5 Steps to Conducting an Effective Literature Search for Scientific Articles + PDF
A good literature search can make or break your paper.
Introduction
To write any type of scientific or academic article, even a Letter to the Editor, you will have to conduct a literature search, it is the backbone of any scholarly paper. A good backbone results in a sturdy structure overall. Regardless of the impact or novelty, I personally believe a good literature search can make or break a paper. Think of it as building your own mini bibliography for others to read. Your task with a literature search is to choose the most appropriate and first-rate resources for the article you are writing. To any reader, it must represent your keenness and meticulousness.
The process of a literature search involves identifying and selecting relevant scientific articles, books, and other sources that are related to a specific research question. This process typically involves searching multiple databases and using a range of search strategies to find the most relevant information. A natural byproduct of a thorough literature search is the identification of gaps and limitations in existing human knowledge.
In this blog post, we will explore the process of conducting a literature search for scientific articles. We will start with the importance of defining your research question and selecting the right search engines and databases. We will also cover methods as well as strategies for conducting an effective search, evaluating the credibility of sources, and organizing your sources.
Note : All the resources recommended in this post are freely available and accessible online. All you require is a computer and an internet connection. The blog post is organized in a step-by-step manner and presented in a list format. I recommend skimming through it once and then going through the post heading by heading at the time you conduct your literature search.
Defining Your Research Question
The first step in conducting a literature search is to define your research question. This involves identifying the specific topic or issue that you want to investigate, and formulating a clear and concise question that will guide your search. This research question is the foundation of your literature search, and it should be specific, relevant, and focused. Defining your research question is important because it helps you to identify the key concepts and search terms that you will use to find relevant articles and other sources.
Identifying relevant keywords and search terms
Once you have defined your research question, the next step is to identify relevant keywords and search terms that are related to your topic. Keywords are the words or phrases that best represent the main concepts of your research question. Keywords also help in getting your research noticed and listed in search engines appropriately.
Start by brainstorming a list of potential keywords that are related to your research question. This can include synonyms and related terms. Then review existing literature. Look at other articles, papers, and reports related to your research topic and see what keywords and search terms they have used. This can help you identify additional relevant keywords to include in your search.
Tips for refining your research question
Refining your research question is an important step in the literature search process. As you begin to search for articles and other sources, you may find that your question needs to be modified or revised. This is normal, and it is often a sign that you are gaining a better understanding of your research topic.
One big suggestion I have would be narrowing your focus.
For example, I made a great error in the begin of my research career to just churn out an entire paper on recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC). I chose this topic due to its under-researched nature, but the paper has yet to see the light of day. Almost all reviewers rejected the paper based on the fact that the research topic is too broad. One day I will have the strength to narrow down the paper into relevant portions. Remember, you are not writing a book chapter.
Be sure your research question is clear, concise and constricted.
Using Search Engines and Databases
Once you have identified your research question, your next step is to find relevant articles. You can just use a search engine like Google for finding information related to your topic, but it is important to keep in mind that you are conducting research and writing a scientific/academic article, not a casual blog post. While Google search results can be helpful in getting started, they may not provide the level of depth and breadth needed for writing a scholarly paper. In addition, using Google alone may lead to biased or unreliable sources, which can negatively impact the credibility of your research.
To ensure that your paper is well-researched and meets the academic standards required for scholarly writing, it is important to use additional resources such as online databases and academic journals. These sources are typically peer-reviewed, meaning that the articles have been evaluated by other experts in the field, and can provide a more comprehensive and reliable view of the current state of knowledge on your topic.
There are a number of online databases that provide open access scholarly articles, such as Google Scholar, PubMed, and the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ).
The database I personally recommend to my readers is the coveted PubMed. It is a free search engine that indexes and provides access to the MEDLINE database of biomedical and life sciences references and abstracts, and is maintained by the United States National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health.
Open Access Resources
I believe that in order to conduct thorough research, it is crucial to find open access papers that enable you to read the entire article for free. For this, you will have to toggle your research filters on any database to specifically show you full-text files. Open access resources are digital materials that are freely available online to anyone without any paywall or subscription fees.
Open access resources are a valuable tool for researchers who want to access high-quality research materials without financial barriers. They offer opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and dissemination of knowledge on a global scale.
Tips for navigating search engines and databases
Navigating search engines and databases can be challenging, especially if you are new to the literature search process. Your goal here should be to conduct a thorough and comprehensive search, while not getting bogged down in this initial phase of the research process. Do it once, and do it right.
Start with a broad search: When you begin your search, start with a broad search using general search terms. This will help you to get an overview of the literature and identify more specific search terms, in turn also refining your research question.
Check for full-text availability.
Limit your search to five years : limit your search to articles published within the last five years (or a timeframe relevant to your research question). This can help ensure that you are accessing the most up-to-date research and avoid including outdated or irrelevant articles in your review.
Keep track of your search strategy: It is important to keep track of your search strategy, including the search terms and databases used, to ensure that you can reproduce your search and update it as needed. This will also help you to avoid duplication and save time in the long run.
Reviewing Your Results
After conducting your literature search, you will be presented with a list of search results. Reviewing and selecting relevant articles from this list will be a time-consuming and challenging task. By using these strategies and tips, you can effectively review and select relevant articles for your research and avoid wasting time on irrelevant articles:
Review the abstracts: Abstracts provide a brief summary of the article and can help you quickly determine if the article is relevant to your research question. Scan the abstracts of each article in your search results to identify those that are most relevant.
Look at the keywords: Many articles include a list of keywords that can help you quickly determine if the article is relevant to your research question. Review the keywords of each article in your search results to identify those that are most relevant. This may also help inform or broaden your own search.
Use citation tracking: Citation tracking involves reviewing the reference lists of relevant articles to identify additional articles that may be relevant to your research. This can be particularly helpful for identifying older, but still relevant, articles that may not appear in your initial search results.
Evaluating Your Literature Search
Once you have identified and selected articles for your literature review, it is important to evaluate their reliability and credibility. This step is incredibly important, particularly when it comes to publishing your work, as it can save you a significant amount of time and effort in terms of revisions and corrections. Failing to evaluate the credibility of your sources can result in potential embarrassment, so it is best to take the time to ensure that all selected sources are of the highest quality.
Consider the source: The source of an article can provide important clues about its reliability and credibility. Is it a peer-reviewed journal, reputable academic press, or well-respected conference proceeding? Is it published by a respected publisher? Or is it a personal blog or website?
Evaluate the author's credentials: Consider the author's qualifications and expertise in the field. Do they have a relevant academic background? Are they affiliated with a respected institution or organization? Do they have a history of publishing in reputable journals or conference proceedings?
For the sake of your own budding career, be careful not to quote someone who has been "cancelled".Check for bias: It's important to be aware of potential biases in an article. For example, is the author affiliated with a particular institution or organization that may influence their perspective? Are they promoting a particular agenda or viewpoint?
Assess the quality of the research: Consider the methodology and quality of the research presented in the article. Are the research methods appropriate for the research question? Is the sample size adequate? Are the results statistically significant?
Organizing Your Literature
Use reference management tools: As mentioned in my previous article, this is the only step where I would recommend using a software 100% of the time. It is entirely possible to do it without one, I've done it myself, but trust me you don't want the headache of managing 10+ papers on the web, not being able to highlight or bookmark a text.
Reference management tools can help you keep track of your sources and organize them in a systematic way. Some popular reference management tools include EndNote, Zotero, and Mendeley. These tools can help you manage your references, create bibliographies, and collaborate with others.
I use Zotero, which is a free and open-source reference management software that allows users to collect, organize, and cite research sources. While coursing PubMed, you can use the browser extension to add chosen literature to your collection for review. Zotero also has a standalone program on desktop and an app on all major operating systems. It allows users to organize, annotate, and share research papers and other documents. The software syncs across your devices and has a built-in PDF reader and citation style editor. I cannot believe this software is free, and I want to write an entire post honoring it.
Create a system: When using reference management tools, it's important to develop a system for organizing your sources. For example, you can create folders based on the research question, topic, or type of source (e.g., primary research, literature reviews, case studies). This can help you quickly find relevant sources when you need them.
Keep track of important details: When adding sources to your reference management tool, be sure to include all the relevant details, such as the author, title, publication date, and page numbers. This can help you quickly and easily retrieve the information you need when writing your paper. Sentences on a research paper start looking very similar very quickly.
Reading and Analyzing Your Sources
Skim the article first: Before diving into a scientific article, it's a good idea to skim it quickly to get a general sense of what it's about. This can help you identify key points and sections that are most relevant to your research question.
Read actively: When reading scientific articles, it's important to read actively, which means highlighting or underlining key points, taking notes, and summarizing the main ideas. This can help you retain information and make connections between different sources.
For me, this is best done on the Zotero software, which allows you to highlight PDFs across devices.
Take effective notes: Effective note-taking is a key part of the literature review process. Some effective note-taking techniques include using bullet points, creating mind maps, and summarizing key points in your own words. Be sure to record the bibliographic information for each source you use so you can properly cite it later.
Compare and contrast sources: Comparing and contrasting different sources can help you identify common themes and patterns in the research. This can help you develop a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the topic.
In your literature review, you may encounter articles with conflicting findings or conclusions. In such cases, it is important to assess the level of evidence provided by each study and determine which one holds more weight. Depending on the nature of your research question, you may choose to present both conflicting viewpoints in your review, or you may decide to give greater weight to one study over the other.
Look at the references: Reviewing the references cited in an article can provide valuable information about the author's sources and research methodology. Do the references support the author's arguments and conclusions? Are they from reputable sources?
Many times it has happened that a paper I was reading/reviewing had errors in their references. In such cases, being able to identify and correct these errors can save you from potentially propagating incorrect information in your own work. Established researchers may have such errors overlooked, but as early-career researchers, it is crucial to avoid such mistakes to maintain a strong reputation in the academic community. Therefore, double-checking the references in your research articles can help prevent any embarrassing or costly errors and ensure that your work is of the highest quality. Always cross-check the references with the information cited.
Conclusion + PDF infographic
In conclusion, the state of your literature search is what will determine how thorough and well researched your article is. A good literature search speaks to your ability to carefully scour through existing human knowledge, nit pick relevant information and make meaningful contributions where needed. Even if you are writing a Letter or a Case Report (papers that require very little literature review), your search and final picks for a bibliography must be comprehensive and conclusive.
It's important to keep in mind that the literature search process is iterative, and you may need to refine your search strategy and review your results multiple times to ensure that you have identified the most relevant and high-quality sources.
Here is the PDF infographic :
conducting-a-literature-searchDownload
Best of luck.