Developing a Research Strategy

Developing a search strategy before accessing a database, whether it's an online catalog or a citation index, is an efficient way to begin the research process.  If you are unfamiliar with database searching, read Subject Searching vs. Keyword Searching.  Also consult the Sample Medline Search for additional help.  Follow these steps as your prepare your search strategy:
  1. First, frame a research question which includes all main concepts.  Two to three concepts are common.
  2. Think of related terms for the main concepts. Sometimes if your concepts are particularly broad, you may want to think of narrower terms, and by contrast, if your concepts are particularly narrow, you may want to think of broader terms. Also think of synonyms.  This will make your search more comprehensive.
  3. Create a Boolean search strategy.  Use "or" to combine related terms, and use "and" to combine main search concepts.
  4. Connect to the appropriate database.
Sample Search Strategy

Suppose you are given the following assignment:

Biochemical markers are often used as indicators of bone metabolism. Many factors (diet, supplements, exercise, stage of life etc.) can contribute to changes in bone metabolism. Choose two recent studies which investigate factors contributing to changes in biochemical markers of bone metabolism in women.  Write a one-page summary detailing the positive and negative effects these factors have on bone metabolism and how biochemical markers have been affected.

Prepare your search strategy:

1. First, frame a research question which includes all main concepts.  Two to three concepts are common.  The assignment can be a summarized as follows (main concepts are indicated in green):
How are biochemical markers used as indicators of bone metabolism in women?
2. Think of related terms for the main concepts. Sometimes if your concepts are particularly broad, you may want to think of narrower terms, and by contrast, if your concepts are particularly narrow, you may want to think of broader terms. Also consider synonyms.  This may make your search more comprehensive.
 
Concept A Concept B Concept C
Main Concepts biochemical markers bone metabolism women
Related Terms biological markers  
biochemistry* 		 bone density 
bones*		 female
*(This term is very broad.  Do not use unless search doesn't retrieve enough results.)
    3.  Create a Boolean search strategy.  Use "or" to combine synonyms and use "and" to combine main search concepts.  With Boolean search operators, "or" retrieves all search elements to create one large group.  The addition of each new concept results in a larger group.  However,  "and" retrieves only those items that contain all search elements. The addition of a new element generally results in a smaller group.
    Terms Combined with "Or"
     
     
    Concept A Concept B Concept C
    Terms Combined with "And"
     

     
     
     

    4.  Connect to the appropriate database.  In this search, the focus is on recent medical studies, so Medline would be the appropriate database to search for citations to journal articles.  Because the assignment calls for recent materials, you would not want to consult book sources.

    To see the search for this assignment executed in Medline, see Sample Medline Search.


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