Resources
15- 3
Searching the Literature
To conduct a thorough search of the medical/scientific literature, follow these steps:
1. Decide on the subject of your literature search: the topics of your research and how they relate to each other. What search terms will adequately represent these topics? ▪ Write down all search terms related to your topic, including synonyms, abbreviations, and other possible variants of the terms. ▪ Learn how to combine terms correctly using operators ( and , or , not , etc.) in online and CD-ROM database searches.
2. Decide on the extent of your search: how wide and how far back your search should go.
▪ What kinds of literature do you want to search? Searches for sources other than journal articles, including books, technical reports, and grant summaries, might require a different strategy.
▪ Will you include papers in languages other than English in your search?
▪ How many years back do you plan to search?
3. Decide on the bibliographic databases through which you will search for relevant papers.
▪ In most cases, 1 or a combination of the following resources is enough: MEDLINE or Index Medicus , Science Citation Index , and BIOSIS Previews .
▪ When possible, use the MeSH terms in Index Medicus to conduct MEDLINE or Index Medicus searches.
4. Decide on how you will record the references and notes from your search.
▪ Keep a record of your search terms, including synonyms, variants, abbreviations, and MeSH terms.
▪ Record the databases searched, the years searched, and any limitations (such as English-language only) placed on your searches. ▪ Keep a list of the articles found that you do not intend to use (so that you do not go back to them on later searches). ▪ Use available software programs (such as EndNote or Reference Manager) to track the references to articles you plan to use (see Chapter 9, References, for more information).
Adapted from Huth EJ. How to Write and Publish Papers in the Medical Sciences. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins Co.; 1990.
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