2 Planning and Conducting Literature Searches Free Online FlashCards

What is a literature search?

A planned process for finding relevant publications in scholarly sources.

Why is a literature search usually iterative?

Test a query, examine its results, and adjust the strategy as you learn more about the topic.

How should a research question guide search concepts?

Identify the main concepts, but do not require every part of the question as a search term; inconsistently described outcomes or comparisons can exclude relevant work.

What should you decide before searching?

Decide what evidence is needed, which disciplines or populations matter, whether limits are justified, and how broad the search should be.

How should you select databases for a search?

Choose databases according to the subject and material needed; use more than one relevant database when an interdisciplinary search requires broader coverage.

How does a library catalog differ from an article database?

A library catalog helps locate books and other library holdings; article databases index scholarly publications.

What alternatives should you gather for each search concept?

List synonyms, spelling variants, abbreviations, older or newer terminology, and related phrases for each concept.

What is the difference between keywords and controlled vocabulary?

Keywords are words in fields such as titles and abstracts; controlled vocabulary uses standardized subject headings. Combining both can improve coverage.

What does OR do in a search query?

OR joins alternatives within one concept and broadens the search, as in adolescent OR teenager.

How can parentheses and quotation marks shape a query?

Parentheses group alternatives, and quotation marks indicate exact phrases. Database support and syntax can vary.

How should you assess whether a query is working?

Review a sample of results and check whether known relevant publications appear and whether results fit the question.

What details belong in a search record?

Record the database, search date, exact query and fields, limits, and number of results; notes on changes also help reproduce or update the search.