Developing Your Search Strategy
Step 1. Choosing your topic + developing your question
- Centered around your thesis/dissertation and is often what was included in your proposal.
Step 2. Keyword selection
BRAINSTORM:
- Subject headings
- Preferred terms
- Synonyms
- Abbreviations
- Acronyms
- Variant spellings
- Scientific names vs. colloquial names
- etc.
DOUBLE CHECK:
- Database thesauri to find preferred terms and subject headings
- For author assigned terms provided on relevant literature
- In Google for help to identify synonyms that are commonly used
- For related previously published literature reviews that might identify common terms.
Disclaimer: Keywords and their synonyms may vary based on focus of your research question -- if you are looking to identify research where a particular current or out-of-date term was used then using both to search may not be necessary.
Using Limiters
Step 3. Scope
Questions to consider before selecting limiters:
- How comprehensive is your review going to be?
- Are there certain countries of publication you are focusing on? Certain languages of publication?
- Is there a date range you are looking to discuss and does this impact the range of literature you want to review?
- Are you looking for all types of literature - published, grey literature, peer-reviewed, books, articles, etc.?
Applying common limiters:
- Date range - e.g. past 10 years
- Note - since we are in early 2021 you may want to go 11 years or pick a firm start year
- Peer-review
- Original research only OR reviews/secondary research as well
- Language
Complex search tips:
- Boolean Logic:
AND | OR | NOT
- Truncation:
- Using the root of the word – add an * at the end to bring back all endings
- Phrase Searching:
- Use quotations around more than one word
- Note: doesn't function in all databases
Choosing Databases
Step 4. Select Search Locations + Step 5. Searching
Searching for journal articles, theses/dissertations, conference proceedings, reports, etc.:
- Try reviewing subject/research guides in your appropriate areas to see which databases are suggested.
- Review the UBC Library list of databases
- Can narrow by subject area, although not always comprehensive
- Consult with your professor and/or supervisor(s) for suggested resources
- Locating theses/dissertations can help to identify past graduate research on similar topics.
Searching for books and items not found in databases:
- Use Summon, the general library search tool, to look for print and e-books available through the library
- Summon can also be used to find related materials in databases that may have been outside of your original plan.