Scientific research Lector teacher Myronova O M

Scientific research Lector teacher – Myronova O. M.

TOPIC #4. Using the Literature

Why you need information in the first place It is essential with any scientific research that you identify where the work fits in with previously published work. l

You need information to: lensure that your research is not an unnecessary replication of work already carried out; linform your research design and methodological approach; lprovide the appropriate contextual, theoretical and background information; l identify other researchers interested in the same subject area; lidentify gaps in the knowledge about your topic; lconfirm basic ideas and knowledge about the subject; lidentify contemporary and current thinking about the subject; lconfirm your commitment and interest in the subject.

Types of business and management information This section lists information sources which will be useful in preparing a scientific research. l It includes books, articles, letters, committee minutes, diaries, company reports, audio tapes, video tapes, periodicals, and so on. Nowadays, information is also available on the Internet and in other electronic formats, e. g. CD-ROMs. l

Information is classified into: primary material – information which is new and original at its date of publication. It is up-to-date, detailed and accurate, and tends to be very specialized. Consequently, fewer people want to use it; it is expensive and sometimes difficult to trace. l secondary material contains information which has been published before. An example of a secondary source is a textbook. It is less specialized and not so up-to-date. As more people want to use it, it is usually less expensive and easier to get hold of. l

Primary book sources This includes: l conference proceedings, l official publications statistics, l patents and trademarks, periodicals, reports, l research in progress, standards, theses l trade literature.

Conference proceedings Business organizations, learned societies, and academic and other associations all hold conferences (also called symposia, congresses, study groups, workshops, colloquia). l People run sessions and give talks, and most them are published in special books called proceedings. l The information given at conferences is specialized and up-to-date. l

Official publications, including official statistics Governments and organizations produce large amounts of information that are very important all aspects of business. l For example, new regulations which can influence trade between nations are being published all the time. l The official publications include, for example, Acts of Parliament, departmental reports. l

Official statistics In addition to producing reports, Government departments collect data on all aspects of industrial, commercial and domestic life. l It is the Central Statistics Office which collects and collates all the data, and an Annual Abstract of Statistics is published. l

Patents and trademarks These are sometimes referred to as' intellectual property'. l With patents it is possible to carry out a patent analysis which looks at the number and type of patents published over several years in a particular area. l This can be used to show trends and possibly forecast the direction in which research and development should take place. l

Periodicals (also termed academic journals) These form one of the most important types of primary source to use. l Most business and management research is published as articles (usually called papers) in academic journals and periodicals. l The range is enormous, and there are general titles and very specialized ones. l

Reports (including market research reports) Reports are an excellent, often underused, source of information. They are published on all aspects of business and management by government departments, trade associations, academic bodies, committees, and so on. l

Standards are very important in business and may be a helpful place to search if your research involves the service industries. l Theses is a very specialized academic document, and always contains a literature review on the topic of the research. l

Secondary book sources These include bibliographies: l current awareness publications, l newspapers, l reference books, l textbooks, l Translations.

Bibliographies is a list of publications, and for each one full details are given. l Current awareness publications. This data is then re-published either in the form of indexes (publication details only), or abstract (a summary of the work plus publication details). A large number are applicable to business and management, and many of the items listed below are available on-line, in CD-ROM versions and on the Internet. l

Non-book sources This includes: • audiovisual materials; • museums; • information about organizations and companies, • people.

Guidelines on making a literature search: l Define your topic; l Decide on keyword and search terms; l Identify the best sources to use; l Supplement the information collected from other sources; l Record and evaluate the material.