Literature Research for Your Thesis
You've got your topic, formulated your hypotheses, and now comes the part many people dread: finding the sources. Somewhere in the maze between Google Scholar and the university library, you need to conduct research, and you have no idea where to start.
Literature research is indeed one of the most time-consuming parts of writing a thesis – but it doesn't have to be frustrating. In this article, I'll show you exactly where and how to search for sources, what strategies to use, and how to organize the material you've collected.
What you'll learn from this article:
- ✓ The most important academic databases and how to use them
- ✓ Effective search strategies and keyword techniques
- ✓ How to evaluate source reliability
- ✓ Using reference management software (Zotero, Mendeley)
- ✓ The "snowball method" and other pro tips
- ✓ How many sources you need and what types they should be
Why is Literature Research Important?
Before diving into the practical part, let's clarify why you can't skip this phase.
Reviewing the literature isn't just a "mandatory task" – it serves multiple purposes:
- Foundations for your research: It shows what others have found and where your work fits in.
- Avoid "reinventing the wheel": You'll learn what's already known and what hasn't been researched yet.
- Establishes credibility: Your reviewers want to see that you're familiar with the field.
- Provides ideas: The methodology and conclusions of other research can inspire you.
- Supports your arguments: You need to back up your own claims with scientific sources.
Important!
In thesis evaluation, the quality and quantity of literature carries significant weight. If you only use Wikipedia and random blogs, that can result in serious point deductions – or even rejection.
What Types of Sources Exist?
Not all sources are created equal. There's a hierarchy in academic work:
Primary Sources
Original, firsthand information. This includes:
- Original research and experimental reports
- Statistical data (national statistics, Eurostat, corporate reports)
- Interviews, surveys (that you conduct)
- Legal documents, laws
- Corporate annual reports
Secondary Sources
Analysis and interpretation of primary sources:
- Academic textbooks
- Review articles
- Textbooks
- Theses, dissertations
Tertiary Sources
Summarize and organize secondary sources:
- Encyclopedias
- Dictionaries
- Bibliographies
What should you use in your thesis?
Primarily primary and secondary sources. Tertiary sources (e.g., Wikipedia) are good for getting an overview of a topic, but you shouldn't cite them in your thesis.
The optimal mix is typically: 60-70% academic articles, 20-30% textbooks, 10% other credible sources (statistics, official documents).
The Best Academic Databases
Now let's look at where to search. These are the databases worth knowing:
1. Google Scholar (scholar.google.com)
What is it? Google's academic search engine that specifically indexes scholarly publications.
Advantages:
- Free and accessible to everyone
- Huge database – you can find almost anything
- Shows who cited the article (citations = quality indicator)
- Simple search interface you're already familiar with
- Recommends related articles
Disadvantages:
- Many articles only available as abstracts (full text requires payment)
- Doesn't filter for quality – you'll find questionable sources too
Pro tip:
In Google Scholar settings, add your university library ("Library links"). This way, if your university subscribes to an article, the access link will automatically appear.
2. Scopus
What is it? One of the largest abstract and citation databases, operated by Elsevier.
Advantages:
- Only contains qualified, peer-reviewed journals
- Excellent search and filtering options
- Detailed citation data
- Author profiles – see all publications by a researcher
Disadvantages:
- Paid – requires university access
- Mainly English language sources
3. Web of Science
What is it? Operated by Clarivate Analytics, one of the oldest and most prestigious academic databases.
Advantages:
- Strict quality filtering – only top journals
- Impact Factor data (journal rankings)
- Excellent citation analysis
Disadvantages:
- Paid – requires university access
- Smaller coverage than Scopus
4. JSTOR
What is it? A digital library, particularly strong in social sciences, humanities, and business fields.
Advantages:
- Older journals also available (archive)
- Full-text search
- Book chapters also available
5. EBSCO
What is it? A platform consolidating multiple databases (Business Source Complete, Academic Search Complete, etc.).
Advantages:
- Excellent for business and economics majors
- Many full-text articles
- Most universities have subscriptions
6. ResearchGate
What is it? A social network for researchers where many upload their publications.
Advantages:
- Free
- You can request articles directly from the author
- Preprints also available
7. Academia.edu
What is it? Another academic social network where researchers share their work.
Advantages:
- Free access to many papers
- Direct contact with authors
- Follow researchers in your field
8. University Repositories
Most universities have their own digital archives where previous theses and dissertations are available. These can be excellent starting points.
| Database | Free? | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Google Scholar | Yes | Initial search, overview |
| Scopus | University access | Quality articles, citations |
| Web of Science | University access | Top journals, impact factor |
| JSTOR | University access | Social sciences, archives |
| EBSCO | University access | Business topics |
| ResearchGate | Yes | Contacting researchers |
| Academia.edu | Yes | Following researchers |
Effective Search Strategies
It's not enough to know where to search – how you search is equally important. Here are some proven techniques:
1. Choosing the Right Keywords
Search success depends on choosing the right keywords. Some tips:
- Use synonyms: Don't search for just one term. For example, alongside "home office" search for "remote work," "telework," "telecommuting."
- English keywords: Most academic publications are in English. Translate your keywords.
- Technical vs. common language: Instead of "worker happiness," try "employee satisfaction," "job satisfaction."
2. Using Boolean Operators
Most databases support these special search operators:
AND – contains both terms: "remote work" AND "productivity"
OR – contains either term: "home office" OR "remote work"
NOT – excludes the term: "marketing" NOT "digital"
" " – exact phrase: "employee engagement"
* – truncation: sustain* (sustainability, sustainable, etc.)
3. The "Snowball Method"
This is one of the most effective techniques. Here's how it works:
- Find one or two highly relevant articles on your topic.
- Look at this article's reference list – these may also be relevant (backward snowballing).
- See who cited this article (in Google Scholar: "Cited by") – these are newer, related studies (forward snowballing).
- Repeat with new relevant articles.
With this method, your source list grows exponentially, and you're guaranteed to find relevant articles.
4. Taking Advantage of Filtering Options
Most databases offer filtering options:
- Year: Filter to the last 5-10 years to get recent sources
- Document type: Article, book, conference paper, etc.
- Language: Filter by language if necessary
- Peer-reviewed: Only peer-reviewed articles
- Full text: Only those available in full text
How to Evaluate Source Reliability?
Not everything that appears on the internet is reliable. Here's what to watch for:
Peer Review
The most important quality indicator. Peer-reviewed articles are evaluated by independent experts before publication. If an article appears in a peer-reviewed journal, that's a guarantee of quality.
Impact Factor
One way to rank journals. The higher it is, the more prestigious the journal. (Shown in Scopus and Web of Science.)
Citation Count
If an article has been cited many times, it usually means it's important in the field. But note: new articles don't have citations yet – that doesn't mean they're bad.
Author's Background
Who wrote it? A university researcher? What institution do they work for? Do they have other publications on the topic?
Recency
In rapidly changing fields (e.g., technology, marketing), sources older than 10 years may be outdated. In stable fields (e.g., theories), older classics are also valuable.
Don't cite these!
- • Wikipedia (good starting point, but not a source)
- • Random blogs and websites
- • Non-peer-reviewed online articles
- • Outdated sources (if newer ones exist)
- • Publications from questionable publishers ("predatory journals")
Reference Management Software: Zotero and Mendeley
If you don't use reference management software, life will be much harder. These programs:
- Save and organize your sources
- Automatically generate citations
- Create your bibliography
- Sync across multiple devices
Zotero
Advantages:
- Completely free (with 5 GB storage)
- Open source
- Excellent browser integration
- Word and Google Docs plugin
- Group work support
Mendeley
Advantages:
- Built-in PDF reader and annotation
- Social features – see what others are reading
- Modern, intuitive interface
- 2 GB free storage
How to use it?
- Install the program and browser extension
- When you find a good source, click the extension – it saves automatically
- Organize into folders (by topic, chapter)
- While writing, use the Word/Docs plugin for citations
- At the end, automatically generate the bibliography
How Many Sources Do You Need?
The exact number varies by university, but here's a general guideline:
| Thesis Type | Recommended Minimum |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's (BA/BSc) | 15-25 sources |
| Master's (MA/MSc) | 30-50 sources |
| Doctoral (PhD) | 100+ sources |
But don't just focus on quantity! Quality and relevance are more important. Better to have 20 highly relevant, quality sources than 40 weak ones.
Reading and Note-Taking from Sources
Finding sources is just the first step. After that, you need to read them – and that's time-consuming. Some tips for efficient reading:
1. Don't Read Everything!
First, read:
- The title and abstract
- The introduction and conclusion
- The chapter headings
These will tell you if it's relevant. If yes, then read it in detail.
2. Take Notes
For each source, note down:
- The main claim/result
- The methodology used
- How it relates to your topic
- Important quotes (with page numbers!)
3. Group by Topics
The literature review isn't a list – it's a structured overview. Group sources by themes, viewpoints, or time periods.
What to Do If You Can't Access an Article?
It's a common problem to find a perfect article, but the full text is behind a paywall. What can you do?
- Check university access: Your university might subscribe – try from the university network or VPN.
- Look on the author's website: Many researchers upload their articles to personal or institutional pages.
- ResearchGate: You can request the full text directly from the author.
- Interlibrary loan: The university library can order it from another library.
- Email the author: Request a copy by email – most researchers are happy to send it.
Summary: The Steps of Literature Research
- Define your keywords (in multiple languages if applicable)
- Start with Google Scholar for the initial overview
- Use university databases (Scopus, EBSCO, etc.) for quality sources
- Apply the snowball method to find relevant articles
- Evaluate source quality (peer review, citations, author)
- Use reference management software (Zotero or Mendeley)
- Take notes and group by topics
- Continuously expand the list during thesis writing
Literature research is time-consuming, but if done well, writing the thesis will be much easier. Don't leave it to the last minute – start early and continuously expand your source list!
Organizing Your Reading Process
With potentially dozens or even hundreds of sources to review, having a systematic reading process is essential. Create a reading schedule that allocates specific time blocks for literature research. Some students find it helpful to dedicate mornings to reading when their concentration is highest, saving writing for afternoons.
Consider using a matrix or spreadsheet to track your sources. Columns might include: citation information, main argument, methodology, key findings, relevance to your research, and notes for your literature review. This approach makes it much easier to synthesize sources later when you are actually writing.
Staying Current Throughout Your Thesis Journey
Literature research is not a one-time task. New publications appear throughout your thesis writing period. Set up Google Scholar alerts for your main keywords to receive notifications when new relevant articles are published. Check these periodically and add significant new sources to your review. Being aware of the latest research demonstrates scholarly currency and can strengthen your arguments.
Pro Tip: Literature Review as Argument
Remember that a literature review is not just a summary of sources. It is an argument that establishes why your research is needed. As you organize your sources, think about the story you are telling. What is the current state of knowledge? Where are the gaps? How does your research address those gaps? This narrative thread transforms a list of sources into a compelling argument for your research.
If you have more questions about thesis writing, check out our other articles too!