Knowledge synthesis purpose, process, tools, and resources
The Cochrane Collaboration notes that research has shown that a partnership with a health sciences librarian or information specialist increases the quality of the review's search process. Librarian support is, therefore, available to members of the York University community. One category applies to students and the other to faculty. Please note that there are two levels of support for faculty, Tier 1 and Tier 2.
For more, see Librarian Support pages.
There are any number of databases that can be searched to find studies to include in your review. The type and number of subject databases you choose to use will be dictated by your particular research question.
It is recommended that you speak to a librarian about your options. Below is a list of the main health sciences and global health subject databases.
Searching for studies in any database should be informed by your research question and guided by your predetermined inclusion/exclusion criteria. If you choose to consult with a librarian for this state of your review, we recommend that you provide a copy of this information prior to your meeting.
According to the Cochrane Handbook, the strategy itself will consist of a combination of keywords and subject headings (MeSH, EMTREE, or CINAHL headings). these terms will reflect the population, intervention, and study designs outlined in or by your eligibility criteria. As Cochrane states, each search will contain at least three groups of search terms:
1. Population/condition--in this subset of terms in your strategy will be a list of potential keywords or subject headings that reflect your particular population or condition in your review. Each of these terms will be separated by the Boolean operator, "OR".
2. Intervention--this subset of terms in your strategy will be different terms that describe your intervention/comparator. Each term, keyword or subject heading, will be separate by the Boolean operator "OR".
3. Study Design--It is important to include terms for or subject headings used to define the study designs you are including in your review. Each will be separated by the Boolean operator, "OR".
Once you and your team are satisfied that the terms used in the search strategy target the appropriate studies, the next step will be to translate or adapt the search strategy to the remaining databases you are using for your review.
Remember, if you plan to publish your review it is recommended that you record and save the final strategy for submission.
For more on how creating a search strategy, see our Advanced Literature Searching for the Health Sciences page or Advanced Search on the Ovid Platform video from Ovid Walters Kluwer
Source:
Lefebvre C, Glanville J, Briscoe S, Featherstone R, Littlewood A, Marshall C, Metzendorf M-I, Noel-Storr A, Paynter R, Rader T, Thomas J, Wieland LS. Chapter 4: Searching for and selecting studies. In: Higgins JPT, Thomas J, Chandler J, Cumpston M, Li T, Page MJ, Welch VA (editors). Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions version 6.3 (updated February 2022). Cochrane, 2022. Available from www.training.cochrane.org/handbook.
Once you have finished searching the various databases and have downloaded the results into a spreadsheet or bibliographic management software, it is time to screen these results and make a decision about which ones will be used in your review. This process involves applying your predetermined inclusion/exclusion criteria. Typically, in order to reduce or minimize bias in a systematic or scoping review, screening for studies requires there be at least two reviewers that work independently. If a situation arises where they disagree on the inclusion or rejection of a study, a third person who is part of the project and has expertise in the content will assist in making the final decision.
Screening can begin with reading the title and abstract to determine which ones fit the eligibility criteria. The second stage involves reading the full text of the study.
*Please note: York University Librarians will not participate in this stage of the review, but will happily help with finding resources that may be of assistance.
Source:
Lefebvre C, Glanville J, Briscoe S, Featherstone R, Littlewood A, Marshall C, Metzendorf M-I, Noel-Storr A, Paynter R, Rader T, Thomas J, Wieland LS. Chapter 4: Searching for and selecting studies. In: Higgins JPT, Thomas J, Chandler J, Cumpston M, Li T, Page MJ, Welch VA (editors). Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions version 6.3 (updated February 2022). Cochrane, 2022. Available from www.training.cochrane.org/handbook.