Searching like a pro. Online course on literature searching.
Extent of research: when do I stop researching? (1/10)
There is no single definite response to the question of how much research is enough or what extent of research your work requires. Consider your topic or the research question from different points of view and look at it critically. Try to find the most relevant literature covering your topic and your research question. You could use the following questions to help you establish the possible scope of your research:
- What are the requirements of your course? Are you expected to work through the complete research in the field or will it suffice to cover fundamental literature and recent publications?
- What level or scope is expected from your paper? For a term paper, for example, you will need fewer resources than for a bachelor or master thesis.
- Is the ratio between books and articles adequate? The answer, of course, depends on your academic discipline and your research question.
- Is your paper based on theoretical literature review or empirical research? A theoretical work may require more sources than research based on empirical data.
Another deciding factor in setting the scope of one’s research is the amount of time you have for the given assignment.
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