When you are conducting a literature search it’s really important to record your progress, especially the details of the references you find. It’s far too easy to lose a vital reference and more difficult than you think to retrace your steps to find it again.
It’s also useful to record information about the searches you have made – what keywords you’ve used; how you’ve combined your search terms together and what information sources you’ve searched. Some databases offer a ‘search history’ option which lets you keep a record of your step-by-step search strategy.
As you record your references, it is also a good idea to use the correct form of citation. If you do this, citing correctly will become second nature. Compiling your bibliography will be a simpler task.
Have you thought about using bibliographic software such as RefWorks to manage your references? You can:
· ‘Export’ useful references found in a variety of databases to your personal space in the RefWorks database.
· Sort your saved references into online folders for better organisation;
· Manually create references found elsewhere, e.g. books, newspapers or unpublished material;
· Share these references with other researchers or with your supervisor, and in a matter of seconds,
· Create your bibliography in the reference style of your choice, e.g. Harvard.
During term time you can sign up for a RefWorks class. These take place regularly and details are on the Library training and workshop page
You can access RefWorks from the Databases link on the Library Home page .
There is other referencing software available such as Zotero and Mendeley but this is not supported by the University.