STEPS LITERATURE SEARCH 

There are many points to consider in making an effective literature search. The first and foremost step is to ascertain the purpose, scope, depth and precise field of enquiry. This may entail a dialogue between the user and the information specialist. A quick assessment of the nature and extent of the enquiry will show whether the search is for specific factual information, mainly required by a technical worker, or for a few select references, normally adequate for an administrator or a policy maker, or for a comprehensive bibliographical search, which is usually the requirement of a research worker. Once the parameters of a query are fully understood, a proper search strategy should be chalked out. Haphazard searching of literature will lead not only to wastage of time and money, but also to the risk of missing a number of important documents. Much of the expertise in literature searching lies in choosing the most appropriate sources to consult with in each case and the order in which to consult them.