Steps for searching the literature 

1. The question or topic - understand the research topic or question.
2. Define your terms – examine your subject area and think about the keywords you will use for your research. Identify the key concepts from your topic. Look for synonyms, alternate spellings and international variations for your subject(s). Be aware as the databases may use different terms to describe the same concept. It is recommended to use the database thesauri (list of subject terms) to identify keywords. You can download the 'Planning your Search' document and use it to develop a search as you look for library resources.
3. Combine your search terms using Boolean operators AND; OR; NOT, for example:
   • leadership AND integrity
   • participation OR involvement OR membership
4. Database searching - run your search in a library database. The key databases for sport business literature are listed under the journals and databases and journals section. Together with using Boolean operators to combine your search, enhance your database searching using truncation, wildcard, connectors, phrases and proximity database features. Refer to the section on keyword search strategies or click on the link to look at search tips across the different platforms and databases. (Note: SportDiscus is available on the EBSCOhost platform). 
5. Review your results - does your search retrieve articles relevant to your topic? If not, check that you have used Boolean operators correctly.
   • Can you broaden your search by adding alternative terms (using OR)? You may need to go back to step 2 and review your search terms.
   • If relevant results are displayed, do you have too many results? Can you apply any limits to your search? Can you add additional search terms (using AND) to narrow your search further? (Tip: narrow your search by year, content type).
6.  Manage your search - save materials such as article PDFs into a document library and/or download the citation information using reference management tools such as Endnote or Mendeley.

Keyword search strategies

You will need to use a variety of keywords to ensure you cover all aspects of the topic and apply the following strategies to combine them:

• using the Boolean logic (AND OR & NOT), for example, sport AND integrity
• think of possible synonyms and related words or phrases, for example, participation OR involvement OR membership 
• search exact phrases by enclosing the phrase in quotes, for example, "anti-match fixing" or "sport sponsorship" AND "ambush marketing"
• find a term with variant spelling  by using a hash (#), for example, entering  behavio#r will find both behavior and behaviour
• find a term with various endings by using as a truncation symbol represented by an asterisk (*), for example, inactiv* will retrieve inactive, inactivity and inactivities
• group terms together by placing them in parentheses, for example, (sport OR football OR soccer) AND marketing

View the videos on Finding Resources to learn how to search for e-books and journal articles available at  Victoria University Library.

Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Dictionaries and encyclopedias are a good starting point when researching a topic as they provide definitions, explanations or general overviews. Below are links to some of the online reference resources.

Note, you can right-click on the title and select the "open link in new tab' option to view the reference book in a separate tab.

Support for researchers

Victoria University and the VU Library provides a wide range of support services for research students and researchers.

Find out more at: https://www.vu.edu.au/researchers

The researcher development program provides a wide range of training including classes on preparing a literature review.

Research Ambassadors offer peer-researcher support and training programs.