Systematic literature search

A literature search is a systematic, thorough search of all types of literature (e.g. books, peer reviewed articles, etc.) in your topic.

Systematic literature searching requires that you to organise and perform the search process in a structured and pre-planned way. It necessitates careful consideration of your search terms, selection of resources (including databases), choice of search methods, and requires you to reflect on the search results obtained during the process.

When you search the literature in a systematic way you have a greater chance of avoiding disparities and selection bias, and it enables you to identify gaps in the existing research. In this way you also minimise the risk of reproducing already existing research.

Documenting your searches during the process is key. Your aim is that your searches are, in principle, reproducible.

Some disciplines such as medicine have a strong history of producing systematic reviews. Systematic reviews are a formalised method of research output that aims to identify, select, critically appraise and synthesise all relevant research that answers a specific research question.

To search in a systematic fashion, it is not necessary is not always necessary to be so rigorous as a formalised systematic review. You can follow and adapt the basic principles for the construction of structured and systematic searches and documentation of results.