Finding Information

There are many different sources of information that you could use to access information and literature related to your research. Searching libraries for books on any particular issues is a good starting point.

There is also a wealth of useful information hidden within journals and periodicals. Sometimes these journal articles are difficult to access. Many libraries (especially academic libraries such as those attached to Universities) now have electronic databases that you can use to locate specific articles. Sometimes they produce only a reference and it is then up to you to find the specific location of the journal, other times full copies of articles may be accessible via the database itself.

The University of Auckland Library www.library.auckland.ac.nz
Victoria University Library www.vuw.ac.nz/library
Massey University Library http://library.massey.ac.nz
Otago University Library www.library.otago.ac.nz
Waikato University Library www.waikato.ac.nz/library
Auckland City Libraries www.aucklandcitylibraries.com
Wellington City Libraries www.wcl.govt.nz
Christchurch City Libraries http://library.christchurch.org.nz/

Useful information may also be available for download from the internet. A simple google search may provide you with a number of sources of information. It is important however when using the internet for research purposes that you are reviewing material from a reliable resource. Due to the free and open access to the internet there can be no quality control of information that goes on-line. It is instead the users job to filter through information and make decisions about what is useful and what is not.

It is always important to reference any material taken from the internet as you would with written material. There are also many forms of written articles and books which may be accessed and downloaded directly from the internet.

E.g. www.kaupapamaori.com

A number of research organisations also have copies of their publications on-line. It may be useful checking other Māori research organisations sites to find references and sources for their publications and research reports.

http://temata.massey.ac.nz/publications.htm
http://www.arts.auckland.ac.nz/research/index.cfm?P=5393
www.whariki.ac.nz
http://www.arts.auckland.ac.nz/maramatanga/publications/

Once you have collected all the information, read and reviewed it. You then need to report on your findings. A literature review is much like a report or essay, and should outline the main themes and the gaps in the current literature. It should demonstrate how your research project fits within the context of the larger body of knowledge that exists in your topic area.

For more information on how to write a literature review see these sites:

http://www.vuw.ac.nz/st_Services/slss/students/post-grads/literature-review.doc
http://library.ucsc.edu/ref/howto/literaturereview.html
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/literature_review.html