Remember that searching:

• is an ITERATIVE process
• often requires re-evaluation and testing, from adding or changing keywords and the ways they relate to each other, to choosing new resources to search, and even rewording or straight-up changing the research question!
• is a logic puzzle that requires an understanding of precision and sensitivity
• pretty fun once you get the hang of the process!

STEPS TO SEARCHING THE LITERATURE

	Formulate your search question
	Determine whether to search precisely or sensitively
	Gather synonyms for your search concepts
	Combine your search terms logically using AND/OR (Boolean Operators)
	Find database-specific subject heading(s) and create textword queries for each search concept
	Select appropriate database(s)
	Use a structured, methodologically rigorous approach to conduct your search
	Supplement your search with pearl-growing, handsearching, and grey literature
	Manage your results

This work is openly licensed via CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. For information on this guide contact Erica Nekolaichuk, Faculty Liaison & Instruction Librarian at the Gerstein Science Information Centre.