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SMU Libraries

Research & Data Services

A list of research and data services and support by SMU Libraries' Research and Data Services Team

General Literature Review

Description: Literature review is a tradeoff between comprehensiveness of search and time spent. We offer guidance on where to search and how to search based on your domain specific needs and time budget

  • Advice on the appropriate search databases and academic search engines based on your requirements
  • Design or review comprehensive and reproducible search strategies (including specific filters by journal titles
  • Provide guidance on efficient bulk extraction and deduplication of search records found
  • Guidance on state of art "AI search tools" like SciSpace, Scite.ai assistant, Undermind.ai 

Tools we support

How we help: We provide support as Research consultant (Acknowledgement requested) in the following ways

  • Brainstorming, piloting and testing of search strategies (e.g. using standard hedges, AI semantic search)
  • Finding candidate papers for screening by
    • using citation searching tools like CitationChaser on seed papers (known relevant papers)
    • using standard Boolean search strategies on databases
    • using semantic search AI tools 

Case example: I assisted in a 2-hour brainstorming session on search strategies for the topic "Heat stressors and elderly well-being"

Aaron was very helpful in providing guidance on how to scope and test boolean strategies based on how comprehensive of a search we wanted. He helped to validate how well the proposed boolean search strategies was performing by testing to see if pre-determined gold standard papers could be found -- Beatrice HoResearch Associate • College of Integrative Studies

Systematic Review

Description: We offer guidance on  

Tools we support

How we help: We provide support on two levels

Case example: I assisted in the updating of a systematic review - Gender and long-term care insurance: A meta-analysis for ECON6026 capstone assisting in the translation of search strategies from OVID to Ebscohost platforms.

Last but not least, I am deeply thankful to Mr. Aaron Tay, our librarian Data Services Lead, for his invaluable contributions. His advice in updating the systematic review and his dedication to translating Boolean searches have been pivotal in ensuring the accuracy and robustness of our literature search process. -- Amanda Chong Ci, MSc in Applied Economics

Data Discovery

Data Discovery

Description: We offer guidance on  

  • the discovery and sensemaking of data from a wide range of library subscribed resources such as Refinitiv, WRDS, Bloomberg, Capital IQ, Pitchbook, Scopus, and many more
  • data extraction and linking of data through identifiers from multiple sources
  • dataset sourcing outside of library-subscribed databases

Databases we support

How we help: We provide support on two levels

Case example: I supported research by faculty and PhD student.

I’d like to drop a note to formally thank you for your excellent support to my research.
You offered and programmed using Python to extract the data for my research project. I recall you briefed quite a number of my research assistants on databases. 
I am sure you will continue to provide excellent and professional support in the future. I am glad that you are with SMU. -- Associate Professor of Accounting
Guidance to obtain S&P500 data start and ending data with Permno for subsequent matching to financial performance. -- PhDGM student

Bibliometric review or analysis support

Description: We offer guidance on  

Tools we support

How we help: We provide support in the following ways as a research consultant (acknowledgement requested)

  • advice on the appropriateness of doing bibliometric reviews
  • guidance on the commonly used tools for bibliometric review

Case example: I assisted in helping with reviews on topics like CSR and discussions about the possibility of doing bibliometric review/analysis.

I really appreciate the expertise and knowledge sharing from librarians in not only areas like searching conventional tools like Scopus and AI search tools (e.g. Elicit and Undermind.ai); but also their knowledge of the conduct of bibliometric reviews and related tools like VOSviewer;-- Rony Hu (Hu Jian), PhD in Business SMO 

The use of electronic resources must comply with the Appropriate Use of Electronic Resources Policy and Singapore Management University Acceptable Use Policy