Many good questions are asked in the writing consultation at the TU Dresden Writing Center. To the question "I can't find suitable literature in the library. What now?" Sharon, a trained writing peer tutor since 2018, gives a first answer:

Whether you're writing a theoretical paper or conducting your own practical research - nothing works without reading. But what if you find very little or no suitable material for your writing project in your local university library?

First of all, you should narrow down your problem. Are you really not finding anything on your topic (unlikely) or is what you do find too general and not one hundred percent in line with your research focus? It is very rare to find the one publication that aligns perfectly with your topic. Here it is worth to think about the following questions:

• What basic literature do I need to familiarize myself with the topic?
• Into which sub-aspects can I break down my research focus?
• Are there neighboring topics from which I might be able to draw useful material?
• With which concrete markers could I refine my search (e.g. author, time period, keywords...)?

Admittedly, even with this approach you will not always find what you are looking for, especially if it is a niche topic or you need the latest research data.

Here it is advisable to search in (specialized) databases. Good addresses are for example JSTOR, the DBIS (database information system), Research Gate or Springer. Often the contents are accessible free of charge, sometimes a registration via the SLUB or TU login is necessary. Especially in the STEM subjects and medicine, it makes sense to additionally search in professional journals and magazines. After all, the latest research results are shared with the community in these publication media.

A completely different approach to finding material is the snowball principle. With the snowball principle, you try to find further material through a suitable source, for example, by going through the bibliography of a book or journal article. If you have not yet found a suitable source, you could start with the literature that your instructor recommended for the seminar you attended. Of course, you could also ask your lecturer directly for a literature recommendation.

The SLUB Wissensbar's consultation service is a wonderful help for your research. If you are not satisfied with the material you have found or if you are unsure how to get to certain sources, the SLUB Wissensbar research experts will be happy to help you. You can make an appointment online.

© Crispin-Iven Mokry

Consultant for writing didactics

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Sharon Király

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Writing Center of TU Dresden

Writing Center of TU Dresden

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Fritz-Foerster-Bau, Raum 139 Mommsenstr. 6

01069 Dresden

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TUD Dresden University of Technology Technische Universität Dresden
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This post appeared on the occasion of the April 2023 Writing Center Newsletter. This and other newsletter issues are linked in the Writing Center Newsletter Archive.

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Writing Center of TU Dresden

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Fritz-Foerster-Bau, room 571 Mommsenstr. 6

01069 Dresden

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TUD Dresden University of Technology Zentrum für Weiterbildung/Career Service
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The Writing Center of the TU Dresden (SZD) supports students and lecturers with offers for planning and writing various texts in studies such as vouchers, protocols, seminar papers and theses and for teaching academic writing in teaching and supervision. All information about offers and possibilities of support can be found in the areas for students and teachers.