Description. Conducting a comprehensive literature search for a dissertation, thesis, or other large-scale project can be a challenging endeavor, even for the most experienced researcher. How do you know if you’re searching in the right place? How do you identify the most important or influential studies on your topic? How do you know if you’ve truly found everything? Addressing these common questions from an interdisciplinary perspective, this interactive workshop will focus on managing the research process at the graduate level. Participants will learn how to construct more productive and efficient searches, as well as track citation patterns over time. We will also discuss the role of the free web in literature searches and highlight strategies for locating relevant research outside a primary domain of expertise.

Learning Outcomes. As a result of this workshop, students will: Define criteria for a comprehensive scholarly literature search; Develop appropriate strategies for searching in a vast and complex digital environment lacking in traditional discipliary boundaries; Recognize valuable resources that provide insight into the larger context of the literatures in a given field. 

Presenter(s). Amber Willenborg is an Assistant Professor and the Online Learning and Digital Media Librarian at Ekstrom Library. She teaches a variety of research instruction sessions that are customized to courses in a number of disciplines (with a special focus on Women & Gender Studies) and provides research assistance to students and faculty.

Sarah Drerup is the STEM Librarian at Ekstrom Library. She works with faculty and students in Biology, Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Math, and related areas, assisting with research and working to ensure the Library’s collections in those areas are supporting their research and teaching needs.

Please register for this event here.