Search tips

Subject guides

Sambib staff have created a number of Subject guides. In the guides you'll find links and tips to various resources but also extensive pages dealing with search strategy and what to consider before, during and after searching for information in a subject.

In addition to the subject guides, there are guides on research methodology and reference management.

See all the subject guides here

Three steps

Wherever you are searching for information, you should start by considering the following three points:

• Think through what you are looking for

Think through what you are after, to make it easier to search in an efficient and appropriate manner. Take time to consider which concepts are central and what synomyms exist. Also consider that the search language in many databases is English, which means that you sometimes have to consider both Swedish and English search terms.

• Formulate your question

A good formulation of the problem is the most important starting point when you are searching for information. It is simpler to know what to look for when you know what research question you want to answer.

A good question has the following properties: it is relevant, interesting, focused and possible to answer.

• Choose a relevant source

To find what you are looking for, you have to look in the right place. What source you should use depends on the type of material you need, the purpose of the information, how quickly you need it and at what level it should be, among other things.