There are usually many sources of information relevant to your topic. Even if you already have some useful material, you should still do a thorough search of the existing literature on your topic. Otherwise, you will miss critical information or duplicate something that has been done by someone else.
Find out what happened when one research physician did not do a thorough literature search.
Thorough information research is a process that requires developing strategies that are appropriate for the access tools you are using. As you move through the process, you will usually identify additional terms, subject headings, concepts, and even sources of information that will help you find exactly the information you need.
A systematic search plan generally includes the following basic steps:
