Where to Find Sources for Dissertation Literature Review

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Where to Find Sources for Dissertation Literature Review

Finding reliable and high-quality sources is essential for a strong dissertation literature review. Below are some of the best places to find scholarly sources for your review:

1. University Library Databases

  • Comprehensive Resources: Most universities provide access to academic databases, journals, books, and theses. These databases are often the most reliable and comprehensive sources for your literature review.

  • Popular Databases:

    • JSTOR: A widely used database for humanities, social sciences, and other disciplines.

    • Google Scholar: A free resource that indexes scholarly articles, theses, books, conference papers, and patents.

    • ProQuest: Offers access to dissertations, journals, and other academic resources.

    • ScienceDirect: Focused on scientific, technical, and medical research.

    • PubMed: Excellent for health, life sciences, and medical research.

2. Google Scholar

  • Free and Accessible: Google Scholar allows you to search a vast range of scholarly articles, theses, books, and patents across various fields of study.

  • Citation Tracking: Google Scholar also allows you to check how often a paper has been cited, which can help you identify influential papers in your research area.

3. ResearchGate and Academia.edu

  • Academic Social Networks: Both platforms allow researchers to upload and share their work, making them great sources for finding articles and papers directly from authors.

  • Direct Access to Authors: If you find a paper that is behind a paywall, you can often request a free copy directly from the author on these platforms.

4. Open-Access Journals and Repositories

  • Public Access Resources: There are many open-access journals and repositories that offer free access to scholarly research and articles. Some of the most widely recognized ones include:

    • Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ): A collection of high-quality open-access journals across various disciplines.

    • arXiv: A repository for research in physics, mathematics, and other scientific fields.

    • PubMed Central: For freely accessible life sciences and biomedical research.

5. Institutional Repositories

  • University Repositories: Many universities have their own online repositories that archive theses, dissertations, and research publications from their students and faculty. These can be valuable resources for finding relevant research.

  • Examples: You can often find these repositories by searching your university library website or through the institutional website.

6. Specialized Subject Databases

  • Discipline-Specific Databases: Depending on your field of study, you might have access to databases that specialize in specific research areas. Examples include:

    • ERIC (Education Resources Information Center): Ideal for education-related research.

    • IEEE Xplore: Excellent for engineering, technology, and computer science research.

    • PsycINFO: A great resource for psychology and behavioral sciences.

7. Citation Tracking

  • Use Reference Lists: Look at the references in the papers you are reading and follow them to find additional sources. This “snowball” method can help you find highly relevant and influential studies in your field.

  • Cited By Feature: Many databases, including Google Scholar, offer a “cited by” feature, where you can find articles that have cited a particular paper, leading you to newer and related research.

Published by oriaku