Section outline

◄Chapter 3: Planning and preparation phase
Chapter 5: Writing phase►

  • The library of the UAS Grisons and its Research-Bar on Moodle is the entry point regarding the source research. It provides access to all kinds of databases, AI-based research tools, as well as the Switzer-land-wide academic library catalogue Swisscovery and provides information on how to efficiently use them. Should the source research not be successful, the library format “Book a Librarian” or the UAS Grisons lecturers are pleased to support in an advisory capacity. All written work carried out at the UAS Grisons are based on a thorough research process, which is outlined in the following sub-chapters (4.1 and 4.2) and described in more detail on the Research-Bar.

    • Chapter 4.1 Research process

      Depending on what subject or what type of publication is searched for, the path to the source is quite different. The library’s Research-Bar provides a good overview of the individual steps of the research process, such as research strategies, the available research platforms, and the organization of relevant sources, including literature management software.

      The basis of each search is the research question and the deduced concepts/terms. With the resulting list of terms, various research strategies can be applicable to find relevant sources. Possible strategies are (adapted form Ridley, 2012, p. 53):

      • Trial and Error: Free search with keywords to narrow down the topic and bring structure into the search.
      • Exchange with experts: Get in touch with experts, professors, and teachers to get literature recommendations.
      • Snowball system: Check reference list and references from relevant publications to find more interesting resources.
      • Systematic research by themes: Split the topic into subtopics to search for them separately and join them together later.

      The exact research process can be documented in a research protocol and listed in the appendix (see Chapter 5.1.3 and 8.2). How many sources are required to be referenced, differentiates between type of work (theoretical vs. empirical, coursework/research paper/thesis). A generalized answer is not possible.

    • Chapter 4.2 Source evaluation

      Every written work presents strong arguments which are conclusive and comprehensible. These factual conditions originate from data sources. Data sources can vary in quality and require to be evaluated based on different criteria. A general checklist can be found under this link.

      The Journal Impact Factor or, in the case of open access journals, the DOAJ platform can help with the assessment of scientific journals. It should also be ensured that the journal has a transparent peer re-view process. In addition to academic journals, there are also non-academic journals.

      Attention is required for outputs from generative AI systems. These cannot be included in the work, i.e. they are not worthy of citation. The exceptions to this rule as well as the specific handling of all types of AI systems in the context of written work are defined in Chapter 8 of this guideline.

◄Chapter 3: Planning and preparation phase
Chapter 5: Writing phase►