UNV 171 | Konkolewicz & Radke | 2024: On sharing your search strategy

Time Stamps

It's important to include when the search was performed.

This is because new literature is being produced constantly, and at different stages of the research project it might be necessary to re-run the searches.

Therefore, when capturing screenshots, it's good include the date from the clock on screen. At a minimum the date should be included in the documentation.

Capturing Search Histories with ScreenShots

It is not necessary to grab a screen shot for every search performed. A more concise way to do this is with a screen shot of the search history.

Example from Web of Science

After doing your searches, click on Advanced Search in the upper left of the screen. See screen shot below.

Once you click Advanced Search, you can not only do an advanced search, but this is where you'll find the Session Queries. Providing a screen shot of this page, is the most concise way to share provide evidence that you did all the searches you said you did. See screen shot below.

Example from PubMed

After doing your searches, click on Advanced under the search box. See screen shot below.

Once you click Advanced, you can not only do an advanced search, but this is where you'll find the History and Search Details. Providing a screen shot of this page, is the most concise way to share provide evidence that you did all the searches you said you did. See screen shot below.

Example from EBSCO

EBSCO is a company that hosts many different databases. These instructions will work for any of them.

After doing your searches, click on Search History under the search boxes. See screen shot below.

Once you click Search History, you can not only do an advanced search, but this is where you'll find a summary of what you searched for. Providing a screen shot of this page, is the most concise way to share provide evidence that you did all the searches you said you did. See screen shot below.