Physics: Troubleshooting your search strategy

 Use this checklist to assess the effectiveness of your search strategy:

• Is your search precise and comprehensive?
• Are you retrieving a manageable number of results from key databases like Scopus and Web of Science?
• Are the results relevant to your research question?
• Are you identifying core articles that are central to your literature review?
• Have you examined the keywords used in those core articles to refine your search?
• Are you seeing duplicate results across different databases (a sign of good coverage)?
• Are you using a variety of search techniques, such as Boolean operators (AND, OR), phrase searching, and truncation?
• Have you included a range of source types, such as peer-reviewed journal articles, books and grey literature (if appropriate for your topic)?
• Are you searching across multiple databases?
• Are you identifying gaps in the literature or areas that require further research?
• Are you keeping your search up to date, for example by setting up alerts for new publications?
• Are you critically evaluating the sources you find for methodological quality, relevance, and credibility?

Are you getting too few results from your database searches? Try these options:  

• Use broader or more general keywords
• Remove a concept
• Add more synonyms and related terms
• Use truncation or wildcards (eg electromag*) to capture word variations electromagnetic, electromagnetism, electromagnet
• Check spelling and formatting (eg ANDs/ORs, truncation etc)
• Remove filters (eg date, publication type)
• Try different databases
• Look at reference lists and cited documents of key articles

NB If you have considered all of the above and still aren't getting many results, it may be necessary to broaden your research question. Discuss with your supervisor for further guidance. 

 Are you getting too many results from your database searches? Try these options: 

• Use more specific keywords
• Add another concept 
• Check all your search terms are relevant
• Use phrase searching (eg "kinetic energy") 
• Check formatting (eg ANDs/ORs, truncation etc)
• Limit search to titles and abstracts
• Apply filters (eg date, peer-reviewed, publication type)

NB If you have considered all of the above and are still getting too many results, it might be necessary to refine your research question. Discuss with your supervisor for further guidance.