Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: One of the challenges in conducting systematic reviews is identifying full text copies of relevant studies. As part of a project to identify and describe randomised trials with participants from low and middle income countries we needed to identify full text reports of studies conducted in these countries and published in 1991, 1995 and 2000. These papers were often in local journals.
Objective: To develop efficient and affordable systems for finding large numbers of full text copies - either paper copy or as 'pdf'.
Methods: We surveyed Trial Search Co-ordinators for Cochrane Collaborative Review Groups (November 2003) by email to ask whether they held hard copies of citations on their register, and if so would they allow us access. Of the 25 who replied, 14 have hard copies for 91-100% of their register, 3 51%-90%, 5 5%-50% and 3 have no hard copies. All were in principle willing to allow access, although some had concerns about copyright and cost.
Full Text Finder (Ferret) software, developed by the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group is available as an optional add-on to MeerKat v 1.5. This is an MS Access database storing customizable lists of library and online holdings. It was enlarged to include holdings of libraries or online services relevant to low and middle income countries and now holds details of where over 10,000 journals are to be found, the years which are held, and where available  shelf/webaddress. Ferret checks if unfound citations are in any of its stored holdings, and produces lists of which citations are available where. It will even automatically complete library order request forms. Citations for which Ferret cannot identify a potential source are listed and sought manually.
Results: Of the 5848 citations, 4876 (83%) full text copies have been located, an average of 385 per month. Of the remainder, 972 are still being sought and we anticipate locating 60%.
Conclusions: Full text finding software, storing details of holdings of accessible libraries or online services, makes rapid and affordable identification of hard copies feasible. Improving access to trials conducted in low and middle income countries is important.
Objective: To develop efficient and affordable systems for finding large numbers of full text copies - either paper copy or as 'pdf'.
Methods: We surveyed Trial Search Co-ordinators for Cochrane Collaborative Review Groups (November 2003) by email to ask whether they held hard copies of citations on their register, and if so would they allow us access. Of the 25 who replied, 14 have hard copies for 91-100% of their register, 3 51%-90%, 5 5%-50% and 3 have no hard copies. All were in principle willing to allow access, although some had concerns about copyright and cost.
Full Text Finder (Ferret) software, developed by the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group is available as an optional add-on to MeerKat v 1.5. This is an MS Access database storing customizable lists of library and online holdings. It was enlarged to include holdings of libraries or online services relevant to low and middle income countries and now holds details of where over 10,000 journals are to be found, the years which are held, and where available  shelf/webaddress. Ferret checks if unfound citations are in any of its stored holdings, and produces lists of which citations are available where. It will even automatically complete library order request forms. Citations for which Ferret cannot identify a potential source are listed and sought manually.
Results: Of the 5848 citations, 4876 (83%) full text copies have been located, an average of 385 per month. Of the remainder, 972 are still being sought and we anticipate locating 60%.
Conclusions: Full text finding software, storing details of holdings of accessible libraries or online services, makes rapid and affordable identification of hard copies feasible. Improving access to trials conducted in low and middle income countries is important.