| name | source-discovery |
| description | Find and evaluate academic sources including databases, search strategies, and quality assessment. Use when researching topics, building bibliographies, or finding evidence. |
| metadata | {"author":"specialist-team","version":"1.0.0"} |
Source Discovery
Your Task
When finding academic sources, systematically:
- Define research needs and search scope
- Search appropriate databases and repositories
- Evaluate source credibility and relevance
- Track sources for citation management
- Identify gaps in coverage
Search Strategy
Step 1: Define Your Search
Research Question Components:
Topic: [Main subject]
Scope: [Boundaries - time, geography, population]
Perspective: [Theoretical framework, discipline]
Purpose: [Why you need this information]
Search Terms Worksheet:
| Concept | Synonyms | Related Terms | Broader | Narrower |
|---------|----------|---------------|---------|----------|
| [Main] | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| [Second] | ... | ... | ... | ... |
Step 2: Build Search Queries
Boolean Operators:
AND - Narrows results (both terms required)OR - Expands results (either term matches)NOT - Excludes terms" " - Exact phrase matching* - Wildcard (truncation)
Example Query Building:
Topic: Machine learning in healthcare
Step 1: Key concepts
machine learning, healthcare
Step 2: Add synonyms
(machine learning OR artificial intelligence OR deep learning)
AND
(healthcare OR medical OR clinical)
Step 3: Add specificity
(machine learning OR artificial intelligence)
AND (healthcare OR medical)
AND (diagnosis OR treatment)
Step 4: Add filters
+ Date: 2020-present
+ Document type: Journal article
+ Language: English
Academic Databases
General Academic
| Database | Coverage | Best For |
|---|
| Google Scholar | Broad, multidisciplinary | Initial exploration |
| Web of Science | High-quality journals | Citation tracking |
| Scopus | Science, tech, medicine | Comprehensive coverage |
| JSTOR | Humanities, social sciences | Historical articles |
| ProQuest | Dissertations, theses | Graduate research |
Subject-Specific
| Field | Databases |
|---|
| Computer Science | IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, arXiv |
| Medicine | PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane |
| Psychology | PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES |
| Business | Business Source Complete, SSRN |
| Law | Westlaw, LexisNexis |
| Education | ERIC |
Open Access
| Resource | Type |
|---|
| arXiv | Preprints (STEM) |
| SSRN | Preprints (social sciences) |
| PubMed Central | Open access biomedical |
| DOAJ | Directory of open journals |
| Unpaywall | Browser extension for free versions |
Search Techniques
Citation Chaining
Backward Chaining (who did they cite?):
- Find a highly relevant paper
- Examine its reference list
- Follow promising citations
- Build toward foundational works
Forward Chaining (who cited them?):
- Find a foundational paper
- Use "Cited by" feature
- Track how ideas developed
- Find most recent applications
Pearl Growing
- Start with one perfect source
- Note its subject headings/keywords
- Search using those exact terms
- Repeat with new relevant sources
Berrypicking
Iteratively refine:
- Start with initial query
- Evaluate results
- Adjust terms based on what you find
- Repeat until satisfied
Source Evaluation
CRAAP Test
| Criterion | Questions to Ask |
|---|
| Currency | When published? Updated? Still relevant? |
| Relevance | Does it address your topic? Right audience? Right level? |
| Authority | Who wrote it? What credentials? Who published it? |
| Accuracy | Is it supported by evidence? Peer-reviewed? Can you verify? |
| Purpose | Why was it written? Bias? Objective? |
Source Hierarchy
| Tier | Source Types | Typical Use |
|---|
| 1 | Peer-reviewed journals, systematic reviews | Primary evidence |
| 2 | Academic books, conference proceedings | Major concepts |
| 3 | Professional publications, white papers | Context, practice |
| 4 | Government reports, reputable organizations | Data, policy |
| 5 | News, websites, blogs | Background only |
Red Flags
⚠ Be cautious if:
- No author identified
- No publication date
- No citations or references
- Extreme claims without evidence
- Commercial intent (selling something)
- Known predatory publisher
Tracking Sources
Citation Manager Setup
Organize as you find:
## Source Tracking Sheet
| Title | Authors | Year | Database | Relevance | Status |
|-------|---------|------|----------|-----------|--------|
| ... | ... | ... | ... | High/Med/Low | Read/Skim/Cite |
Annotation Template
For each important source:
## [Citation Key]
**Full Citation**: [Harvard format]
**Summary**: [2-3 sentences on main argument/findings]
**Key Quotes**:
- "Quote 1" (p. X)
- "Quote 2" (p. Y)
**Relevance**: [How it connects to your work]
**Limitations**: [Any caveats or biases]
**Related Sources**: [What it cites that you should read]
Search Documentation
Track your search process:
# Search Log: [Topic]
## Search 1
- **Date**: YYYY-MM-DD
- **Database**: [Name]
- **Query**: [Exact search string]
- **Filters**: [Date range, document type, etc.]
- **Results**: [Number found]
- **Relevant**: [Number kept]
- **Notes**: [Observations]
## Search 2
[Repeat...]
## Summary
- **Total sources found**: X
- **Sources kept**: Y
- **Key papers identified**: [List]
- **Gaps identified**: [What's missing]
Gap Analysis
After searching, assess coverage:
## Research Coverage Assessment
### Well-Covered Areas
- [Topic A] - Multiple high-quality sources
- [Topic B] - Recent comprehensive reviews
### Partially Covered
- [Topic C] - Some sources, but dated
- [Topic D] - Limited perspectives
### Gaps
- [Topic E] - No sources found; may need:
- Different search terms
- Different databases
- Related fields
### Action Items
- [ ] Try alternative search terms for [gap]
- [ ] Check [specific database] for [topic]
- [ ] Contact librarian about [specialty area]
Special Search Scenarios
Finding Foundational Works
- Check recent review articles' references
- Look for "seminal" or "foundational" mentions
- Find highest-cited papers on topic
- Check textbook bibliographies
Finding Recent Developments
- Set date filters to last 2-3 years
- Check preprint servers (arXiv, SSRN)
- Follow key researchers on Google Scholar
- Check conference proceedings
Finding Grey Literature
For reports, theses, working papers:
- ProQuest Dissertations
- Government websites
- Organization repositories
- Think tank publications
Finding Data Sources
- Data.gov (government data)
- ICPSR (social science data)
- Kaggle (ML datasets)
- Zenodo (research data)
Quick Reference
| Need | Approach |
|---|
| Starting research | Google Scholar + citation chaining |
| Comprehensive search | Multiple databases + Boolean queries |
| Quality sources | Peer-reviewed filters + CRAAP test |
| Recent work | Date filters + preprints |
| Historical context | Backward citation chaining |
| Track sources | Citation manager + annotation |
| Find gaps | Coverage assessment |
Database Quick Guide
| Field | Start Here |
|---|
| General | Google Scholar → Web of Science |
| STEM | IEEE/ACM → arXiv |
| Medical | PubMed → Cochrane |
| Social Science | JSTOR → SSRN |
| Humanities | JSTOR → Project MUSE |
