Developing an Effective Search Strategy

A concept, in the context of a search strategy, is a fundamental building block of your research question. It represents a distinct, standalone idea or topic that is central to your research. Understanding what constitutes a concept is crucial for developing an effective search strategy because it allows you to focus your inquiry on the most relevant aspects of your topic. Concepts help you clarify your research objectives and guide your search for information, ensuring that you gather data that directly addresses your research questions. By identifying and isolating these key ideas, you can create a more structured and organized approach to your research, leading to more meaningful insights and conclusions. This clarity not only enhances your understanding of the subject matter but also improves your ability to communicate your findings effectively. Here's a more detailed explanation:

• Specificity: A concept should be specific enough to meaningfully contribute to your research focus. It should represent a key aspect of your topic that can be explored independently. For example, in an engineering context, "nanotechnology" is more specific and useful as a concept than "technology."
• Standalone nature: Each concept should be able to exist as a separate topic of study. If you were to research just that concept alone, it would still make sense and yield relevant information. For instance, "renewable energy" can be studied on its own, separate from other related concepts.
• Core to the research: Concepts are the essential elements that, when combined, form the heart of your research question. They represent the "what" of your research, not the "how" or "why." In a business research question about "the impact of artificial intelligence on supply chain management," both "artificial intelligence" and "supply chain management" are core concepts.
• Concrete rather than abstract: Concepts should be tangible ideas or subjects, not general actions or relationships between ideas. For example, "machine learning algorithms" is a concrete concept, while "improvement" is too abstract to be considered a concept.
• Searchable: A good concept is one that can be effectively searched for in databases or other research tools. It should yield meaningful results when used as a search term. For instance, "quantum computing" is likely to produce more focused and relevant search results than a general term like "computing."
• Distinct from general terms: Concepts are different from general words that describe relationships or qualities (like "effect," "impact," "advantages," etc.). These general terms don't represent specific areas of study but rather describe how concepts interact or are evaluated.

In the social sciences: "How does social media usage affect teenage mental health?"
Concepts: Social media, Teenagers, Mental health

In engineering: "What is the impact of carbon fiber composites on fuel efficiency in electric vehicles?"
Concepts: Carbon fiber composites, Fuel efficiency, Electric vehicles

In business: "How does blockchain technology influence supply chain transparency in the food industry?"
Concepts: Blockchain technology, Supply chain transparency, Food industry

Notice that terms like "affect," "impact," and "influence" are not included as concepts. These words describe the relationships between concepts rather than being distinct topics of study themselves. Similarly, words like "advantages," "disadvantages," "benefits," or "drawbacks" should not be considered concepts, even if they appear in your research question. These terms are too general and don't represent specific areas of study, but rather ways of evaluating or comparing the actual concepts.