Why do literature searches fail

1
Why do literature searches fail?

• 8 of the most common reason.
• Stephen Gregory
• Campus Librarian, Cyncoed

2
Planning

• Poorly planned searches are destined for failure
• What are you hoping to achieve?
• Extent of your search
• geographical
• time

3
Planning 2

• Have you got to grips with the terminology?
• Do you understand the terminology?
• Synonyms technical terminology
• Mind-map or spider diagram

4
Search tools

• A tool is only as good as the craftsman using it.
• Using the wrong database / index etc
• Using the right database, but using it incorrectly

5
Search tools 2

• Being too channelled in approach
• widening the subject scope (other indexes
  full-text sources?)
• using current awareness services (e.g. Zetoc)
• using paper based sources

6
Search Strategy

• Terms used
• does your search use the vocabulary of the
  resource? (Check thesaurus / indexing)
• free-text searching -
• included all synonyms?
• truncation

7
Search Strategy 3

• Poor construction / linking
• computers will usually phrase search
• use Boolean operators and or not
• build your search progressively
• Led astray by lateral links?

8
Evaluation and reflection

• Literature searching should be part of a cyclical
  process
• Reflect on
• results gained
• sources used
• Plan further actions required

9
Evaluation and reflection 2

• Use the knowledge that you already have /
  recently acquired
• Check indexing of key articles
• Repeat searches for key authors

10
Backwards looking

• Caught in backwards chaining rationale?
• Forward chaining - citation searching
• Web of Science

11
Poor Administration

• Failure to document
• searches undertaken how where when
• search results
• Updating search
• saved search profiles
• contents page services (e.g. Zetoc)

12
Working in Isolation

• Seek advice / encouragement from
• colleagues
• library staff
• guides to the literature

13
Time Management

• Schedule adequate time for
• planning
• execution
• reflection
• refinement
• obtain articles etc (ILL)
• read, digest and work with articles etc