the process of systematically locating and identifying published research, scholarly articles, and other relevant sources on a specific topic or research question. It typically involves using databases, keywords, and inclusion/exclusion criteria to ensure a thorough and unbiased collection of evidence. The goal of a literature search is to gather the sources needed to support a research project or inform evidence-based decision-making.
Example
Before writing her thesis, the student performs a literature search in PubMed and Scopus using keywords like “rheumatoid arthritis” and “biologic treatments” to gather all relevant peer-reviewed studies published since 2013.