Module 2 Session 2: Article Search Strategies

Article Search Strategies

Keywords

• Identify and utilize relevant keywords when searching for articles.

Authors

• Pay attention to the authors writing on a specific topic.
• Recognize that the same authors often reappear in the literature.

Publication Date

• Recommended Timeframe: Primarily focus on articles published within the last five years.
• Seminal Articles: Important foundational articles may be older (e.g., from 1990).

Reference Age

• Continuing Education/Presentations: Include recent references (within the last five years).
• Foundation: Older articles are acceptable for establishing the foundation of a topic.
• No Strict Age Limit: There is no mandatory age requirement for references.

Search Focus

• Seek the closest and most recent connections in the literature.
• Dig deeper to uncover the origins and development of research constructs.

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research

• Consider both quantitative and qualitative research, as well as mixed methods.

Search Term Refinement

• Refine initial, broad searches by adding specific parameters.
• Collect and compare search terms with team members.

Snowball Literature Search

• Process: Identify a key article and examine its references.
• Goal: Find closely aligned literature by tracing citations.

Leveraging Existing Research

• Avoid Redundancy: Do not reinvent the wheel; utilize existing scholarship.
• Find Examples: Locate articles that address the specific research question.
• Literature Base: All answers are typically found within the existing literature.