Common mistakes to avoid when writing a Literature review #2

Mistake #2. An inconsistent search methodology.

A comprehensive search strategy is important for identifying relevant research and minimizing bias in a literature review. A carefully planned and comprehensive search strategy ensures that researchers can:

• Ensure that all relevant research is fully documented.
• Reduce efforts on any unnecessary duplication.
• Reduce the chances of missing important findings

The importance of a comprehensive search strategy:

• It guarantees that the findings are accurate and comprehensive in their scope.
• It increases the validity and reliability of the literature review.
• It facilitates the identification of patterns, trends, and gaps in research.
• It provides support for establishing a strong evidence base.

However, a search strategy could include several errors leading to difficulties in obtaining an accurate literature review. Let's look at a few typical errors and how to prevent them:

Error 1. Using a single database as a resource:

Example- Relying on only one database can have limitations. A researcher may be using specifically PubMed or Google Scholar to search papers related to the health effects of air pollution.

Solution: Use multiple databases for search. Make sure to include both disciplinary and multidisciplinary databases, such as Scopus and Web of Science, in your search.

It is recommended to conduct a thorough search across multiple databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Scopus etc. One way to get a deeper understanding of the topic is to search for “air pollution and health effects” in different reputable academic databases that can provide a wide variety of papers related to the topic.

Error 2. Using search phrases that are overly specific or overly general:

Example 1: The topic you are looking for is quite specific: the effects of climate change on coral reefs in Australia.

Solution: Broaden your search. It is recommended to expand the search to include the effects of climate change on coral reefs. You can search on the topic of "climate change and coral reefs" to find studies examining the impact of climate change on coral reefs around the world.

Example 2. The topic is very general, say “environmental pollution impacts”.

Solution: Please search for more specific terms related to the impacts of environmental pollution that may align with your interest. It is recommended to narrow the search to focus on the topic of "health effects of environmental pollution." Search using an accurate collection of terms. Use relevant terms and interconnected phrases (such as “environmental pollution” and “health effects”). You could also search for information about the “impacts of water pollution on human health” to find relevant research.

Error 3. Excluding grey literature:

Example: Many times, we don’t include any non-peer-reviewed sources such as reports, theses, and conference proceedings in our search. While searching on the topic “climate change” governmental reports are excluded from the list, including reports on climate change by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Solution: Grey literature is also a valuable resource. An effective approach would involve integrating grey literature sources, such as government reports, theses, and conference proceedings should be included in your search. One could search for "IPCC climate change reports" or "climate change and government reports" to include relevant grey literature.

Error 4. Limiting the scope of the investigation to only sources written in your native language or the language accepted for your publication.

Example: Most of the researchers limit their search to English-language sources and miss the relevant research published in non-English language journals.

Solution: Expand your search to include material written in languages other than English. This will help reduce the effect of linguistic bias by including research conducted in different languages. An effective approach is to use translation tools or search databases that index journals written in languages other than English. For example, to find research papers in Spanish, you can search for "cambio climatica y salud" (which means "climate change and health") on SciELO or Redalyc.

Error 5. Lack of proficiency in using Boolean operators or search filters effectively.

Example: A researcher may search for the topic of climate change and health without including quotation marks or may avoid using filters such as "published date" or "study type". This is not recommended.

Solution: Refine your searches using Boolean operators and filters, including AND, OR, NOT, and constraints such as date and study type. For a more effective search, it is advisable to use Boolean operators and quotes. You can search for the specific phrase "climate change" and "health effects" using quotes with filters like "publication date: 2020-2022" and "study type: randomized controlled trial" when searching on the topic of climate change.

These tips will help in avoiding the common pitfalls related to search methodology and help to focus on relevant and comprehensive searches.

How to Facilitate Literature Search

Selecting a perfect search methodology requires pilot testing with skills and methodological rigor. It is seemingly a tedious and time-consuming process. However, with the advent of AI, various AI-based research tools are available, such as AnswerThis literature review can be facilitated within minutes.

Just sign in at AnswerThis.io and type your research topic/area. AnswerThis will use its intelligent search methodology to provide a comprehensive literature review with in-line citations and source information (tutorial ). Users can refine the results further with the AnswerThis editor rapidly and boost their research efficiency.

Try AnswerThis now! Happy Researching!!