The Search Strategy

A search strategy is a logical process which depends on a series of "feedback steps" to locate research.  Each step of this process is defined by the previous step. 

• Background knowledge & Keywords in Google.com: 
  • Use Google to develop keywords. 
  • There is more than one way to express an idea or topic, and this is critical when you use Google . Once you have a short list of possible keywords from your initial Google search, think of other ways to express the same ideas (synonyms). Hint: Try formulating your topic as a complete question, or using the Advanced Search feature.
  • You have been provided with several books to help you to outline the concepts of your research lab's topic. These sources help you identify key concepts and keywords. Note that you will begin in very broad, very general categories, e.g., isopod, instead of pill bug. General information in these books help you understand the broader context of your organism, as well as telling you what is known about the topic you are researching. Fine tune your results in Google by searching references, authors, and other details.
• Use the Gale eBooks (Gale Virtual Reference Library Tab). This source (Note that some are online as well as the books in the lab)  provides an overview of your topic. 
• Find articles from LHU library's databases: listed here are databases which closely match your research needs, using keywords, and keyword combinations.
• Evaluate the results of your searches. If your results are unsatisfactory, then you modify your previous steps.  This may require broadening the scope of keywords from specific terms to more general terms (return to Background knowledge & keywords for more exploration). If you have a one or two keyword research topic, these topic searches have implications of being too broad. You may need to narrow your topic  by considering an appropriate sub-topic (Background knowledge!), and using the sub-topic keywords in boolean operations.  
• Conduct your research in a logical manner.  Move your research forward by repeating some or all steps. Consult with your lab instructor and/or a librarian to help you define your topic or assist with learning a database/research resource.

*What you are doing is assembling the steps in a variety of cycles. If your process stalls, your next step may require another run-through of the procedure from the last step, in series of linked concentric circles, one cycling into another.  This kind of strategy moves your research forward, and adds depth and variety to the literature you find.  When are you done? That is for you to evaluate.