Conducting a literature review is typically an iterative process. The following questions may help you to reflect on your experience and determine if you should improve and repeat your search.
How many citations were found?
- If there are too many results, consider using narrower, more specific terms. If too few results were found, use more general search terms.
How many databases were searched?
- Because any single database will not have complete coverage of relevant literature, your literature review should use multiple databases.
What terms were used to search for animal testing alternatives?
- Be sure to use synonyms for "alternative" to retrieve more complete search results.
What period of time in the literature was searched?
- Be sure to search literature as far back in time as possible to fully examine possible alternatives.
Are the search terms used relevant to protocols in the study?
- Your results will only be as useful as your search, so be sure to use terms that are related to the protocol in your study.
Are the search terms used appropriate for the databases that were searched?
- Which subject headings and terms are indexed will vary from database to database. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the different indexes by examining thesauri specific to each site.