This section of the guide covers the basics of the research process. For a more in-depth look at searching, please see the detailed guide to Literature Search Best Practices developed by IFIS.
When beginning your search it is helpful to consider the following questions before looking at the resources. This can help save you time and limit unnecessary results.
Other things to consider when searching the scientific literature:
Deciding where to search depends on the type of information you are looking for and the question being asked. It is also important to consider who the information is for. Some general guidelines:
Truncation * Searches for multiple word endings Example: ethic* = ethic, ethics, ethical, ethically |
Search Connectors AND / OR / NOT Can be used to narrow or broaden a search Example: genetic AND engineering (narrow) |
Quotation Marks "..." Search for the exact phrase Example: "animal welfare" |
Limits/Filters Criteria set to limit or narrow your search results Example: language, publication date, article type |
These guides provide an introduction to searching PubMed and Web of Science. They include tips for building a search strategy that may be useful in other databases.
When evaluating the reliability of a resource it is important to look at it's authority, accuracy, scope, currency, bias, and style. The following questions can be used as a guide when examining each of these criteria:
Authority
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Accuracy
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Scope
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Currency
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Bias
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Style
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There are many things to consider when identifying a scientific paper, but the following can be used as guidelines:
Note: With the exception of peer-review, meeting the criteria above does not say anything about the credibility or reliability of a paper. You should still consider the guidelines discussed for Evaluating Sources.
It is often necessary to read a paper multiple times before completely understanding it. As you are reading, pay attention to the following:
It can be helpful to take notes and highlight key findings while reading the paper, then write down a summary of major points after finishing the paper. The inforgraphic How to Read a Scientific Paper provides more information on this process.
Finally, after you have read a paper and feel confident that you understand it, ask yourself the following three questions: