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INFORMATION SKILLS COURSE
SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS: Search Strategy
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Outline / content 1) Introduction 2) Planning The Search Process - Sources of Systematic Review 3) Constructing the Search Strategies - Structure of the Search Strategy 4) Managing Your Search Result 5) Demonstration/Practical (How to Search Systematic Reviews in The Cochrane Library, EBSCOhost & OVID)
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Learning Outcomes / Objectives :
At the end of this session, you will be able to: Describe the purpose of a systematic review Select databases that can be used to do comprehensive searching using Boolean and truncation searching Use PICOS technique to develop literature search strategies Manage the searching results using Reference Manager
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1. Introduction Definition of Systematic Review:
Cochrane Collaboration definition: A systematic review uses systematic and explicit methods to identify, select, critically appraise, and extract and analyze data from relevant research [Higgins & Green 2011]. They involve a systematic search process to locate studies which address a particular research question, as well as a systematic presentation and synthesis of the characteristics and findings of the results of this search.
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Why we need systematic reviews
Minimise the impact of bias/errors Can help to end confusion Highlight where there is not sufficient evidence Combining findings from different studies can highlight new findings Can mitigate the need for further trials
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Sources of Systematic Review 1. Bibliographic databases
Type of database Description Database 1. Bibliographic Databases A database of bibliographic records, an organized digital collection of references to published literature, including journal and newspaper articles, conference proceedings, reports, government and legal publications, patents, books, etc. CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) MEDLINE EMBASE Trip Database Scopus Web of Science 2. Other sources Subject specific databases/ Evidence-based database CINAHL PsycINFO UpToDate 3. Unpublished and ongoing studies Unpublished works are those which have not been distributed in any manner. ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO ICTRP (International Clinical Trials Registry Platform)
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Sources of Systematic Review 1. Bibliographic databases
URL Topic Coverage Pubmed Biology, Medical & Health Sciences MEDLINE PubMed/OVID/EBSCOhost Access via PPUKM Library Portal The Cochrane Library (CENTRAL) Databases of systematic reviews & other evidence synthesis. Trip Database Evidence-based healthcare resources
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Sources of Systematic Review 1. Bibliographic databases
URL Topic Coverage Scopus Life Sciences ; health Sciences Web of Sciences isiknowledge.com Science Citations Index EMBASE Biomedical ; emphases on drugs and pharmaceutical. Health sciences database with a slightly European perspective but overlaps with PubMed. Especially strong for drug information
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Sources of Systematic Review 2. Other sources
Database URL Topic Coverage UpToDate (UpToDate Anywhere. Apps is available for Android and iOS) Access via PPUKM Library Portal Evidence-based point of care BMJ Best Practice Clinical decision support CINAHL EBSCOhost Medical ( Nursing & Allied Health Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature. PsycINFO Psychological literature Mental health citation database.
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Sources of Systematic Review
OTHER BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATABASES: national and regional databases eg: KoreaMed, LILACS subject specific databases eg: AMED, PsyINFO dissertation databases eg: Dissertations & Theses grey literature databases eg: openGrey, NTIS
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Sources of Systematic Review
UNPUBLISHED AND ONGOING STUDIES: very important to minimise bias trials registers national and international ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO ICTRP subject-specific Pharmaceutical industry Regulatory agencies (eg: FDA, EMA) contact colleagues, organisations, other known researchers
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2. Constructing the Search Strategies
Structure of the Search Strategy P I C O S Patient, Population or Problem Intervention or exposure Comparison Outcome Study Design What are the characteristics of the patient or population? What is the condition or disease you are interested in? What do you want to do with this patient (e.g. treat, diagnose, observe)? What is the alternative to the intervention (e.g. placebo, different drug, surgery)? What are the relevant outcomes (e.g. morbidity, death, complications)? Meta analysis Systematic Review Randomized Control trials
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Patient, Population or Problem Intervention or exposure
Structure of the Search Strategy To find 2 or 3 most important concepts Focus on those most likely to be found in title and abstract Example of a clinical question that outlines the PICOS components: Helmets for preventing head and facial injuries in cyclists P I C O S Patient, Population or Problem Intervention or exposure Comparison Outcome Study Design ?
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Patient, Population or Problem Intervention or exposure
Helmets for preventing head and facial injuries in cyclists P I C O S Patient, Population or Problem Intervention or exposure Comparison Outcome Study Design Cyclists Helmets Systematic review
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Broadening search term/keyword
Aim for high sensitivity - express each concept in as many way as possible - minimise the risk of missing a relevant study - will lead to lower precision – find a balance 2. Use both text words and controlled vocabulary 3. Preliminary searching may help your test strategy 4. Strategies must be translated for every database or interface
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Text words Words appearing in title and/or abstract of the record
Include synonyms, related terms, opposites, international terms, alternative spellings, plurals e.g. brain injury, head injury, skull fracture Truncation and wildcards: * $ ? - protect* = protects, protective, protection - but beware: car* = cars (but also carcinoma) Proximity operators – NEAR, NEXT, ADJ e.g. liver ADJ3 cancer = liver cancer, liver and bowel cancer Syntax must be translated for each interface
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Controlled vocabulary
Standardised subject terms assigned by indexes - e.g. Medline = MeSH, Embase = EMTREE - identifies relevant articles even if different terms are used for the same concept - ‘explode’ to include all narrower terms - caution – indexers may not be subject experts, and authors may not describe their study very well Check the terms applied to relevant papers for ideas Use database tools to map words to subject terms Controlled vocabulary must be translated for each database
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Controlled vocabulary
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Controlled vocabulary
MeSH Tree Structures
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Boolean Operators bicycle helmet bicycle helmet OR – to expand search
AND – to narrow search
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Head Protective Devices
Combining terms Population bicycl* OR cycling cyclist* bicycling Intervention helmet* OR Head Protective Devices Study design See Cochrane HSSS AND AND
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Limit & restrictions To avoid bias, do not limit by:
language – ask your research group about translation year – unless there is a clear point of change or availability) format – may be additional information about a study in letters
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4. Managing your search results
Store results from each source download all available fields for each record use bibliographic/reference management software - e.g. EndNote, Mendeley, ProCite, Reference Manager, RefWorks, Zotero Collate and de-duplicate
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5. Demonstration/Practical (How to Search Systematic Reviews in The Cochrane Library, EBSCOhost & OVID)
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Caffeine for daytime drowsiness
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Searching for studies in The Cochrane Library
1. Open a web browser and go to
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2. Click on Advanced Search. This will open the Advanced Search page.
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2. Click on Advanced Search. This will open the Advanced Search page.
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Select Title, Abstract or Keyword
3. The Population for this review is people with drowsiness. In the first row of the search field, enter drows*. This truncation will find words such as drowsy and drowsiness. Select Title, Abstract or Keyword Click Go
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Medline in EBSCOhost Medical
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Medline in EBSCOhost Medical
MEDLINE Complete provides authoritative medical information on medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, the health care system, pre-clinical sciences, and much more.
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Medline in EBSCOhost Medical
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Medline in EBSCOhost Medical
MEDLINE Complete provides authoritative medical information on medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, the health care system, pre-clinical sciences, and much more.
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Medline in OVID
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Medline in OVID
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Medline in OVID
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PubMed/Medline
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PubMed/Medline
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PubMed/Medline Click the full text link on the upper right
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PubMed/Medline
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Medline in EBSCOhost Medical
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Demonstration / Practical :
Topic : Effectiveness of complementary therapy in helping to stop people smoking Concepts Complimentary therapy, smoking Databases : CDSR, DARE, CENTRAL Platform : The Cochrane Library
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Cochrane Library
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MeSH in The Cochrane Library
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