How to carry out a search of a bibliographic database

This article, aimed at the novice, proposes a four-step approach to planning, undertaking and documenting the search for relevant literature, a vital part of any literature review. The main focus is on searching electronic databases to find research papers, but the principles described may also be applied to paper-based sources and the Internet (useful resources for research are considered). Examples are given to illustrate the process of searching using index terms, grouping concepts and applying limits.