Guides: Nursing Ed.D Library Guide: Example

ASK A QUESTION: What do you want to know?

Think about and write down your research question or problem (revision over time is fine and expected):

What is the comparable impact of teaching
versus research activities for promotion
or tenure of nursing faculty?

BREAK IT DOWN: Identify the main concepts

Now break down your research question or problem into separate and distinct main concepts
(number of concepts will vary):

What is the comparable impact of teaching
versus research activities for promotion
or tenure of nursing faculty?

CONCEPT #1: nursing faculty
CONCEPT #2: promotion or tenure
CONCEPT #3: teaching or research

FIND YOUR WORDS: Controlled and Uncontrolled

Next, consult the ERIC or CINAHL thesauri that are searchable through the online databases. Once you are in the ERIC database, select "ERIC Thesaurus"; if you are in the CINAHL database, select “CINAHL headings.” You can then enter your concept words into the “Browse for” box. For each concept you enter, you will be directed to the correct CINAHL subject heading, its definition (“scope”), synonyms and related concepts. This process helps you to understand how your topic is referred to in the literature, and will help ensure that your search is both precise and thorough.	For each concept, identify the corresponding subject heading/descriptor (referred to as “controlled vocabulary”): CONCEPT #1:nursing faculty ="faculty, nursing" CONCEPT #2:promotion or tenure = "faculty promotion", tenure,"faculty evaluation" CONCEPT #3:teaching or research = instruction, resarch,"research, nursing","faculty publishing", scholarship
Next, reflect on your research question and concepts and write down any related keywords or keyphrases (“uncontrolled vocabulary”) that come to mind. Also include any terminology that you have located in your research so far:	CONCEPT #1:"nurse educators", "nursing professors", "tenure-track nursing faculty" CONCEPT #2: "professional advancement", "promotion in rank", "continuing appointment" CONCEPT #3: teaching, "scholarly activity", "creative activity"
Using the ERIC or CINAHL thesauri, identify narrower or more specific words or phrases. These may be used to refine your search and limit search results.	CONCEPT #1: N/A CONCEPT #2: N/A CONCEPT #3: "instructional effectiveness", "research projects" investigations
In the same way, identify broader or more general words or phrases. These may be used to broaden your search and expand search results.	CONCEPT #1: "nontenured faculty", "college faculty" CONCEPT #2: "promotion (occupational)", "academic rank (professional)" CONCEPT #3: N/A

COMBINE AND RE-COMBINE: Create search statements

Using the subject headings/descriptors, keywords and keyphrases listed above, construct a Boolean search strategy using the connectors AND, OR, NOT. Boolean search logic will work effectively in any database. Main concepts are connected using AND, and related concepts are connected by OR. Related concepts connected by OR should be grouped together using parentheses. The NOT connector can be used carefully to weed out unwanted concepts from your search results. After evaluating your items retrieved, modify your strategy as necessary. Searching is a trial and error process!

CONCEPT #1:

("nursing faculty" OR "faculty, nursing" OR "nursing professors" OR "nurse educators")

AND

CONCEPT #2:

(promotion OR tenure OR "faculty promotion" OR "promotion (occupational)")

AND

CONCEPT #3:

(instruction OR teaching OR research OR "research, nursing" OR scholarship)