Ever struggled to do a good literature search? Perhaps you are planning a literature review but you’re not quite sure where to start.

Any research project should start with an understanding of what work has been done and published in the past. Where do you start. A quick search on a search engine like PubMed usually results in a list of thousands and thousands of articles. A good search should provide you with a manageable number of articles and at the same time, not miss any of the important articles published.

The starting point is a good search strategy. Constructing an excellent question and identifying the right key words and phrases is the first step. Then you need to apply something called Boolean logic to help the search engine pick out exactly what you’re looking for. Once the searching is done, the fun can begin. Reviewing the literature properly will provide an excellent starting point for your research project.

Please note that while this course focuses primarily on searching medical literature, the principles taught apply in any discipline. The course is designed for people who have either never done a literature review before, or have tried and found it difficult. Don’t delay. Sign up and enjoy!