In conducting a complex search, the researcher's main goal is to:
A) create as long a list of possible sources as possible.
B) establish a baseline of how many studies are available on the topic.
C) find out whether the topic is too difficult for study.
D) focus the literature review.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Combining the concepts used in the study into one search will reveal sources that also used a similar combination of concepts, instead of all studies that used as few as one of them.
The goal of the researcher would not be to obtain a lengthy list, but a useful one.
The researcher would not be establishing a baseline, but creating a relevant literature review.
A literature review may ultimately lead the researcher to this conclusion, but that is not the goal of the search. The correct answer is "focus the literature review." A review of literature is introduced with a description of the topic of interest and how the review is focused.

In Conducting a Complex Search, the Researcher's Main Goal Is