Search strategy

A search strategy is a query used to retrieve information, usually from a bibliographic database. It can refer to the query used in one database or to the general approach that is adapted for use in a number of different sources. The latter is described in the methodology sections of scientific papers. To aid the description, all the proposed sources are listed. The complete database searches (or sample) can often be found as an appendix item. Search strategies vary in terms of their complexity, the range of sources used and the publication type they aim to retrieve. Additional retrieval methods should be documented, including hand-searching specific publications, citation searching, and seeking expert advice.