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Beyond Keywords: Effective Strategies for Building Consistent Reference Lists in Scientific Research

Author

Listed:
  • Hisham Abusaada

    (Department of Architecture, Housing and Building National Research Center (HBRC), Cairo P.O. Box 1770, Egypt)

  • Abeer Elshater

    (Department of Urban Design and Planning, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11517, Egypt)

Abstract

Critical to navigating research literature is ensuring the inclusion of relevant sources while filtering out irrelevant ones. Selecting suitable references demands careful attention and methodological rigor. This review article presents a systematic approach consisting of 11 sequential steps for constructing a reference list, ranging from broad initial searches to excluding irrelevant references. It emphasizes refining methodologies to develop a coherent list of references aligned with the study’s scope, bolstering the knowledge base, and facilitating subsequent analyses. Urban planners and designers can apply these steps in database searches to create robust reference lists, thereby enhancing the quality and reliability of their research and ensuring future adaptability.

Suggested Citation

  • Hisham Abusaada & Abeer Elshater, 2024. "Beyond Keywords: Effective Strategies for Building Consistent Reference Lists in Scientific Research," Publications, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-18, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jpubli:v:12:y:2024:i:3:p:25-:d:1465129
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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