Once you’ve chosen a topic and planned your approach, the next step is the literature search—gathering the information, sources, data, and evidence that will form the foundation of your dissertation. This stage is about exploring what has already been written, created, or discovered in your field, and working out how your own project fits into that landscape.
The Study Guide on Research provides tips and tools for using the Library, databases, archives and good quality information sources effectively to find what you need.
But research isn’t just about collecting material—it’s about reading critically, asking questions, and analysing and evaluating what you find. Keeping good notes and records is essential so you can use them to build a strong argument later. This page offers some tips for strategies and systems you can use and points you to other helpful study guides and resources.
If the topic you have chosen is one that relates to modules you have taken, you might start by going back to your Talis resource lists for those modules. These will take you to the books, articles, websites and videos that your lecturers selected for their topics or modules. A quick way to access your Talis list is to type the module code into Online Resource Lists
However, you will be expected (and will also want to) go beyond those sources that have been pre-selected and curated for your courses. This is when you need to do some independent research to find your own information.
To find your own information, you will need to have some keywords to type into the search engine. Picking the right keywords is an important part of the research process and affects your search results. You want the keywords to represent each of the main concepts in the topic you are exploring. The best keywords are single words or short phrases.
Most search engines will try to match exactly the words that you type in. This means you may need to think of alternative keywords. For example:
Be prepared to try out several different words to get the best results.
To help you to select keywords, revisit your research plan or mind map and see which words or phrases you jotted down. You could also try using a Gen AI tool and ask it to generate keywords on your topic.
You are now almost ready to start doing some focussed searching. However, before you jump into using Library Search or other search tools, take a moment to think about what sort of information you need. Is it statistics, an interview, a definition, historical background, a case study?
Different types of information are found in different types of sources and understanding this will help you to know where to look. For example:
Once you have pulled together your keywords and decided which search tool is best suited to what you want to find, it is finally time to start searching.
Here are some of the search tools you might want to use:
Searching for one keyword or phrase can mean your results are too vague and broad. If you search with several keywords, it’s a good idea to use more advanced search options, or to use some boolean operators. By doing this, your search will be more focussed and you will have fewer, but more accurate results to work with.
Boolean operators tell the search engine exactly what you are looking for and means that it relies less on relevancy ranking, which is the normal default. The two most used operators are AND and OR.
Also remember to make use of any filters such as publication date or resource type. These are quick ways to focus and narrow your search results.
The final stage of any research cycle is to review how successful your search has been and revise your search strategy accordingly.
Did your search work? Did you get too few or too many search results? Or results that just aren't relevant enough to your topic? Maybe you have discovered new keywords to include or a different angle you want to follow up?
All of these are good reasons to adjust your search and give it another try! For more advice about how to improve your search, try the [? link to Search guide?]
Part of the search stage of research is deciding whether to keep or discard what you have found. What you choose to use obviously effects the quality of your work and the strength of your arguments. So give power to your voice by making good choices.
Hopefully, the resources provided by the library can be trusted, but this doesn't mean they are always suitable for your purposes. They may not be relevant enough or current enough. So even library resources will need a quick critical evaluation.
We all know about misinformation on the internet and if you search the open web for information sources, you need to remember that anyone can publish anything online, and expert knowledge sits alongside biased opinions and complete rubbish. So these definitely need evaluating before using.
To learn more about how to think critically about sources read our [ link to critical thinking? ]
Research isn’t just about finding material—it’s about managing it effectively. As you are likely to be running lots of searches, it's important to keep track of what you find as you go.
In most search tools there is a 'pin' or favourite tool to bookmark key resources. Folders allow you to organise your results further. To ensure access to your saved items after you have clicked away from the search engine, you usually need to create your own personal account.
You can also export your search results to reference management software such as Zotero or Mendeley. Look for the citation export buttons in the search engine.
Read, Take Notes and Keep Track of References
For any extended research that involves lots of information sources over a longer period of time, it's important to be systematic and strategic. Put time aside to think carefully about your strategy and systems for the research stage, including how you will keep track of sources as you find them and how you will go about the reading and notetaking.
Reference management system
Record full details of every source as you go—author, title, date, publisher, and web links if relevant. This saves a lot of time when building your bibliography. Reference management tools (like Zotero, Mendeley or MyBib) can help keep everything in one place. Also remember to note down page numbers for any information or ideas that come from specific pages within sources - you will need this information for your in-text citations when you start drafting.
Reference management tools aren't just about referencing - by helping you store, categorise, label, tag, annotate and take notes, they are helping you process, analyse and synthesise information. This is important for synthesising your sources; and building your own understanding and argument.
To find out more about reference management systems, see the Study Guide to Referencing Tools.
Reading strategy
Start by skim reading and scanning (titles, abstracts, headings) to see if a source is relevant before reading in detail. Do this with your research question in mind, asking: How does this help me answer it?
It is important to adopt a critical perspective when reading. For advice about reading strategy, see the Study Guide to Reading and Taking Notes.
Notetaking system
Summarise key points or arguments in your own words, rather than copying large chunks of text. Keep notes organised by theme or chapter, so they’re easier to find later. See below for critical reading and a synthesis matrix templates you can download.
For more tips and tools, see the section on taking notes in the Study Guide to Reading and Taking Notes.
Synthesis Matrix
A synthesis matrix is a simple table that helps you organise, compare and synthesise sources. Instead of keeping separate notes on each book or article, you put them side by side to see how they relate. This helps you move from summary ("Author A says X") to synthesis ("Authors A and B agree on X, but Author C offers a different perspective")
How to use it:
Reviewing the Literature
A literature review is where you show how your project connects to existing knowledge, theory and debates. It demonstrates that you understand the research context for your dissertation and it helps you position your own work within it.
Always check with your course and dissertation supervisor which structure to follow. Whichever structure you follow, reviewing the literarture means: identifying the most relevant sources for your research topic; showing where ideas agree, differ, or leave gaps; and explaining how your dissertation builds on or challenges this existing work.
See the Study Guide to Literature Reviews for more tips, tools and resources.
While secondary sources (books, articles, critical texts - the literature) help you understand existing theory and debate, primary sources give you raw material to explore and analyse.
These primary sources might include artworks, artefacts, book illustrations, performances, films, TV series, exhibitions, products, digital games, archives, interviews, or even your own creative practice. In many cases, these primary sources may form the main focus of your dissertation, or serve as the case studies or examples through which you apply - or develop - theory.
The Library Archives and Special Collections hold an array of unique, eclectic and inspiring sources that you might find useful as primary sources for your research.
Analysing Primary Sources
Of course, there are many ways that you might want to use primary sources in your dissertation. A basic framework for analysing an artefact of some kind is the DIE model. This model suggests that you first describe and observe carefully by taking detailed notes on what you see, hear, or experience. You can then select and focus on what is most relevant. This description will be what you base any analysis on - connecting your observations back to theory and your research question, i.e. what does this source show or reveal?
| Describe |
What do you see/hear/experience? Focus on the factual, observable details: subject matter, medium, colours, composition, sound, movement, materials, etc. Avoid judgement at this stage. |
| Interpret |
What might it mean? Consider themes, symbolism, cultural references, intentions, interpretations, etc. Link to the literature/ apply -or develop- theory. |
| Evaluate |
So what? What does your analysis show or reveal? Reflect on the work's impact, significance, or success in its context, etc. Link to your research question and broader argument. |
This offers a simplified starting framework. Your discipline might use other more detailed or specific methods such as textual analysis, visual analysis, or discourse analysis to explore how meaning is created and interpreted within your field. See the examples in the box below for a simplified description of some.
IMPORTANT: How you go about analysing any primary sources or data is something that you will need to discuss with your course tutors and dissertation supervisor.
Contextual analysis - examining a work in relation to its broader context, such as historical period, cultural background, social conditions, or the artist/ designer/ practitioner's biography. Useful when you want to understand how external factors shape the creation, meaning, and reception of a work.
Formal analysis - a close examination of the visual or structural elements of a work (such as composition, line, colour, texture, space, rhythm, or editing in film). Useful when you want to focus on how a work is made and how its formal qualities shape meaning or affect the audience.
Textual analysis - examining written or spoken texts (novels, scripts, reviews, adverts, social media posts). Useful when you want to explore meaning, themes, or style in language.
Visual analysis - studying images, artworks, performances, films, or design objects. Useful for exploring composition, style, symbolism, or audience impact.
Discourse analysis - analysing language in context (media coverage, policies, everyday speech). Useful for uncovering underlying ideologies, assumptions, or power relations.
Content analysis - systematically counting or categorising features (themes, words, images, representations). Useful for identifying patterns or frequencies across texts or media.
Semiotic analysis - interpreting signs, symbols, and cultural codes in texts or images. Useful for exploring how meaning is constructed through symbolism.
Comparative analysis - comparing two or more works, case studies, or practices. Useful for highlighting similarities, differences, or developments over time.
Thematic analysis - identifying recurring themes or ideas in qualitative data (interviews, observations, practice notes). Useful for organising and interpreting insights from participants or creative processes.
Practice-based analysis - critically reflecting on your own creative work (art, design, performance, process). Useful when your dissertation or project involves practice-led research.
Primary research is when you generate and collect your own original data rather than relying only on existing sources. This might involve interviews, surveys, practice-based experiments, studio work, or other kinds of qualitative or quantitative methods.
Doing primary research allows you to engage directly with your subject and generate fresh insights, evidence and data that are unique to your project. It is important to plan this carefully: think about what kind of evidence will help answer your research question, how you will collect it, and any ethical considerations (such as gaining approval from your dissertation supervisor through an ethical review; and gaining informed consent from participants if you are working with people).
If you are thinking of doing primary research as part of your dissertation, the book Doing Research (Thomas 2017) provides practical advice including planning, groundwork, research design, fieldwork, analysis and writing up.
Falmouth University's Research Integrity and Ethics Handbook provides information and guidance for any primary research you undertake as part of your course at Falmouth University.
Doing Research
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It's a good idea to review your strategy and systems periodically, check that they are working for you, and adjust if required.
Are your reading strategies and notetaking systems working well? And how useful do you find your notes?
Are you finding the information and source material you need? Are you keeping track of your references as you go?
See the Study Guides below for tips and tools:
As you find out more, you may find that you need to do more researching. Maybe you have you discovered new keywords to include or a different angle you want to follow up? The research process is cyclical and iterative, and this means you might have to do more brainstorming, searching and evaluating to fully explore your topic.
Are you thinking of using primary sources or doing primary research? What data collection methods might you use? Are you thinking about how you might synthesize, analyse and evaluate what you're finding out?
Perhaps the most time consuming part of academic writing is the research and it is important that you give yourself plenty of time to read widely, so plan ahead.
It can be difficult to know when to stop researching - you will never be able to read everything. At some point you will need to change focus and commit to writing up.
After doing a lot of research you should have a lot of data and notes from your sources. The next step is to review all the information and work out the shape of your assignment, considering how you will incorporate the source material.
