Literature Searches for a Successful Manuscript

Posted by Liz Kavanaugh on 7/18/2025

We’re going to talk about how to conduct an effective literature search. First let’s think about why literature searches are important. When you’re designing a research question, an up-to-date literature search identifies the limitations of previous research so you can build on it. It can also show you if your idea is novel and it hasn’t already been done. The same literature search will reveal model papers and standard methods while you design and conduct the study. Later, when writing the paper, you can include these seminal works to provide context for the work you’ve done. All these are crucial when you want to write for publication or draft a grant proposal.

Developing a Thorough Search Strategy

1. Use the PICO Framework and Boolean Logic. Boolean operators are essential for combining search terms when using literature databases. The most common Boolean operators are: AND, OR, used with nesting ( ).

P – Population

I – Intervention

C – Comparison

O - Outcome

2. Use Keywords and Synonyms for Each Concept. Authors have different ways of expressing the same concepts, and the language we use to describe things changes over time and from place to place. To find all the appropriate articles on a topic, you must use all the terms that apply. The MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) database in PubMed is a valuable tool for mapping keywords. It finds synonyms through its Entry terms, Previous Indexing, See Also, and Mesh term hierarchy (see example below).

3. Concept Table. Organize keywords and synonyms for a thorough literature search. An organized table helps you keep track of which terms you’ve searched in which combinations.

Concept	Keyword
Attitudes	(Attitudes OR Perspectives OR Sentiments OR Perceptions) AND
Midwives	(midwifery OR midwife OR midwives OR Traditional Birth Attendant) AND
Genetic Testing	Genetic Testing OR Genetics OR genetic markers OR dna mutational analysis OR mutagenicity tests OR predisposition

A solid literature search confirms that your work is useful and contemporary, and it reduces the chance of rejection. For more information, you can contact our Informationists at the Library by emailing hsl@geisinger.edu.

---

---