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Module 2: Finding Journal Articles

2.2 Search strategy

icon Before you search for an article - plan your strategy for finding the information you need.

Module 1 provided the basics of this process so let's build on what is known.

The Search Strategy Planner - a useful tool for breaking the planning process down into logical and manageable steps.

STEP 1: Summarise your topic
Clearly state your topic in your own words in one or two sentences. Record it in the Search Strategy Planner on this this Word document. Be as specific as possible.

SEARCH STRATEGY PLANNER
STEP 1: Summarise your topic below
I would like to find information about effects of land clearing on Australian wildlife


STEP 2: Underline the keywords and phrases
Underline the key words/phrases in your sentence and record them in the spaces provided on the Planner.

STEP 2: Record the keywords and phrases
Key Word 1:
effects		 Key Word 2:
land clearing		 Key Word 3:
Australian		 Key Word 4:
wildlife


STEP 3: Identify synonyms/alternatives to these keywords
Identify other phrases, synonyms and variant forms of words that describe the keywords and phrases you have underlined. You may need to use a thesaurus to help you identify some alternative words.

Record your alternatives in the planner.

STEP 3: Identify other phrases, synonyms and variant words
Key Word 1:
effects		 Key Word 2:
land clearing		 Key Word 3:
Australian		 Key Word 4:
wildlife
impact/s clear-felling Australia wild animals
  deforestation   fauna
  forest fragmentation   individual species - possums, koalas, wombats, eagles, parrots etc


STEP 4: Create a search


icon TIP - Use wild card characters to search for variations on the stem of a word, including plurals, or for variant spelling.

For example: Using manag* when searching will retrieve manage, management, managing, manager, managers.

Using quotation marks "" to search for a phrase e.g. "Great barrier Reef".

 

STEP 4: Create a Search
wildlife effect* "land clearing" Australia*

fauna impact* deforest* Australia*

"wild animal" effect* clear-felling Australia*

wildlife impact* "forest fragmentation" Australia*

... and so on.


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