_KINS5594: Guide to Systematic Searching for Evidence Synthesis Projects

On this page of the research guide, you will learn:

Once you've engaged with all the content on this page, you should:

You'll be crafting a complex search strategy. Creating a concept table is one effective way to ensure your search is thorough and replicable. You'll use it to define the main ideas in your research question and track all the terminology you've used.

The concept table can be downloaded either as a Word document or Excel spreadsheet. Use the one that works best for you to develop your concept table in preparation for searching.

Watch the video below to learn about how to create and use a concept table.

There are two kinds of search terms: keywords and controlled vocabulary.

• Keywords are any words you can think of about your topic. They can include scholarly or technical language or words a layperson might understand.
• Controlled vocabulary, sometimes referred to as subject headings, descriptors, or index terms, are the standardized terminology used by databases. These are generally organized in a hierarchy which shows how they are interrelated and defines what the terms mean. We'll talk more about controlled vocabulary in later pages of this guide.

To begin brainstorming keywords, you'll want to:

• Identify the main ideas of your PICOT question.
• In your concept table, write down literally any word or phrase that might be used to describe each component of the question.
• Consider slightly different forms of a word or concept, such as variations in spelling, singular vs. plural, or acronyms. For example:
  • Terms may be spelled differently depending on the researchers' language background: ischemic vs. ischaemic
  • Singular, plural, or other forms of a word may be used: physiology vs. physiological
  • Concepts may be referred to by their acronym, abbreviation, or initialism: COPD vs. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Watch the video below to see how you might approach this process in your own concept table.

In an evidence synthesis project like a systematic review, you must document:

• Where you searched:
  • This could be specific databases, but could also include things like Google Scholar or specific journals you browsed through.
  • For this assignment, the only places you'll be searching are PubMed and the Cochrane Library (specifically the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews).
• What search strategies you used:
  • Your concept table is essential to keep track of the terminology you have used (and decided not to use) in your searching.
  • You also need to track how you searched: the exact strategy for how you combined your search terms. We'll talk more about the basics of building strategies in the presentation below on using AND, OR, and NOT in your searches.
• How many citations you found and retained at various stages of your systematic review, from your final search strategy through your screening process:
  • This assignment requires you to use the PRISMA flow diagram to document your search; this is a common tool in systematic reviews.

There are some elements of searching that apply in any database and are essential to designing effective search strategies. If you're relatively new to database searching, or could use a refresher, scroll through the following presentation.

Have you:

Then you're ready to move on to the next page, Preparing to Search PubMed!