquiry impacts. Exploring various perspectives enriches your review and provides a balanced view.
• Reference Utilisation: "Expand with References"
  Consider the reference lists of your chosen articles and books. This will help broaden the scope of your literature review and uncover additional relevant sources.
• Thematic Structure: "Craft a Clear Structure"
  Organise your review logically — chronological or thematic. Choose a structure that best fits your topic and helps in presenting a coherent narrative.
• Selective Sourcing: "Be Selective and Stay Purposeful"
  Ensure each source has a clear rationale, is current, and adds value to your review.

After conducting your literature review, you would have identified gaps in the existing body of knowledge. A well-grounded literature review is vital to support the next stages of your research.