Plant Physiology (216:330): Research Skills

WHAT IS A SEARCH STRATEGY?

A search strategy is a structured plan to find information most effectively using keywords and phrases that encompass the various ways in which your topic could be referred to in the scholarly literature. This requires thinking of synonyms and alternate words that define your topic and doing several searches using combinations of those keywords and phrases. This will allow you to find the most relevant sources. Using Boolean Logic (see table below) is a way to efficiently search using several words and phrases in what's called a "search string".

Use your background searches on your topic to identify synonyms and alternate keywords for your search strategy.

WHY IS A SEARCH STRATEGY BENEFICIAL?

Library database algorithms search for all keywords that you enter into the search box; therefore, it is not good practice to search with your whole question. This will limit your search because the database will struggle to find the entire question in its results. 

Identifying alternate keywords and doing multiple searches with different related keywords is the most effective way to find as many relevant sources as possible to answer your research question.

RESEARCH QUESTION EXAMPLE - 

How can microplastics in the air and soil affect the growth of agricultural plants, and how is that affecting human and/or livestock health? 

SEARCH STRATEGY -

Main keywords: microplastics, air, soil, agricultural plants, human, livestock health

Alternate keywords: plastic particles, bioaccumulation, pollution, airborne, crop yield, plant uptake, nutrient uptake, food crops, farmland, animal health, agroecosystems, photosynthesis disruption

Search strategy:

Search 1: microplastics AND (air OR soil) AND ("agricultural plants") AND (human OR livestock) AND health

Search 2: ("microplastic pollution" OR "airborne microplastics") AND (crop yield OR nutrient uptake) AND agroecosystems

Search 3: (bioaccumulation AND microplastics) AND soil AND "photosynthesis disruption" AND "plant uptake"

Most databases will include keywords and subject headings within each article's results page. Refer to these suggestions for brainstorming other search strings. Some library databases now include generative AI assistance in determining alternative keywords.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SEARCH TECHNIQUES, EXAMPLES, AND TUTORIALS - SEE THE RUTGERS SEARCH FOR INFORMATION LIBGUIDE