This document provides guidance on conducting a literature search using bibliographic databases. It recommends starting with a topic, identifying keywords, searching different keyword variations and groups, using Boolean operators to link searches, and applying limiters to refine results. Key steps include brainstorming synonyms for keywords, searching in progressively broader groups, saving useful search results, and checking reference lists and citing papers of interesting finds.

1. by Aurelie Gandour

2. What’s your search ID?
• Your name
• What you search
Tell me: • How you search
• Problems you’ve had

3. Bibliographic Databases
A list of sources of information
like:
Journals, Articles, Books...
These information sources are
shown as records.
Each record contains everything
you need to know about the
information source.
Sometimes you only have the
record.
Sometimes you can directly access
the article in Full Text.
WHAT ARE THEY?

4. Bibliographic Databases
Library website > databases
Look them all up to decide
on the ones you should
use!
HOW TO ACCESS THEM?

5. Doing a Literature Search

6. Write down your topic
AN EXAMPLE:
Parents’ experience of receiving
an autism diagnosis for their child.

7. Identify important keywords
AN EXAMPLE:
Parents’ experience of receiving
an autism diagnosis for their child.

8. Find variations on keywords
You should think of:
• synonyms,
• plurals,
• verbs / nouns,
• US spelling…

9. Find variations on keywords
Parents
Parent
Parenting
Parental attitude
Autism
Autistic spectrum
Aspergers syndrome
Diagnosis
Diagnostic process
Child
Children
Childhood

10. Now, it’s time to search!
When searching, it’s
best to start very
large and to narrow
down step by step…

11. First, a useful tool
BOOLEAN
OPERATORS
Link!

12. Know you know what you want:
Parents
Parent
Parenting
Parental attitude
Autism
Autistic spectrum
Aspergers syndrome
Diagnosis
Diagnostic
process
Child
Children
Childhood
O
R
O
R
O
R
O
R
O
R
O
R
O
R
O
R
AN
D
AN
D AN
D

13. Let’s search each group

14. Group 1
Parents
Parent
Parenting
Parental attitude
Parent*
* = truncation symbol

15. Mind where you put the *!
Psychiatry
Psychiatric
Psychiatrist
Psychia*

16. Mind where you put the *!
Psychosis
Psychotic
Psychedelic
Psychology
Psychologist
Psychological
Psychopathy
Psychosomatic
Psychotherapy
Psychopathology
Psychoanalysis
Psychiatry
Psychiatric
Psychiatrist
Psyche, etc.
Psych*

17. Group 2
Autis* OR
Aspergers
Autism
Autistic spectrum
Aspergers syndrome

18. Group 3
Diagnos*
Diagnosis
Diagnostic process

19. Group 4
Child
Children
Childhood
Characteristic of
the group
studied
Limiters

20. Link it!
Diagnos*Parent*
Autis* OR
Aspergers
AN
D
AN
D

21. Too many results? Limit!
• Linked full-text
• Publication year
• Age
• Gender
• Methodology
• Tests &
Measures
USEFUL LIMITERS:

22. Got something good? Save it!

23. Your EBSCOhost account
• Your searches
• Your references
TO SAVE:

24. Follow the thread…
• Papers from the
same author
• Papers in the
same journal
• This paper’s
bibliography
• Papers that
reference this
paper in their
bibliography
YOU SHOULD CHECK

25. Ready? Go!
Good luck with
your searches!

26. Attributions for the pictures used
in this presentation
Slide 1: Photo by fung.leo - Creative Commons Attribution License
Slide 2: Photo by -Snugg- - Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License
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