Structured information searching

Document the search

To create an overview and for the search to be possible to redo, it is important to document your search.

The documentation should contain:

• The database’s (and database supplier’s) name
• The date when the search was made
• The exact search words
• How the search words have been combined
• The limitations the have been used

Use the search history

The search history that the databases provide can be a good help when you document your searching.

One recommendation is to copy your search blocks to a Word document. This gives a clear overview and you can reuse your search words by “copying and pasting" in your search words from the Word document to the respective database.

A template for database search documentation