Searching for Literature

Once you have your research topic, you need to consider the requirements of your project before you start searching for information.

Ask yourself:

• What are the main themes of your topic?
• What types of resources do you need i.e. journal articles, books, case studies, reports?
• What time period are you researching i.e. latest 10 years?
• What is the geographical search area i.e. local versus international content?
• Is language of origin important? Are there translations of relevant resources available?
• How much time do you have to conduct your research?
• Where you will store the references you find?

Keywords

An important part of the searching process is to identify a list of keywords that you can use to find relevant resources.

Start by reviewing your research question and highlighting the main keywords and concepts.

Synonyms and alternative terms

Once you have your key concepts, you can identify synonyms and alternative terms to use in your searches.

Keywords and synonyms can be found throughout a reference in sections such as:

• abstract
• introduction
• keywords field (check keywords assigned by both the author and the database)

Another good option is to search in an online thesaurus such as Merriam-Webster or Thesaurus.com or search Google for the keyword plus the term 'synonym'.

Using a broad range of keywords and synonyms in your search will give you:

• More accurate and relevant search results.
• Key papers in the field.
• Papers that include the full range of terminology and spellings used by different authors.
• Papers that include language that has evolved over time.

Example research question:

What are the most effective interventions for

reversing coral bleaching in tropical marine ecosystems?

Synonyms and alternative terms: