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Systematic Review

Are you considering developing a systematic review on a topic, but unsure where to start? This guide will help you to get started.

Choosing Databases

Where you search will depend on your question.

If you want to know about burnout in students - you should search an education database as well as some of the databases below.

If you want to know Artificial Intelligence applications use in healthcare - you should search an computer science or engineering database as well as some below.

Not sure which databases to choose? - Ask us at mclref@slu.edu

 

  • Campbell Library (http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/)
  • LILACS  (lilacs.bvsalud.org/en/) - South America, Central America, and the Caribbean
  • Grey Literature
    • Conference abstracts and Proceedings
    • clinicaltrials.gov 
    • Dissertations and theses
    • White Papers
    • Reports
    • Registered clinical trials and research
    • Hand searching

Documentation

Documenting search strategies

Systematic reviews require a meticulous documentation of their search strategy to enable a possible replication of their search in the future and a clear assessment of their quality.

Search details which must be recorded are:

  • Sources searched, such as:
    • Databases (including the platform) e.g. EBSCO (platform) PsycINFO (database).
    • Hand searching a record of the source (for example, Conference proceedings, journal title) and years searched must be kept.
    • Grey Literature sources
    • Organizations or experts contacted.
  • The date the search was conducted and the period searched
  • Subject headings and keywords used (ideally keep search strings as well)
  • Limits or filters (English, dates, etc)
  • Number of results retrieved for each search and combination
  • Total number of records retrieved
  • Duplicates identified