At this point, you should have completed all the steps involved in planning and searching:
- Formulate your research question with the purpose of your research in mind (e.g., clinical/patient care, research). We’ll discuss this in detail in the Clinical Questions/PICO section.
- Determine the scope of your research, including any limitations (e.g., population, language, time span).
- Familiarize yourself with your topic if it is new or unfamiliar to you. Both books and articles can give you background information to help you understand the topic as well as determine the breadth of relevant literature that is available on it.
- Choose your initial search terms and compile a list of alternative terms (e.g., acronyms, synonyms, variations on spelling) from your research questions as well as from abstracts or full-text articles you’ve read related to your topic.
- Keep track of the relevant articles that you’ve found as well as your search statements. They can be a helpful starting point for a librarian assisting you to find more information related to your topic and can be helpful if you need to update your research at a later time.
If you aren’t finding information on your topic or need other assistance, you can contact us by selecting the “Email Me” button in the Contact Us box on the Home page or fill out the literature search request form below.
