Literature review of the subject of a research project

It can be very complicated to obtain relevant information through searching the medical literature if you do not know how it is organized and indexed or if you do not know how to use the specialized databases. For a successful review of the literature, you need to know what you are looking for and the key words for an effective search of the specialized databases and libraries and especially of the internet. It is essential to critically evaluate the information selected. Finally, using a reference manager can facilitate the gathering, organization, systematization, and integration of the bibliographic references in the documents generated in the study. This article aims to provide guidelines for efficient searching for information and for accurate, critical use of the literature. It makes recommendations about strategies for managing references to help to ensure the success of a research project. (C) 2011 SERAM. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.