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

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.