A search methodology could ideally include a search diary or document detailing your search so that you can keep track of effective search terms, or someone else can reproduce your steps and get the same results.

Keep a record of your search strategies, the sources searched and search results from each.

Include:

• The names of the sources you search and which provider you accessed them through - eg Medline (Ovid), Web of Science (Thomson Reuters). You should also include any other literature sources you used.
• The search strategies that you applied when searching different sources (eg Medline, Web of Science) can be added as an appendix to your document. This provides additional detail on:
  • how you searched (keyword and/or subject headings)
  • which search terms you used (which words and phrases)
  • any search techniques you employed (truncation, adjacency, etc)
  • how you combined your search terms (AND/OR).  Watch this video for more tips on Boolean Searching.
• The number of search results from each source and each strategy used.  This can be the evidence you need to prove a gap in the literature, and confirms the importance of your research question.

Keep a record of significant/important aspects of papers that you have read, making sure you note the article from where the information came so that you can easily find it when you are writing up your dissertation.

Further reading

Miller, R. L. & Brewer, J. (2003). The A-Z of Social Research : SAGE Publications Ltd doi: 10.4135/9780857020024

Phelps, R., Fisher, K. & Ellis, A. (2007). Effective literature searching. In Organizing and managing your research (pp. 128-149). : SAGE Publications Ltd doi: 10.4135/9781849209540.n7