Research is iterative, so searching the literature is usually not finished when we run a database search just one time. To improve your search results, first make sure you are seeing articles and resources that match up and answer your research question or provide meaningful context. This is not the same as critical appraisal, which involves a more in-depth evaluation of specific aspects of a study, such as its methods or conclusions.
It is very common to find on a first search that you retrieve too many, or few few results.
How to assess your results? Look for certain sections can help determine its relevance
- The title
- The abstract or summary
- The subject headings or keywords listed under the result
If you need to modify your search strategy or refine your research question, you can try a few things:
- Modify your keywords
- Ensure your keywords accurately represent the concept you are researching.
- Try using additional/less synonyms or spelling variations.
- Try truncation of keywords (instead of masking = mask*)
- Adjust or remove filters and limits
- If you have too few or too many results, consider modifying your filters, including:
- publication date range
- document type
- language
- Re-evaluate your chosen subject headings/controlled vocabulary
- Check the notes or definition of your subject headings to make sure it accurately represents your topic. Also look into subject heading trees to identify broader or more specific terms. Review the subject headings attached or indexed in relevant articles and then incorporate them into your search strategy.
- Refine your research question
- Ensure the scope of your research question isn't too broad nor too narrow. By adjusting the question or topic slightly can be useful to obtain the best related and current research.
