How to search in databases
The 3 most important tips
- In the beginning, enter as few terms as possible and use all-text search instead of specific categories. By doing so, you do not immediately exclude relevant items. Use synonyms and related terms and only add additional terms if the current result list is way too big.
- End your search when you have found a few good results and start reading those. You will gain some knowledge on your topic and can use it for your next search session.
- When you encounter a promising database, look for a help section or search for video tutorials online. This will help you in using the database, especially in using search operators.
Sequence of a good search session
1
Define what you are searching for and which search terms you can use. Search terms can be found everywhere, e. g. at Wikipedia. (Write your search terms down because you will need them again.)
2
Choose any database that seems promising to you. Send a search query with a single search term to find out if there are a lot of results or hardly any results on your topic.
3
If the database still looks promising to you, start learning about its features: Go to the help section or search for video tutorials online. Especially look for search operators which can be used to make your search string wider or narrower. Look for phrases like "operators", "truncation", "phrase search" or "search syntax". Common operators are asterisks (*) for truncations and quotation marks ("") for phrase search.
4
Create your first real search in the database. Use all-text search instead of specific fields and only enter one or two search terms.
5
Try to roughly evaluate the (still large) result list if it is heading in the right direction. Use filters next to the result list to quickly assess which kinds of items make up the result list.
6
Narrow your search down slowly and carefully. Again: Use filters next to the result list or add more terms to your search string.
7
8
End your session as soon as you have found a few good items. Write down the search strings you have used: Thus, you will not create the same string in the following weeks.
9
Devote yourself to the few good results you have found. Read them, expand your knowledge on the topic and gain new search terms that you can use in your next search session.
Bonus: 3 common hurdles
The Google temptation
If a database has a single search bar like Google, you might expect the database to be very easy to use. However: You will miss out on key functionalities if you just start searching right away. Instead, try to learn more about the interface you are using, see the aforementioned step 3.
The monumental feat
You want to sit down and complete your literature research in a single, monumental sitting, and you never want to sit down for it again - but this just creates unnecessary pressure: There are no perfect search sessions, especially if you are still new to your topic. Steps 8 and 9 in the aforementioned sequence will help you.
Surfing into the open sea
You start clicking on results and lose yourself in details and even smaller details of your topic - but at some point you wake up and realize that you have spent an hour reading articles you probably will not even need in your current paper. To avoid this, try the following strategy:
- Strictly separate searching and reading into two very distinct tasks: When searching, only skim the text or try to only use title and abstract for evaluation.
- Try to keep in mind what you are looking for and compare your results to this idea.
- End your session early when you feel like you don't find relevant items anymore.
