Database search strategy planner
- Search strategy plannerUse this template to help come up with keywords and formulate a search string
Defining keywords
Think of alternate terms for your words - synonyms, plurals, common names, scientific names and phrases.
| relevant keywords | ||
| Population | dogs | dog dogs canine canines |
| Intervention | canned meat diet | canned meat/food tinned meat/food processed diet commercial diet diet |
| Comparison | fresh meat diet | fresh meat/food raw meat/food homemade food/diet home-prepared food/diet |
| Outcome | obesity | obesity obese overweight weight gain body weight fat |
Your final search may not include all of these keywords, especially if the literature or search tool is limited.
In some cases, a simple search, e.g., dogs AND diet AND obesity, may be adequate.
Adding extra words may help reduce or increase the results.
Creating a search string
A search string is created by linking alternate terms or combining ideas using AND / OR / NOT (also known as Boolean operators or connectors).
| Connector AND | Connector OR | Connector NOT |
|
both words must appear in the reference |
either or both words will appear |
the second word must not appear |
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Truncation (using an asterix*) can be used to deal with:
Note: In some databases, like PubMed, using a truncation symbol can turn off the database's automatic 'mapping' to bring in similar terms. |
Phrase searching For words that belong together, use double quotes e.g. "cardiac arrest" "climate change" Note: You can't use a truncation (*) symbol within double quotes. |
Brackets can be used to keep groups of terms together:
(dog* OR canine*) AND ("canned meat" OR "tinned meat" OR "processed meat" OR "fresh meat" OR "raw meat" OR diet*) AND (obes* OR overweight OR "weight gain")
Further help and resources:
- Find quality informationHow to find information for academic purposes, including databases, specific information formats, Google Scholar and the web, research alerts and evaluating information.
- Building a search strategyRCVS Knowledge has resources to support evidence-based clinical decision-making in veterinary science.
