# Literature search log

Adapt these templates to your discipline, institutional rules and actual project.

## Question and scope

Translate population, concepts and scope into blocks and justify date/language limits.

Actual decision, rationale and evidence location: ____________________

## Database and interface

Record database, interface and searched fields.

Actual decision, rationale and evidence location: ____________________

## Date and full query

Save the full query, operators, parentheses and cutoff; test it in the actual interface.

Actual decision, rationale and evidence location: ____________________

## Limits and count

Record actual counts before/after limits and their rationale.

Actual decision, rationale and evidence location: ____________________

## Export and deduplication

Log filename, format and deduplication; distinguish record, report and study.

Actual decision, rationale and evidence location: ____________________

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## Related example and decision record

Decision workbook and teaching example · 2026-10-06

The completed case is fictional. Its values and decisions are not actual findings; complete your project using relevant permissions, methods and requirements.

- Project: ____________________
- Researcher and role: ____________________
- Date and version: ____________________
- Data seen before the decision: ____________________
- Aim and scope: ____________________

## Completed example

| Stage/decision | Example | Check or action |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Block | student OR undergraduate | Are local terms and synonyms considered? |
| Combination | population AND support AND engagement | Are logic and parentheses correct? |
| Database | Name, interface and fields | Is syntax interface-specific? |
| Check | Known relevant study | Does the query retrieve it? |
| Log | Date, query, count and export | Is it repeatable and auditable? |

## Complete your own record

| Topic | Actual decision and reason | Evidence link and status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Block | __________ | __________ |
| Combination | __________ | __________ |
| Database | __________ | __________ |
| Check | __________ | __________ |
| Log | __________ | __________ |

## Completion checks

- [ ] Prepare a multi-database search log and a read-source matrix.

## Changes and limitations

| Date | Change | Data known at decision time | Reason | Consequence for claim | Reviewer |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| __________ | __________ | __________ | __________ | __________ | __________ |

## Sources and further reading

- [National Library of Medicine — PubMed User Guide](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/help/)
- [Harvard Library — HOLLIS Catalog](https://library.harvard.edu/services-tools/hollis-catalog)
- [PRISMA 2020 — Statement and checklists](https://www.prisma-statement.org/prisma-2020)
- [Zotero — Quick start guide](https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide)

Related guide: https://didgar-research-site1.vercel.app/en/guides/literature-search/