What is a scoping search?
Answer
Scoping searches are brief searches of existing literature, conducted to help you gain an overview of a subject area or research topic. Scoping searches are usually used in the early stages of research to:
- Fill gaps in knowledge
- Provide context and topic overviews
- Generate ideas and make connections
- Provide an overview of existing literature
- Collect key terms
Scoping searches need not necessarily follow a strict or structured methodology. A wide range of activities, such as browsing Wikipedia pages, Googling definitions, perusing relevant government legislation or revisiting book chapters can all serve as scoping searches.