Rapid Evidence Assessments: Create a Search Strategy

Learn how to develop a comprehensive search strategy for your research question.

1. Identify the most important concepts in your research question.
2. Compile search terms and synonyms for concepts.
3. Arrange terms into a logical search statement.
4. Apply truncation and wildcard operators.
5. Revise your search.

1. Adding new terms retrieves no new relevant results or decreases relevancy
2. Removing terms eliminates relevant results
3. All known articles are retrieved in the search
4. Peer review of the search strategy by fellow students, faculty, and/or librarian does not identify significant revisions

Is the effort of continued searching worth the gain of any relevant studies?