Where to start when going information search for thesis? Which interface to go to first, and where next? What would be the best way to search for my topic? Each topic is unique, of course, but there are often similar guidelines for the search process.

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Often, the subject of the thesis is not very familiar to the student from a literary point of view, and searching for and understanding the articles can seem difficult. The topic 'Children and young people as a target for social media marketing' presented earlier can be difficult to approach if you are not familiar with aspects of marketing or if you don't have more detailed knowledge of what social media is.

This is why we often recommend the following way to proceed:

Create an overview: First create an overview of the topic if you are not very familiar with it. In this case, a book on marketing communication or a Wikipedia page is a good place to start. Look at the sources in the book or on the Wikipedia page and think of suitable keywords. You can find books on Laurea Finna using the basic search.
Define your topic and think of keywords. Find more instructions on doing these on module 1.
Google Scholar: Write down your search terms on the topic and test them on Google Scholar. You will soon find that Scholar in Finnish has plenty of theses while Scholar in English is full of scientific articles. Remember to get the library links right first, so you can open the articles!
Searching the databases in their own interfaces: The Laurea LibGuides search service provides you with guides in your field and their main article databases. Try the search terms you tested in Scholar in the databases' own search interfaces.
Evaluate your search: Evaluate the materials you have found. Is this really what you need and is it enough? Can you use it in your thesis?
Use information: Use information ethically. If you still feel there isn't enough articles and books on your topic, book an information search quidance in the library.