Systematic searching for systematic reviews. Presentation for POWL january 2016

1. Confessions of a Librarian
Or systematic searching for systematic reviews
Janneke Staaks, January 2016
Universiteitsbibliotheek
https://www.flickr.com/photos/30976576@N07/6615845679

2. Janneke Staaks
j.staaks@uva.nl
@jstaaks
Subject Librarian
Psychology
Child Development and Education
Anthropology

3. https://www.flickr.com/photos/rosefirerising/5621438323

4.  From research question to search question
 Systematic search
 Screening
 inclusion/exclusion criteria
 Critical appraisal
 validity/relevance
 Data synthesis
 Narrative, quantitative and qualitative synthesis
The systematic review process

5.  From research question to search question
 Key concepts & database selection
 Systematic search
 Selection of search terms in key database
 ‘translate’ search syntax for other databases
 Screening
 Import into reference management software
 Deduplicate
The systematic review process

6. My mission
 Improving reproducibility
 Reducing bias
 Weigh search sensitivity against specificity
And also
 Improve workflow
 Work more efficiently
 Avoid ‘search creep’

7. Reducing bias
 Search terms
 Publication types
 Databases
 Search methods (triangulation)
 Systematic searching
 Citation tracking
 Hand searching
 Expert consultation

8. Sensitivity and specificity
Hit Miss
False
alarm
Correct
rejection
Search results
Relevant
Article
yes
yes
no
no

9. 9
How is searching for a SR different?

10. 10
https://www.flickr.com/photos/challiyan/1978399197
“Formulating a good
search strategy is a
dynamic and iterative
process”

11. Development of children from mothers with
epilepsy (anti-epileptics during pregnancy)
 PICO(S)
 Population
 Intervention
 Comparison
 Outcome
 (Study)

12. What is the effect of taking anti-epileptics while
pregnant on the development of the child?
 Population: Pregnant women with epilepsy
 Intervention: anti-epileptics
 Comparison: none
 Outcome: development of child
 Study: cohort studies and observational
research

13. Key concepts
#1 Pregnancy outcomes
#2 Anti-epileptics
#3 Development of a child
#4 Cohort studies and observational research

14. Search strategy
key concept
mothers with
epilepsy
fetal expos*
during
pregnancy
key concept
anti-epilep*
anti-convul*
clonazepam
key concept
search term
search term
search term
AND AND
OR

15. Does it matter?
Pregnancy outcomes
AND
Anti-epileptics
Pregnancy
AND
Epilepsy
AND
Development

16. Does it matter?
Pregnancy outcomes
AND
Anti-epileptics
3.636 results 6.709 results
Pregnancy
AND
Epilepsy
AND
Development

17. Reference set
Pregnancy outcomes
AND
Anti-epileptics
3.636 results 6.709 results
Pregnancy
AND
Epilepsy
AND
Development

18. Bromley, R., Weston, J., Adab, N., Greenhalgh, J., Sanniti, A., McKay,
A. J., ... & Marson, A. G. (2014). Treatment for epilepsy in pregnancy:
neurodevelopmental outcomes in the child. The Cochrane Library.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010236.pub2/ep
df (Appendix 2, page 152)

19. Selecting search terms

20.  Recorded lectures
 Web lectures
 Lecture capturing
 Online lectures
 Video lectures
Results in 140 hits
Webcolleges

21.  Recorded lectur*
 Web lectur* OR weblectur*
 Lectur* captur*
 Online lectur* OR on-line lectur*
 Video lectur*
Results in 228 hits
Webcolleges

22.  Lecture videos
 Web based lectures
 Lecture via online delivery
 Lecture in an online learning environment
 Lecture recordings
 Lecture is moved online
 (using) a video of the lecture
 Video of a classroom lecture
What about..

23. (recorded OR recording* OR web OR
webcast* OR online OR on-line OR captur*
OR video* OR audio* OR vodcast* OR
podcast*) ADJ4 lectur*
Results in 997 hits
What about..
PsycINFO

25. PsycINFO

26.  Controlled vocabulary
 Subject headings, Mesh terms, thesaurus etc.
 Teacher student interaction/
 Ophidiophobia/
 Free text terms
 title, abstract etc. (may vary across databases)
 (snake phobia OR snake fear).ti,ab,id.
Search query

27. snake phobia.ti,ab,id. 116
snake fear.ti,ab,id. 60
ophidiophobia/ 302
1 OR 2 OR 3 386
Find new words:
3 NOT (1 OR 2) 100 results
Controlled Vocabulary and Free Text
Terms

29. Method
Search Strategy
Electronic searches were performed in PsycINFO,
ERIC and Web of Science with final searches
completed by December 26, 2011. The main search
strategy used combinations of keywords for web
lectures (weblectures OR online lectures OR
recorded lectures) and assessment (grades OR ..
Reporting (re)search

30. ((recorded OR recording* OR web OR webcast* OR online OR on-line OR
captur* OR video* OR audio* OR vodcast* OR podcast*) ADJ4 lectur*).ti,ab.
OR ((recorded OR recording* OR web OR webcast* OR online OR on-line
OR captur* OR video* OR audio* OR vodcast* OR podcast*).ti,ab. AND
lecture method/) OR (audiovisual instruction/ AND lectur*.ti,ab.) OR virtual
lectur*.ti,ab. OR videocollege*.af. OR weblecture*.af. OR webcollege*.af. OR
mediasite.af. OR sonic foundry.af. OR presentations 2 go.af. OR
presentations2go.af. OR kaltura.af. OR echo 360.af. OR echo360.af. OR
panopto.af. OR tegrity.af.
1.540
web lectures AND academic achievement 8
web lectures AND grades 13
web lectures AND study success 0
online lectures AND academic achievement 16
online lectures AND grades 33
online lectures AND study success 0
recorded lectures AND academic achievement 5
etcetera...
ERIC

31. Further reading
 Booth, A., Papaioannou, D., & Sutton, A. (2011). Systematic
approaches to a successful literature review. Sage.
 Hannes, K., & Lockwood, C. (2011). Synthesizing qualitative
research: Choosing the right approach. John Wiley & Sons.
 Systematic Reviews: CRD's guidance for undertaking systematic
reviews in health care https://www.york.ac.uk/crd/guidance/
 PLoS Medicine Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG, The
PRISMA Group (2009). Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic
Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement.
http://www.prisma-
statement.org/PRISMAStatement/PRISMAStatement.aspx
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pixbymaia/16502923098

32. Why work with a librarian?
 Challenge implicit assumptions of the researcher
 Formulating a good search strategy is a dynamic and
iterative process
 Research base for performing systematic search is
becoming more and more sophisticated
 Knowledge about accessible databases and the
syntax required by each database
 Formulation of a reproducible search strategy
 For appendix, updates, reader and reviewer questions
https://www.flickr.com/photos/merwing/9740073217

33.  Advise on:
 Workflow and time management
 Pre-registration of the research protocol
 Reporting guidelines
 Quality assessment tools
 Deduplication
 Research data management
 Publication bias
Why work with a librarian?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/merwing/9740073217