Literature Searching for Research: Search Strategies

What is a research database?

• Use to identify articles in the professional literature.
• Are usually discipline/subject specific.
• File of bibliographic records (citations).
• Article descriptions with searchable data elements:
• Author
• Title
• Source
• Abstract
• Keywords
• Subject headings

Find out more about library resources and services on the CCAG Medical Library home page!

Search effectively!

Try using a search strategy worksheet to identify key concepts in your topic:

• Write out a clear, detailed statement of your topic.
• Identify the concepts embodied in the topic statement.
• List words which authors would use to describe your topic concepts.
• Build a search from the concept words.

Use these connector words in your search statement:

AND                           

• Combines different concepts. 
• Retrieves bibliographic records containing ALL concept words.

OR

• Use for concept synonyms.
• Retrieves all records containing at least one of the concept words.
• Truncation is a special case -- use * or $ with root word.
• Look for subject headings for concepts with many synonyms.

NOT

• Eliminates unrelated search concepts when search word has multiple senses.
• Use with caution!

See this handout for examples of the use of Boolean connectors. 

"Grey literature stands for manifold document types produced on all levels of government, academics, business and industry in print and electronic formats that are protected by intellectual property rights, of sufficient quality to be collected and preserved by libraries and institutional repositories, but not controlled by commercial publishers; i.e. where publishing is not the primary activity of the producing body."

12th International Conference on Grey Literature, 2010

"Snowballing Technique"

Building your bibliography is like making a snowball, add layers until it is the right size.

How do you know when you have enough?

• Are you seeing the same articles over and over?
• You are beginning to "own the literature."

For more see page 92 in
Health Sciences Literature Review Made Easy: The Matrix Method.

Learn from your initial search results!

Examine the bibliographic records of relevant articles:

• Identify additional useful keywords and subject headings.
• Identify review articles and practice guidelines by limiting.
• Identify other ways to refine your search such as limiting by age group.

Examine the references in relevant articles:

• Identify more articles for your literature review.
• Use the CCAG Full Text Finder to find article availability.

Do a Cited Reference Search of a significant article:

• Who has that article in their bibliography?

Use the databases listed below to do a cited reference search:

Cannot access an article online?

The Medical Library can request a copy for you on Interlibrary Loan!
330.344.1558

Your article will be delivered in PDF format via e-mail.