Architecture and Planning Library

• Literature Reviews
• Indexes and Databases
• Relevant guides at UT Libraries
• Research Tips
• Subject Specialist

Literature Reviews

A literature review provides you with an overview of existing literature (books, articles, dissertations, conference proceedings, and other sources) in the chosen area. When embarking on a research project begging wth a literature review will allow you to:

• Gather information about your topic, including the sources used by others who have previously conducted research
• Find out if your specific research question has already been answered
• Find out what areas or perspective on your topic have not yet been covered by others
• Analyze and evaluate existing information

The literature review will assist you in considering the validity and scope of your research question so that you can do the necessary revision and fine tuning to it. This will provide the base need to formulate and present strong arguments to justify your chosen research topic.

Other resources:

• How to Write a Literature Review (University of California, Santa Cruz)
• Writing a Literature Review (Wesleyan University)
• Architectural research methods / Linda Groat and David Wang. NA 2000 G76 2002 (see chapter 3)
• The literature review : six steps to success / Lawrence A. Machi, Brenda T. McEvoy. LB 1047.3 M33 2009
• Doing a literature review : releasing the social science research imagination / Chris Hart. H 62 H2566 1998

Samples:

• Sustainable urban development : a literature review and analysis / Stephen Wheeler. HT 151 W47 1996
• Rosenfeld, Jordan M. "How are developers of new communities meeting the challenges of sustainable development?" Urban land, 55.12 (Dec. 1996) p.72
• Carr, James, Lisa Servon. "Vernacular Culture and Urban Economic Development: Thinking Outside the (Big) Box." Journal of the American Planning Association, 75. 1(2008): 28-40.
• Noonan, Douglas, Douglas Krupka. "Determinants of historic and cultural landmark designation: why we preserve what we preserve." Journal of Cultural Economics, 34. 1 (Febraury 2010): 1-26.

Indexes and Databases

• Art and Archaeology Technical Abstracts
  Articles from over 400 leading journals relevant to the international conservation field are abstracted annually. This is a free service of the Getty Conservation Institute in association with The International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works
• Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals
  Indexes more than 2,000 periodicals published worldwide on architecture and design, archaeology, city planning, interior design, and historic preservation
• Environment and Planning
  Provides indexing to four journals devoted to urban planning, research and design: Environment and Planning A, Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, and Environment and Planning D
• Environmental Index
  Provides abstracting and indexing information for over 1000 titles in the area of environmental policy and studies
• PAIS International
  Bibliographic index with abstracts covering the full range of political, social, and public policy issues. Includes documents published worldwide in any of six languages: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. The subject headings and abstracts are in English
• Academic Searh Complete
  A comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full text database
• Bibliography of the History of Art
  Covers European and American art from late antiquity to the present and contemporary art worldwide
• Web of Science (ISI Web of Knowledge)
  Covers more than 8,400 journals in all subject areas. Provides web access to all three ISI citation indexes, including: Science Citation Index Expanded
• Ulrich's Periodical Directory Online
  Provides information about journals and magazines, including where each title is indexed
• Google Scholar
  Search engine for academic literature. Note that it only search a small fraction of what is available through specialized databases. Particularly useful to find articles and books that cite a specific article/book.
• WorldCat
  Online union catalog describing the collections of thousands of libraries around the world.
• scoUT
  UT Libraries’ discovery tool. It is a single interface to search the combined resources provided by the University of Texas at Austin Libraries. It offers an easy and fast interface with a Google-like search box, and a large central index that includes all kinds of content, including books, journal and newspaper articles, theses and dissertations and more. For more information, see the scoUT FAQ page and scoUT search tips.

When you have a citation for a specific article or want to find a specific journal, use the catalog search by Journal Title.

Relevant guides at UT Libraries

• Historic Preservation: Selected Reference Sources
• Materials Conservation
• Materials Science
• Research Design: Thesis, Master Design Study, and Dissertation Preparation

Research Tips

Do you need more help with your research?

Contact your subject specialist, Martha González Palacios