If you are a researcher, doctoral student or teacher, you can make an appointment at the library to receive assistance and support in the various parts of your research process. You are welcome to book a session either for yourself or for a big or small group.

You can receive help with the following:

  • information retrieval (selecting keywords, searching in relevant databases, using different search strategies)
  • conducting a systematic overview (as above along with methodological support based on evidence-based practice)
  • use of databases (saving searches, receiving alerts, saving references)
  • reference management (using reference management software)
  • copyright issues (advice on agreements relating to publishing and open access)
  • strategic choices when publishing (choosing a journal, examining impact factors, producing open access options)
  • support and training in qualitative data analysis - Nvivo
  • data management plans and making research data available
  • ISBN (ordering an ISBN number for your thesis)

The library is happy to carry out more comprehensive literature searches, e.g. systematic searches, subject to time availability. The searches are performed in collaboration between librarians and researchers and require a continuous dialogue. Please contact us with requests and we can discuss the possibilities of further cooperation.

An example of what the search process might look like:

  1. First meeting: The researcher brings along research questions, any PICO or equivalent model, one or more relevant articles, and a preliminary timetable. Together we discuss inclusion and exclusion criteria, appropriate databases, look at a thesaurus and search terms, and formulate a preliminary search strategy.
  2. After the first meeting: The librarian conducts an initial test search in the most relevant database. The researcher goes through the search results and assesses the relevance.
  3. Second (and any subsequent) meeting: We meet again to optimise the search strategy until we are satisfied with the search results.
  4. When we have prepared a good search strategy, the librarian, or researcher, performs searches in other relevant databases. 
  5. The librarian performs the final search, and when this is done the search results are entered into a reference management program.

Fill in your contact details to book an appointment