Information retrieval begins with defining the topic. Tools such as concept maps and mind maps can support this initial stage. When searching for information, it is essential to have an idea of both the subject and the type of information needed - for example, whether you need articles, statistics, or official sources. Naturally, your information need determines which sources you will use. An important part of the process is also familiarizing yourself with the concepts and terminology of your research area.
Identifying your information needs at an early stage makes finding relevant information easier and faster. Once you have clarified what kind of information is needed, and where and how it can be obtained, you can proceed to plan your search more precisely. Information retrieval is a process during which you explore what has already been written and researched on your topic.
The initial search is where you commence with getting to know unfamiliar subject matter. Newspapers, magazines, television, internet, discussion groups, encyclopedias, Google, Wikipedia etc. can be used here as information sources. They help you to get preliminary ideas about the subject you will be working on. These sources can be useful when trying to find search terms for database searches.
It is a good idea to run these preliminary information searches in several databases. In some database collections, such as Ebsco and ProQuest, you can search in multiple databases at the same time. This is a good way to start your information search if you don't know which individual databases would provide you with the best material. Finding the databases best suitable for your information needs might require trying out and testing a few different databases. By looking at the search results you can see from which points of view the topic has been researched.
In order to carry out a search, it is important to analyze your topic and divide it into concepts. You can use a mind map or a concept map to help you do this. With their help you can clarify to yourself the overall view of the topic and potentially find search terms for future searches.
You can collect concepts, ideas or points of view related to you topic in mind maps or concept maps. A concept map also depicts the relationships between keywords and concepts: what are their causal connections and what is their hierarchy.
There are a great many tools, either free or liable to charges, available for creating mind maps and concept maps, e.g. Coggle, Popplet and Mindmeister.
Mind map on concepts related to the environmental impact of plastic waste. The mind map has been made with Microsoft Copilot 30.6.2025.
