The Pearl Harvesting 

Information Retrieval  Framework

A framework and tool for performing comprehensive literature searches


Dr. Robert Sandieson 

Professor Emeritus 

Western University, London, Ontario, Canada

email: rsandieson@gmail.com


Description

The Pearl Harvesting Search Framework is built upon a simple set of premises: (1) searching for topics in online databases requires using words or phrases to identify a specific topic; (2) the vagary of language is that any specific topic can be represented by more than one word or phrase.  Therefore, it follows then that to find all (or as many) references for a specific topic requires using all (or as many) or the terms that are used to denote that topic. 

This is particularly  important for systematic reviews or meta-analyses because of the necessary to survey all the literature that is available.  It is also important in general for anyone wanting to search the extant literature. In this regard, it is important for authors too.  Since there will be a range of terminology related to their topic, they might include a variety of key terms either in the title, text or associated keywords  to guide readers to their work. 

The Pearl Harvesting Search Framework grew out of this logic and has been described in published literature (see the reference section here). 

This thesaurus documents a variety of sets of terms for specific topics. These terms are referred to as  synonym rings or comprehensive search filters. Synonym rings are collections of search terms which denote specific topics. Therefore, by copying and pasting these pre-developed lists of search terms, a comprehensive set of citations can be found. This results in more productive searches and also saves considerable time over a trial and error approach to searching. 

Navigation can be done through the links below or through the sidebar outline located at the top left or with the links provided below.


Brief Slide show about The Pearl Harvesting Information Retrieval Framework

http://meta-evidence.co.uk/robert-sandieson/


Interview of Dr. Robert Sandieson by The Campbell Collaboration UK and Ireland

https://campbellcollaboration.org/images/past/Sandieson_pearl_harvesting.pdf

Studies exploring Pearl Harvesting (under construction)


Locating Systematic Reviews Comprehensively and Efficiently

Sandieson, Robert W; Sandieson, Rachel M.  The Journal of the Canadian Health Libraries Association = Journal de l'Association des Bibliothèques de la Santé du Canada; Thunder Bay Vol. 37, Iss. 2,  (2016): 96-97.

https://www.proquest.com/openview/60442a4ce1df4c0d6ede74d2f668d42d/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=2035580

Creating a Comprehensive Search Strategy for Research on Learning Disabilities Using the Pearl Harvesting Information Retrieval Framework 

graduate thesis (2015) - Salsabel Almanssori The University of Western Ontario 

Supervisor Dr. Robert Sandieson The University of Western Ontario

https://research-solution.com/uplode/book/book-29263.pdf

Searching the Information Maze for Giftedness Using the Pearl Harvesting Information Retrieval Methodological Framework

Robert W. Sandieson  and Sarah M. McIsaac 

Talent Development & Excellence (20013)  Vol. 5, No. 2, 101–112

https://d-nb.info/1051891523/34#page=105


Robert W. Sandieson1 , Lori C. Kirkpatrick1 , Rachel M. Sandieson1 , and Walter Zimmerman1

The Journal of Special Education (2010)44(3) 161–175

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0022466909349144?casa_token=2Zd6yeOonBEAAAAA:DB1LexTacyfpsYSSV3vWhNHO0nVXuMO5LrwZZdoZWAAN5sceL-G2aBvN6F4ZqNHp9f129t1OmYE


Pathfinding in the Research Forest: The Pearl Harvesting Method for Effective Information Retrieval

Robert Sandieson

Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities

Vol. 41, No. 4 ( 2006),pp. 401-409 


STUDIES MAKING REFERENCE TO USING THE PEARL HARVESTING INFORMATION FRAMEWORK

J Shafrin, KS Than, A Kanotra, KW Kerr, KN Robinson… - … and Outcomes Research, 2023


L Schapmann

This work deals with research trends in the field of

Managerial decision making: internally divergent. There are complex ones

Decisions in the foreground. In the theoretical part there was an introduction to...

2023

https://opus.fhv.at/frontdoor/deliver/index/docId/5102/file/Masterarbeit_Liselotte_Schapmann_2023.pdf


Hannah Jobling & Suzanne Sayuri Ii (01 Sep 2023): The Impact of Service User Involvement in Health and Social Care Education: A Scoping Review, Practice, DOI: 10.1080/09503153.2023.2248414 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/09503153.2023.2248414





 Link to Studies on or using Pearl Harvesting   

Link to interview with Dr. Robert Sandieson on the development of the Pearl Harvesting Information Retrieval Framework 



Link to list of Synonym Rings  use the categories below or follow link in upper left toolbar)

Population subject of search 

Autism 

Intellectual Disabilities 

Learning Disabilities 

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder 

Hearing Impairment 

Vision Impairment 

School Drop Out 

Giftedness 

Educators 

Teachers in Training or Preservice Teachers 

Ages 

Elementary Age School Children 

Postpartum 

Intervention 

Applied Behavior Analysis 

Breastfeeding 

Functional Mathematics for children with Intellectual Disabilities 

Knowledge Mobilization 

Online Learning 

Video Gaming 

Information Retrieval 

Outcome Measures 

Obesity 

Quality of Life 

Structure of Study 

Systematic Reviews 

Qualitative Studies