retrieves many records. Following with precision search strategies narrows the
field of the originally recalled records.Basic Searches: Using Keywords
Selecting key terms is critical for achieving successful results when searching for
evidence. A good place to begin identifying key terms is the PICOT question
(PICOT stands for patient population, intervention of interest, comparison
of interest, outcome of interest, and time frame; McGrath et al., 2012). For
example, consider the PICOT question, “Does practicing yoga three times a
week reduce blood pressure in older adults?” By using the parts of the PICOT
question, one can see that concepts such as yoga, blood pressure, and older
adults can form the basis for keywords.
There are two basic types of search queries when searching electronic da-
tabases: keyword and controlled vocabulary (discussed in the next section).
Each has its own benefits and constraints, but the key to successful searching
is knowing which type of query to use. Because the Internet is easy to use,
bad search habits have resulted. Internet search engines are eager to please
and therefore usually produce results for the entered search term. However,
the results often include unrelated items, or the definition of terms may not
match, the websites identified may be of dubious quality, or perhaps a mis-
spelled search term retrieves matches from others who have misspelled words
the same way. Electronic databases hold searchers to a higher level of use. For
example, correct spelling really counts. When words are misspelled, databases
reply with “zero results retrieved.” With the use of good search habits, databases
can offer consistency in searching, reliability of information found, and access
to information not available on the open Internet.
Keyword searching allows you to enter a search term that best describes a
topic as it is used in information source records (Cleary et al., 2009). Although
this search strategy retrieves related records, searches also need to include
synonyms and variations of the search term to ensure that all relevant records
are retrieved. For example, in a search for information about newborns and
their mothers, a keyword search using the terms “bonding” and “attachment”
would be necessary. Keyword searches are often best for searching full-text or
citation records. In most databases, keyword searching also considers words
in the title, content notes, and author fields of each item’s record.
Search tools are used to refine keyword searches. While the underlying con-
cepts of these tools remain constant across various applications and resources,
some electronic databases do not support all of them, or their symbols may
be slightly different. To make the best use of powerful search strategies, it is
essential to check the database’s help files to make sure the tools are available
and that the chosen symbols are entered correctly.112 CHAPTER 4 Finding Sources of Evidence