Literature Searching for Systematic ReviewsAmanda Wanner and Lorna BurnsInformation Specialists, Plymouth University

Today’s Agenda

• Planning your search• Conducting your search• Recording your search• Writing up your search

Planning your search - the search protocol

● Published literature○ Choice of databases○ PICO concepts○ Language / date / other limits

● Unpublished literature○ Websites○ Trials registers○ Contact with experts

● Citation searching○ Backwards / forwards citation searching of included studies

● Reference management / screening tools● Numbers of people involved in which stages● Time scheduled

Planning your search - which database?Interface Database Coverage Currency

Cochrane Library Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

7,000 reviews 1996-currentolder reviews withdrawn

Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL)

1m records 1974-current

PubMed MedlineIncludes Pre-Medline & supplied by Publisher

5,600 1946-current

Ovid MedlineOvid MEDLINE(R) Epub Ahead of Print, In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations

5,600 titles 1946-current

Ovid Embase 8,500 titles 1974-current

EBSCOhost Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source (DOSS)

350 titles 2000-current Some titles from start e.g. Journal Dental Research 1919-current

HDAS / EBSCO CINAHL 5,500 titles 1981-current

HDAS / Proquest PsycINFO 2,500 titles 1806-current

Planning your search

Step 1: Break research question down into the 2-3 most important components:

Among stroke patients does the use of Wii improve balance?

What are the key concepts?

Planning your search

Step 2: Think of synonyms for each concept. It helps to consult the literature, practitioners, and peers for this step.

Concept Synonyms

Stroke patients

Wii

Balance

Planning your search

Step 2: Think of synonyms for each concept. It helps to consult the literature, practitioners, and peers for this step.

Concept Synonyms

Stroke patients Stroke; cerebrovascular accident; CBA; cerebral infarction

Wii Wii; Video games; virtual reality; Nintendo?

Balance Balance; equilibrium; falls reduction; falls prevention; “up and go test”

Planning your search

Step 3: Structure your search using boolean operators Use OR for synonymous terms

Planning your search

Step 3: Structure your search using boolean operators Use AND to combine different concepts

Planning your search

Step 3: Structure your search using boolean operators Use NOT to remove one set of results from another

Planning your search

Step 3: Structure your search using boolean operators

(Stroke OR cerebrovascular accidents OR CVA OR cerebral infarction)

AND

(Wii OR video games OR virtual reality)

Check your knowledge!

In older adults, does a physical therapy program improve recovery time after a total hip replacement

surgery?

Planning your search

Step 4: Consider using truncation or wildcards

(Stroke OR cerebrovascular accident* OR CVA OR cerebral infarction)

AND

(Wii OR video game* OR virtual reality)

Planning your search

Step 5: Determine which text fields to search and add database-specific syntax.

(Stroke OR cerebrovascular accident* OR CVA OR cerebral infarction).ti,ab

AND

(Wii OR video game* OR virtual reality).ti,ab

Planning your search

Step 5: Consider adding proximity operators to your search (syntax is database-specific)

(withdrawal adj2 (symptom* or syndrome*)).ti,ab

• Withdrawal symptoms• Symptoms of withdrawal• Withdrawal syndrome• etc...

Planning your search

Step 4: Consider adding subject headings to your search

• Subject headings are a set of words chosen from a list and applied to a citation.

• Each database has its’ own list of words and syntax for using subject headings.

Subject headings

Free text

Planning your search

(Stroke OR cerebrovascular accident* OR CVA OR cerebral infarction).ti,ab OR stroke/

AND

(Wii OR video game* OR virtual reality).ti,ab OR video games/

Broadening your search with synonyms

Conducting your search

Image © University of British Columbia Library

Building your search is an iterative process

• Test your search strategy - is it retrieving the kinds of articles you want?

• Ask a colleague and/or information specialist to check your search - the more eyes the better!

Demo

Planning – documentation

Recording the search

Resource Specify the following

Databases • Title of database searched (e.g. MEDLINE) and dates covered • Name of the database provider / host (e.g. NHS Evidence) • Date search conducted and dates covered by the search (e.g.

1990- February week 3, 2016) • Include copies of search strategies for each database including

the number of hits • For systematic reviews and meta-analyses, follow the PRISMA

statement for reporting your search process

Websites • Name and publisher of resource• Web address (URL) • Search terms used • Date accessed • Number of pages browsed (i.e. Google)

Recording search histories

Recording - PRISMA

Recording - PRISMA

Writing up – narrative account

Writing up – the appendix

Writing up – a poor example

Writing up – a poor appendix

Further resources

Contact Lorna or Amanda with questions!amanda.wanner@plymouth.ac.uk lorna.burns@plymouth.ac.uk

Or book an appointment at a PenCLAHRC Search and Review Clinic

http://clahrc-peninsula.nihr.ac.uk/searching-and-review-clinics