Page 111 - DLIS006_INFORMATION SOURCES AND SERVICES

Information Sources and Services

Notes

Case Study Systematic Literature Searching and the Bibliographic
Database Haystack

he volume of material available to the academic researcher in bibliographic
databases and other online sources continues to expand at an exceptional rate.
T While the increasing volume and ease of availability of information has seemingly
made the researcher’s task of accessing relevant literature quicker and easier, it has also
created a new set of challenges.
The literature on the effective and efficient access to this rapidly evolving information
medium has lagged markedly behind its growth. The effective and systematic searching
of the variety of databases available to in particular the social and business researcher is
however an area of increasing interest.
The interrogation of online databases and other electronic searching still forms only part
of a comprehensive literature search strategy. While the ongoing need for the use of more
traditional search and inquiry techniques is still vital, the growing wealth of information
available from this source demands increased attention and skills development. Many
current research reports fail to demonstrate that electronic information sources have been
fully exploited indicating a hit-and-miss approach rather than a systematic search
methodology.
To varying extents across fields of research the deficiencies of the traditional narrative
literature review is increasingly being examined. Narrative reviews attempt to synthesize
the primary literature and explore the heterogeneity within it descriptively. The technique
relies heavily on the reviewer’s judgment and viewpoint especially when reconciling
conflicting results or when assessing the merits of confirming or confounding information.
The larger the literature base on a topic, the more pronounced these problems can become.
Despite these difficulties the narrative review continues as an important vehicle of academic
discussion, dissemination and debate.

A variety of approaches and methods have been developed to either compliment or as an
alternative to the traditional narrative review. To address the authors research question a
range of systematic methods were examined to assess their suitability. One of the more
established methods which the author has chosen to use is meta-analysis. This choice was
largely driven by conflict, contradiction and uncertainty within the literature under
examination. A preliminary literature review revealed that much of the original research
and consequent analysis was contradictory, ambiguous or speculative. Meta-analysis
requires the systematic identification and combination of quantitative studies examining
the issue or issues of interest. This is seen by the author as a suitable method to both
contrast and where possible reconcile the much larger literature base of qualitative research
on the topic.
While much of the discussion below is driven by the needs of a systematic literature
review, the literature search techniques detailed can similarly strengthen or, if neglected
compromise, all varieties of literature searching and review.
Meta-analysis and Literature Searches

Meta-analysis has gained a firm standing in both the review and synthesis of quantitative
research. It shifts much of the assessment burden from the reviewer’s judgment to a set of
assessment and statistical tools. It is also highly dependent on a comprehensive and
exhaustive literature search.
Contd....

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