Systematic literature searching

Information skills for PhD students: 2

Jane Falconer

Improving health worldwide www.lshtm.ac.uk

Aims & Objectives

• Edit and refine searches;

• Search across multiple resources;

• Use alternative search options, including citation searching;

• Save searches and keep up to date;

• Find the full text of items not available at LSHTM;

• Keep accurate records of searches;

• Keep within copyright, data protection, research data management and intellectual property restrictions.

This class builds on the information covered in the first class and links advanced techniques into the 6 steps to an effective literature search. It covers how to:

Six steps to an effective literature search:

1.• Scoping your search topic

2.• Choosing the resources to search

3.• Choosing your search terms

4.• Compiling your search strategy and running your search

5.• Finding the full text

6• Managing your information

Are you looking in the right place?

Are you using all of the relevant search terms?

Have you used the Boolean Operators

correctly?

Can you simplify your question to include less

concepts?

I can’t find any information

Are you sure there is any information out there to find?

Are your search terms finding irrelevant results?

Have you added limits?

Can you split your search into smaller ‘chunks’?

Can you narrow your search concepts?

I have found too much information

Some topics have LOTS of information and there is little you can do about it

Have you searched all relevant resources?

Have you included all relevant search terms?

Is your search syntax correct?Can you ask experts in the field for details of additional

information?

I think I might have missed

some information

Remember to leave enough time to complete all of your searching

Search filters

Compiled by InterTASC

• http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/intertasc/

Tested search strategies to find specific study methodologies• Often tested on multiple databases

Used in conjunction with subject search

• Run subject search and search filter then use AND to combine together

Do NOT...

• Search for items authored by specific people

• Search for items published in specific publications

• Search for items published by a known institution or research group

This will introduce bias into your search results and could impact the reliability of your subsequent research.

This is particularly important if you are conducting a systematic review.

Transferring your search – subject headings

MEDLINE Alcohol drinking

EMBASE Alcohol consumption

Global Health Alcohol intake

PsycINFO Alcohol drinking patterns

IBSS No appropriate term

Subject heading terms for alcohol consumption in a selection of relevant databases

Transferring your search - syntax

Boolean operators

Truncation & wildcards

PhrasesProximity searching

Limits on length or

complexity

Relevant article

Citing references

Cited references

Citation searching

Older articles Newer articles

Can be done in 3 databases: - Web of Science - SCOPUS - Biosis Citation Index

Can I use another library?

Senate House

SOAS

Institute of Education

UCL Science Library

Birkbeck

UCL Main Library

UCL Cruciform Library

Kings Fund

BMA

British Library

LSE

Databases from other Libraries

British Library•Databases on a variety of subject areas

LSE•Databases on economics, social policy, psychology, anthropology

Senate House Library•Databases on social sciences

UCL•Databases on a variety of subject areas

Check access requirements before you travel

Open Access

Training available via TSP, date to be confirmed

1. • Scoping your search topic

2. •Choosing the resources to search

3. •Choosing your search terms

4. •Compiling your search strategy and running your search

5. •Finding the full text

6 •Managing your information

Run search in resource

1

Export ALL results to

EndNote

Run search in resource

2

Export ALL results to

EndNote

De-duplic

ate agains

t previo

us results

Run search in resource

3

Export ALL results to

EndNote

De-duplic

ate agains

t previo

us results

Apply inclusion & exclusion

criteria

Deduplicating using EndNote

Keeping notes of your search activities

Keeping up to date

Photo by joseph a http://www.flickr.com/photos/josepha/4005672379/Reproduced under a creative commons licence

Research data management

Photo by Open Data Institutehttps://flic.kr/p/nMui2qReproduced under a creative commons licence

Data management can help you to achieve your research goals

I wish to: find data quickly labelling & organising my files

avoid giving outpersonal information

bykeeping it in a secure area that

only I can access

by

avoid data loss creating backups at regular intervals

by

Ensure my data can be understood by

colleagues

Document the context in which it was created and the meaning of

each variableby

I wish to:

I wish to:

I wish to:

By taking steps to manage your data, you can:

“Data produced during the research activity should be managed appropriately, ensuring that it is stored, organised and documented in

a manner that allows it to be understood and used for the intended purpose.”

LSHTM Research Degrees Handbook

Ensure your data will be suitable

for analysis

Anticipate problems and

reduce likelihood they will occur

Save time and effort

Communicate objectives to

your supervisor

Recognise support needs

Address research

obligations & requirements

Further Information

Guidance & tutorials on:• Data Management Plans

• File formats and software

• Data storage & security

• Data labelling and organisation

• Documentation & metadata

• Data sharing & citation

http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/researchdataman/

Getting more help

Photo by Mark Hillary http://www.flickr.com/photos/markhillary/1347412899/Reproduced under a creative commons license

Jane Falconerjane.falconer@lshtm.ac.uk

Improving health worldwide www.lshtm.ac.uk