Systematic Reviews
Data Collection - The Literature Search
The literature search is the most important part of a systematic review (Campbell Collaboration)
- The literature search is how you obtain your data for your study
- The goal of the literature search is to find all relevant studies including:
- Traditional peer reviewed literature
- Grey literature
The systematic review literature search must:
- Be well documented
- Be transparent and reproducible
- Include a diversity of resources
- Be iterative
Search Strategy
Search Strategy
- Key concepts to be searched (PICOS if using)
- How are these terms represented in different disciplines?
- What are related terms / synonyms? Be as comprehensive as possible
- What are the subject headings (e.g. MeSH) in each database?
- Review known relevant articles to determine keywords and subject headings
- Review previous relevant systematic reviews for possible strategy
- Is there a Cochrane group that has recommended terms
Search Strategy
Example of Search Concepts
Brainstorm synonyms for each search concept, as illustrated below.
Boolean: OR synonyms and AND search concepts
|
SSRIs |
Autism |
Children |
|
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor* OR serotonin update Inhibitor OR 5-ht update inhibitor* OR SSRI |
autis* OR infantile autism OR autistic disorder OR ASD OR asperger* |
child* OR infan* OR todder* OR preschool* |
Data Sources
- Databases
- Reference searching
- Cited by (forward citations searching, citation pearl growing)
- Contact with experts
- Hand searching key journals, journals with poor/no indexing
- Grey literature
Ask yourself: which disciplines inform my research
Educational interventions for young adults with ASD for gaining employment
Disciplines that might inform this topic include then review the databases within each discipline
- education
- business
- social work
- psychology
Different interfaces require different searching techniques
- Review online tutorials
- Meet with your subject liaison librarian
Sample Grey Literature Resources
- Canadian Health Research CollectionCollection of monograph publications from Canadian research institutes, government agencies and university centres working in the area of health and medical research. The service will provide more than 1,000 documents to subscribers each year.
To search to the Canadian Health Research Collection:
1. Click Advanced Search
2. In the Search in box click the arrow to select Collection
3. In the next search box, click the arrow to select Canadian Health Research Collection
4. Click the + to obtain a search box for your search terms - Canadian Public Policy CollectionCollection of monograph publications from Canadian public policy institutes, government agencies, advocacy groups, think-tanks, university research centres and other public interest groups. The organizations included in this collection represent the leading edge of primary research and opinion in all areas of Canadian public policy.
To search to the Canadian Public Policy Collection:
1. Click Advanced Search
2. In the Search in box click the arrow to select Collection
3. In the next search box, click the arrow to select Canadian Public Policy Collection
4. Click the + to obtain a search box for your search terms - Clinical TrialsClinicalTrials.gov is a database of privately and publicly funded clinical studies conducted around the world.
- OpenGreySystem for Information on Grey Literature in Europe, is your open access to 700.000 bibliographical references of grey literature (paper) produced in Europe and allows you to export records and locate the documents.
- Grey Literature ReportThe report is a bimonthly publication of The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) alerting readers to new grey literature publications in health services research and selected public health topics. The database platform is keyword searchable and serves as an archive for the cataloged reports.
- Proquest Dissertations and ThesesIndexes and provides selected full text of doctoral dissertations and master's theses worldwide.
Data Collection - The Literature Search
- Consult with your subject liaison librarian
- Document, Document, Document
- Databases searched, date range searched, date last searched
- All search terms for each database, as far as possible
- Follow the PRISMA flowchart (or other reporting guidelines -- refer to Reporting Findings)
- Number of hits for each database searched
- Duplicates within databases
Search Strategy
Search Strategy
- Use truncation
- nurs* will retrieve: nursing, nurse, nurses, nurses, nursed, etc
- Use both free text (keywords) and subject headings when possible
- Pilot your search strategy
- Is your search retrieving the known articles?
- If no, why not?
- Check indexing
- Check truncation
- Check free text keywords
- Check descriptors / subject headings
- It takes a LOT OF TIME
Saving Your Search
- Save your searches in each database
- Create an account within the database interface
- Label the search clearly (is it a draft, final, date, database name)
- Keep detailed records of all searches conducted:
- Month, date, year of search
- Database searched
- Exact search strategy
- Any limits used (year of publication, language, etc)
- Number of hits for each database
- Remember – goal is to report search strategy in a transparent manner so that it can be replicated
Grey Literature
Definition:
- publicly available, foreign or domestic, open source information that is usually available only through special channels and may not enter normal channels or systems of publication, distribution, bibliographic control, or acquisition by book sellers or subscription agents (U.S. Interagency Grey Literature Working Group 1995).
Locating Grey Literature:
Consider what types of organizations or associations are likely to be interested in the same research question:
- Government agencies / NGO agencies
- Government departments
- Industry, trade, professional organizations
- Advocacy groups
- Private agencies
- Last Updated: Feb 16, 2024 1:58 PM
- URL: https://libguides.ucalgary.ca/guides/introSR
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