INFORMATION SEARCH PLANNER

This information search planner will prompt you to identify particular search concepts and strategies, and systematically record the information
sources and material types which are relevant to your research

Summarise your topic (be as descriptive as possible – the words listed here can be used when searching databases and other resources)
o
Use the word/terms listed here to populate the ‘search plan table’ on page 4)
Deakin University Library
www.deakin.edu.au/library
CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
1. Apply the concepts as described below to assist in filling out your search planner
Searching tips:
Boolean operators: are a means of combining search terms to broaden or narrow search results
AND -
narrows a search
teenage* and ‘‘drug abuse’’
OR -
broadens a search
teenage* or adolescen* or youth* or "young adult’’
NOT-
used to exclude terms from a search
aids not ‘‘hearing aids’’
Phrase searching: This requires terms to be searched in the exact order specified within the quotation marks ‘‘ ‘‘
“global warming” “prescription drugs”
Truncation: Find word variations or alternate spellings by adding a truncation symbol to the end of terms. Common symbols are * or ! or ?
adolescen* will find: adolescent, adolescents, adolescence,
Identifying key concepts:
Synonyms (related terms):
Words or phrases that have a similar meaning
e.g. youth, teenager, adolescent
Plurals:
More than one
e.g. child, children
Variant spellings
Consider American and English terms and spelling
e.g. Organisation organization
Acronyms, Abbreviations
May need to be written out in full
e.g. WHO – World Health Organisation
Broader terms
General terms
e.g. computer networks
Narrower terms
Specific terms
e.g. Internet
2. Keep a systematic log of recorded database searches
LiryCOS Provider Code: 00113B
CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
‘Search plan’ table example filled out for topic “Social networking sites leading to cultural changes in young adults”
Concept 1
List all key
words/terms as
stated in your topic
description above
and

Social networking sites
Concept 2
Cultural change
OR

List search terms
using truncation* and
wildcards?
Networking site*
Social website*
List words derived
from available
thesaurus
Online social networks
(Academic Search Complete)
Social media (PsycINFO)
LiryCOS Provider Code: 00113B
CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
OR

Young adult*
Youth
Teenager*
Adolescent*
OR

Societal change*
OR

and

Young adults
Cultur* change*
Facebook
Twitter
Online social site*
Concept 3
OR

OR

List synonyms,
alternate spelling,
language, etc.
and

OR

Young men
Young women
OR

OR

Youth (Academic Search
Complete)
Fill out ‘search plan’ table for your topic
Concept 1
and

Concept 2
and

Concept 3
and

List all key
words/terms as
stated in your topic
description above
OR

OR

OR

OR

OR

OR

OR

OR

OR

List search terms
using truncation* and
wildcards?
List synonyms,
alternate spelling,
language, etc.
List words derived
from available
thesaurus
LiryCOS Provider Code: 00113B
CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
Further considerations
Any terms to exclude?_______________________________________________________________________________________
Any limitations (eg timeframe, geographic region, demographics)?___________________________________________________
Information sources brainstorming



Information is available from a wide range of sources, including print, electronic and multimedia
You may need to consult many different sources to satisfy all research needs
Stay on top of information by setting up alerts for those sources identified as key to your research
Key scholarly formats (peer-reviewed articles, conference papers, reports, books, systematic reviews etc…)
Key unpublished formats (working papers, government reports, pamphlets, posters, conference posters, blogs etc…)
Theses and dissertations (see http://www.deakin.edu.au/library/research/search-and-review-literature.php#theses)
LiryCOS Provider Code: 00113B
CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
Key Journals on my topic: (e.g. ERA, DOAJ; see http://www.deakin.edu.au/library/research/get-published.php)
Key conferences in my research field: (e.g. www.allconferences.com, http://conferencealerts.com, COS Papers Invited database)
Key authors and/or collaborative teams: (e.g. search Scopus and ISI Web of Science databases - citation counts)
Key organizations and web sites:
LiryCOS Provider Code: 00113B
CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
Recording your search strategies – Database 1. <Enter name of Database>
Date
Search strategy
 Keywords, variants, * or ?
 Linking words – AND OR NOT
 limiters used to narrow search, date range, peer
reviewed and scholarly, etc...
LiryCOS Provider Code: 00113B
CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
(repeat for subsequent databases)
Result: numbers of hits
 Relevant?
 Full text found? If not ... follow through with WebBridge, InterLibrary
Loan, Google Scholar?
 Export to Endnote?
 Create an alert to receive updates?