Evidence Synthesis, Systematic Review Services : Write a Search Strategy

While constructing a precise and productive search for the literature will take time and testing (or scoping), here are some useful tips on the mechanics for constructing search expressions that can be interpreted by database search engines. Search terms (keywords), operators, wildcards, and more!

• Be sure to visit the database "Help" files to learn about the special features, operators and wildcard characters that a database may uniquely use. 

See also sections 3 and 4 from the CEE Guidelines for Authors. (Guidelines and Standards for Environmental Synthesis in Environmental Management, Version 5.1, 2022)
Section 3: Planning the conduct of an Evidence Synthesis
Section 4: Conducting a Search

A few fundamentals and tips:

Make a list of your search terms (keywords) and the alternative, like or similar concepts. You may find it helpful to consult a thesaurus (for example, see NAL's Thesaurus and Glossary)

• As you run a search, review "subject headings" or "descriptors" to identify essential vocabulary.

Use AND to combine search terms; retrieve records with those terms, in any order: friends AND communication

Use OR to combine similar search terms or synonyms: friends OR peers

Use quotation marks ( " ") to search a required phrase: "interpersonal communication"

• Note: In many instances, the adjacency of your search terms may be sufficient to retrieve a phrase. Unless specific phrasing is necessary for meaning (or to assist if retrieving too many erroneous results), enclosing your search phrases within quotation marks may be too limiting.

Use an asterisk ( * ) to retrieve singular and plural forms or suffixes for search terms: friend* = friend, friends, friendly or friendship

• Consult the Help files provided within the database to determine the correct symbol used for this function.

Apply field limits or filters to your results, if necessary (by date, document type, or other). 

Using the examples, above, and putting it all together as a simple search expression, you would have:
(friend* OR peer*) AND "interpersonal communication"

In preparing for your review, you will begin with an exploratory or preliminary search of the literature. 

This search will help you:

• Identify existing reviews (so as not to duplicate work),
• Assess the quantity and quality of relevant, primary research studies (so as to be sufficiently abundant and productive for your work), and
• Identify key (benchmark) articles/publications with which to inform your subsequent searching.