Article type
Year
Abstract
Objective: To systematically identify and review studies comparing different electronic resources (e.g., databases, Internet) used to search for trials (i.e., CCTs and RCTs) for systematic reviews.
Methods: Eight electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, ERIC, Library Literature & Information Science, PsycLit, Web of Science, Cochrane Library) will be searched. A ninth, LISA, Library Information Science Abstracts, will be handsearched. Search strategies will be specific and tailored for each database. In addition, key authors will be contacted and messages will be sent out to list-servs asking for additional relevant papers. References of relevant articles will also be screened. Two people will review the retrieved articles and apply inclusion/exclusion criteria to each one. Disagreement will be resolved by discussion. Relevant articles will be assessed for quality according to CRISTAL (Critical Skills Training in Appraisal for Librarians), created by Anne Brice et al. at Oxford University. The following information will be extracted from relevant articles: study objectives, databases and other electronic resources searched, subject being searched, comparisons made, number of RCTs identified from each source, numerical summaries presented and conclusions. A qualitative analysis will be conducted and, if possible, a quantitative analysis will be done.
Results: Results will be available by July 2002.
Conclusions: This study will aid in developing recommendations for which sources to search in order to identify RCTs and CCTs for systematic reviews. The next step is to conduct a systematic review of search strategies for the databases identified in this review.
Methods: Eight electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, ERIC, Library Literature & Information Science, PsycLit, Web of Science, Cochrane Library) will be searched. A ninth, LISA, Library Information Science Abstracts, will be handsearched. Search strategies will be specific and tailored for each database. In addition, key authors will be contacted and messages will be sent out to list-servs asking for additional relevant papers. References of relevant articles will also be screened. Two people will review the retrieved articles and apply inclusion/exclusion criteria to each one. Disagreement will be resolved by discussion. Relevant articles will be assessed for quality according to CRISTAL (Critical Skills Training in Appraisal for Librarians), created by Anne Brice et al. at Oxford University. The following information will be extracted from relevant articles: study objectives, databases and other electronic resources searched, subject being searched, comparisons made, number of RCTs identified from each source, numerical summaries presented and conclusions. A qualitative analysis will be conducted and, if possible, a quantitative analysis will be done.
Results: Results will be available by July 2002.
Conclusions: This study will aid in developing recommendations for which sources to search in order to identify RCTs and CCTs for systematic reviews. The next step is to conduct a systematic review of search strategies for the databases identified in this review.