Find out what the current issues are by browsing through our magazines in the Library such as Nursery World for government policy and features on new practices and projects, or Practical Pre-School for news and topical reports which you may decide to investigate further. Online, you can find very recent articles by restricting your search in Discover to very current information, or limit your results to Trade (Practitioner) Magazines which tend to have more news and commentary.
If you know the area you are interested in, revisit some of your textbooks. Many contain case studies or discussion questions that you can use to get ideas. For example, Brock's Perspectives on Play includes case studies and reflective questions which you may want to follow up in more detail; Daly's Early Years Management in Practice includes case studies and 'think it over' questions. Find recent editions of books on your topic which will discuss the latest research and debates. Most textbooks include key articles at the end of each chapter - it might be worth reading a few of these to get ideas.
Once you have identified a topic, log on to Discover and run some basic searches to see how much research is available on your topic. This will help you narrow down your ideas and start working out some possible research questions. For more advice on how to devise a research question, the following textbooks may be helpful:
Once you've decided on a topic, you should start doing some preliminary research to get an idea of what information is available. Think about the type of information you need - this will direct the type of search you need to do.
For scholarly articles which apply theory to primary research, use Discover. You will need to make decisions on how recent your research needs to be, bearing in mind that there may be older studies that might still be useful. You can also narrow by keywords, where possible using specialised terminology such as "heuristic play" or an issue such as "per pupil funding". You will also need to think about alternative terms - create strings of related terms such as "preschool" OR "early childhood". Use official terms if possible, and if a term is shortened to its initials, use both versions - for example "early childhood education and care" OR "ECEC" to make sure you pick up on all the articles in your area. After running your search, click on Academic Journals in the Source Types list to restrict your search.
To find articles or commentary from the industry itself, look at practitioner magazines such as Nursery World and Practical Pre-school in the library - or search their websites. In Discover, select both Magazines and Trade Publications in the Source Types list - however, be aware that many of the results may refer to US research. Practitioner resources are useful for the latest news, trends, profiles of key people in the industry, and career information. Also keep an eye on the key government departments - Ofsted, Department of Education, and the Standards and Testing Agency (for information on the EYFS).
If you are interested in a topic that is changing fast, it can be useful to set up emails or follow an organisation on Twitter to get the latest information. Click on the 'Keeping up-to-date' tab for more information and some suggestions.
Find 2 or 3 good articles in Discover and check them in Google Scholar. (For more information on Google Scholar, go to the Articles & Journal tab at the top of this page, and click on the Google Scholar tab). Find your article, and click on the link to 'related articles' to find articles on a similar topic, or click on the title of the article to view the references. Google Scholar also has a brilliant feature of linking your article to any new articles that cite it. Click on the link Cited By to see more recent articles. You may not be able to link to them directly, but you can check by setting up Library Links (see the video below) which will tell you if the article is available in our online library. You can also check by logging in to our A-Z list of journal titles and typing in the journal name. If we do have that journal you will see a link that you can click on to browse the volumes, and find your article.
If you can't find the journal, or if you find a book mentioned on a website or Amazon, you may be able to order it on Inter-Library Loan. Click on our Moodle ILL page hereand fill in the form.
Set up Google Scholar links
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This link opens in a new windowEmerald Insight is a database of over 300 peer-reviewed journals. Subject coverage of the journals includes marketing, human resource management, training, economics, hospitality management, quality, engineering, built environment, health services management, social care, accounting, and organisation studies.
This link opens in a new windowYou can search the A to Z of Journal Titles to access the full text of over 20,000 journals in electronic format. Some of these journals are electronic versions of journals that are held in the Library, in our print collection. Some are journals that the Library does not have in our print collection, but which are made available as part of a database collection - Emerald, Computer Source, SPORTDiscus, General OneFile and Lexis Library for example.
A literature review is a survey of all the significant research that has been published on your topic. You can use it to identify current issues or problems that you would like to research further, and show that you understand the background to your topic. It is also useful to read how other researchers have carried out their research - how they gathered primary research, their methods of analysis, any problems they encountered - as well as what their findings were. You can see how theories have been applied to real life situations, and perhaps decide to use similar methodologies or approaches in your own research.
Remember that you are not expected to read everything that has ever been published on your topic. Read selectively, and only discuss the research that directly applies to your topic or that contributes to your understanding. You may want to narrow your research by:
You will not have time to properly read every article that you find in a database search to select which articles to review. Get used to scanning articles or reading just the abstract to decide if it is relevant.
Finally, remember that a Literature Review is not a summary of every article. Once you have selected the best articles for your review, read through them carefully and identify the sections that are relevant. When you are writing your review, use sub-headings to identify themes, and use the sections of the articles you have identified as evidence in your discussion - noting where authors agree or disagree on a topic, where findings differ, and linking them to form an argument. There is a good discussion on how to write a literature review in the books listed below which include examples and ideas to organise your approach.
There are many tools to help you organise your work. You can save references in Word which can be easily imported as citations or into bibliographies. You can create profiles in Discover, EBSCO databases and Emerald to save items to view later, and export citations. If you have a large number of articles, websites and book records to keep track of, we recommend you start using referencing software. Using something like Menderley will allow you to create your own online library, where you can store and manage everything you want to keep in one place, saving you time. Referencing software allows you to:
For links and guidance, click on the tab on Referencing management software.
Research in the Early Years by
This new text is the only resource out there to address the needs of today's early years students/trainees and support them through every stage of the early years research process. Research in the Early Years contains case study material in the form of four fictional students' experiences, which run through the book. Readers follow these example students through their dissertation module as they address common problems, issues and pitfalls. Clear explanations and a step-by-step approach are balanced with sufficient depth and rigour to challenge those on undergraduate courses or following graduate programmes such as EYPS.
Child Observation by
This is a key text that enables students to appreciate and understand the central role of observation in understanding, planning for and educating early years children. It explores the theoretical background to child observation and links it back to practice. Recent important research in the field of child observation is highlighted and ethical implications of research in early childhood are considered. This is essential for all those studying for degrees and foundation degrees in early childhood, early years and related disciplines and for Early Years Teacher candidates. Updated in line with recent policy and legislation changes A new chapter on observation documentation in the multi-modal age Includes new material and case studies that explores the essential elements of child observation across the world Research chapter re-written to make it more accessible for all students More case studies throughout linking theory to practice.
Doing Your Early Years Research Project by
This bestselling guide to undertaking your Early Years research project takes the reader on a practical step-by-step journey. Breaking down each section into accessible and digestible topics, and accompanied by a multitude of practical examples, case studies, research summaries and key points, the author brings this process to life. The updated and revised fourth edition includes: Useful additional resources at the end of each chapter Extended material on the child's voice within research Signposted glossary terms throughout the text Updated website materials for further study From learning how to structure and organise your project, through to the final presentation and written report of your findings, this is the essential guide and companion for undergraduate and postgraduate students throughout their early childhood and social science courses. Guy Roberts-Holmes will be discussing key ideas in Doing Your Early Years Research Project, a SAGE Masterclass for early years students and practitioners in collaboration with Kathy Brodie.
Research Methods in Early Childhood by
The Third Edition of Research Methods in Early Childhood provides a clear and comprehensive guide to the different types of research methods, with a particular focus on how these methods can be used in early childhood. Known for its supportive writing style, this best-selling text follows a linear and progressive structure that logically helps students work effectively through their course. Using examples, case studies, and reflection points, the book then expertly illustrates how to translate theory into practice. Penny Mukherji and Deborah Albon will be discussing ideas from Research Methods in Early Childhood in the SAGE Early Years Masterclass, a free professional development experience hosted by Kathy Brodie.
