Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: The Cochrane Collaboration Visiting Fellowship, introduced in 2004, aims to facilitate high quality processes in the production of Cochrane Reviews. As the newly appointed Trials Search Coordinator (TSC) of the Cochrane HIV/AIDS Collaborative Review Group (CRG), based at the South African Cochrane Centre, the lead author (KB) applied for the fellowship to learn more about the specific systems required for developing and maintaining an efficient, effective and up-to-date Specialized Register of studies. With the assistance of the host entity, the Schizophrenia CRG, and the United Kingdom Cochrane Centre (UKCC), KB was able to spend a month in Oxford working closely with the Schizophrenia TSC (MF).
Objective: To describe the processes and outcomes of the inaugural Fellowship and make recommendations for maximising its value.
Methods: We will present the day-to-day programme developed for the fellowship duration. This ensured we could meet the aim and objectives described in the fellowship application and allowed for daily progress assessment. Regular meetings were held with MF and all decisions about the register were documented. KB attended relevant seminars, making full use of being based in Oxford.
Results: MF assisted with using the Cochrane highly sensitive search strategy to download 5952 HIV/AIDS records from CENTRAL. Using configuration files, the records were transferred to MeerKat. Decisions were made on which studies to include and using a comprehensive, user-friendly and pragmatic coding sheet, all records relating to publications in 2003-2004 were coded and quality checked. During this process a 'Help' file specific to the register was created for future use. In addition, one of the UKCC's information specialist staff (AE) assisted with finalising the comprehensive HIV/AIDS search strategy for EMBASE and AIDSearch. Before leaving Oxford, a six-month plan of implementation was prepared. The first submission to CENTRAL was made in March 2005 and, as of April 2005, the register contains 5819 records published between 1980-2005, of which 523 have already been coded.
Conclusions: The fellowship provided an ideal opportunity to develop and implement the register. This success was due to a clear daily programme, meticulous documentation of discussions and meetings, and the generosity of the host entities.
Objective: To describe the processes and outcomes of the inaugural Fellowship and make recommendations for maximising its value.
Methods: We will present the day-to-day programme developed for the fellowship duration. This ensured we could meet the aim and objectives described in the fellowship application and allowed for daily progress assessment. Regular meetings were held with MF and all decisions about the register were documented. KB attended relevant seminars, making full use of being based in Oxford.
Results: MF assisted with using the Cochrane highly sensitive search strategy to download 5952 HIV/AIDS records from CENTRAL. Using configuration files, the records were transferred to MeerKat. Decisions were made on which studies to include and using a comprehensive, user-friendly and pragmatic coding sheet, all records relating to publications in 2003-2004 were coded and quality checked. During this process a 'Help' file specific to the register was created for future use. In addition, one of the UKCC's information specialist staff (AE) assisted with finalising the comprehensive HIV/AIDS search strategy for EMBASE and AIDSearch. Before leaving Oxford, a six-month plan of implementation was prepared. The first submission to CENTRAL was made in March 2005 and, as of April 2005, the register contains 5819 records published between 1980-2005, of which 523 have already been coded.
Conclusions: The fellowship provided an ideal opportunity to develop and implement the register. This success was due to a clear daily programme, meticulous documentation of discussions and meetings, and the generosity of the host entities.