searching for a key in a wavl tree is much the same as in any balanced binary search tree data structure. one begins at the root of the tree, and then repeatedly compares with the data item stored at each node on a path from the root, following the path to the left child of a node when is smaller than the value at the node or instead following the path to the right child when is larger than the value at the node. when a node with value equal to is reached, or an external node is reached, the search stops.