Defining your search strategy You have a question….now what?

Define the terms To develop a search plan, identify the main concepts of the topic and the relationships between the concepts. Break your topic into several parts to make it more manageable. For example: What is the effect of computer-based cognitive rehabilitation (CBCR) on improving cognitive functions in patients with stroke? Concept 1computer-based cognitive rehabilitation Concept 2cognitive function Concept 3stroke  These concepts become the keywords you will use to search for information.  It may be necessary to consult encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauri and other resources to find the most appropriate keywords, particularly for finding scientific and technical names. Adapted from UniSA Library Online Tutor 2

Make a list Remember to include similar words (synonyms) or alternative spellings, complete names or abbreviations, scientific or common names. Adapted from UniSA Library Online Tutor 3 ConceptKey words 1: computer-based cognitive rehabilitation E-rehabilitation, computer based rehabilitation, cognitive training, cognitive therapy, computer assisted therapy 2: cognitive function Cognition, cognitive function, cognitive 3: stroke Stroke, apoplexy, brain infarction, cerebrovascular disorder, cerebrovascular accident, CVA, transient ischemic attack, TIA

Combine keywords to search  Searching using a string of search terms (e.g. typing in a sentence) is not an effective search strategy when it comes to databases. Think about how your keywords relate to one another, and use OR, AND or NOT as appropriate.  OR, AND and NOT are often described in searching jargon as Boolean or Logical Operators or Connectors. Adapted from UniSA Library Online Tutor 4

OR  When you combine keywords using OR your search will find items containing either one or both of your keywords. This is often illustrated using diagrams like the one below:  So use OR to make your search broader, and to combine words with similar meanings. 5 Stroke OR cerebrovascular disorder

AND  When you combine keywords using AND your search will only find items containing both of your keywords 6 Computer assisted therapy AND stroke AND cognitive function

NOT When you combine keywords using NOT your search will only find items containing the first key word but not the other What could be some problems with this? 7 Stroke NOT traumatic brain injury

Peer Reviewed Databases Fees may be required to access full text copy of the article indexed in the following databases: MEDLINE / PubMed CINAHL PsychInfo Embase 8

Other EBP resources The following databases allow free access to EBP resources Cochrane Library TRIP (Turning Research Into Practice) NIHS (National Institute for Health Research) OT Seeker 9

Other EBP resources PEDro (The Physiotherapy Evidence Database) PubMed Bandolier National Guideline Clearing House Speech Pathology Database for Best Interventions and Treatment Efficacy (speechBITE) 10

Searching for different forms of a word Most databases allow you to use a symbol to search for all words beginning with a particular base. These are called truncation symbols and may vary depending on the database software (?, *, $) e.g. typing learn* into the Cochrane Library database would find learn, learns, learner, learners, learning Another symbol, usually called a Wildcard, may be used to search for alternative spellings or forms e.g. typing organi?ation would find both organisation and organization typing wom?n would find both women or woman 11

12 Search number Search terms 1 E-rehabilitation OR computer based rehabilitation OR cognitive training OR cognitive therapy OR computer assisted therapy 2 Cogniti* OR cognitive function* 3 Stroke OR apople* OR brain infarction OR cerebrovascular disorder OR cerebrovascular accident OR CVA OR transient isch?mic attack OR TIA 41 AND 2 AND 3

Evaluate and refine search results After using the search statement in a database you need to:  display the search results on the screen  evaluate these results to see if they adequately match your topic If you found relevant articles – congratulations! 13

Did you find too many references? Narrow your search or make it more specific:  add another concept or keyword to make it more specific  add limits to your search, e.g, to a particular language, years of publication or peer reviewed  restrict your search to specific fields, for example, the title or the abstract 14

Do you need more references? Broaden your search:  Are you using alternative keywords and synonyms, including alternative spellings? 15 e.g. instead of using chocolate, use confectionary  Have you tried using truncation or wildcards to capture all forms of your keyword?