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Devising a search strategy
What is a search strategy and why do you need it?
The key to successful research is having a clear idea of what you want to find.
A search strategy can help you define your topic and work out what you need to find. It can have a significant effect on both the amount and relevance of information you retrieve.
By using an effective search strategy, you will not only achieve a better result, you will also save a considerable amount of time and effort.
When doing an assignment, the topic or research question will usually be given to you. You will need to analyse the topic carefully to determine what you need to do.
Here are the key steps you need to follow before you start searching:
- analyse your topic
- brainstorm your topic and identify alternative words to search
- combine your keywords with search tools such as boolean operators or brackets to create a search
Working out what you need
The first step when starting an assignment is to analyse what you need to do. To analyse your topic, you need to:
- read the question carefully to ensure that you understand the topic and what you are being asked to do
- identify keywords for the topic
- work out what you are required to do and how much information you need to find
- identify words that may limit what you need to find
Check with a lecturer or tutor if you are unsure of what you have to do.
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