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Research Guides

KNES611: Research Methods in Kinesiology - Fall 2023

Data Collection - The Literature Search

The literature search is the most important part of a systematic review (Campbell Collaboration)
  • The literature search is how you obtain your data for your study
  • The goal of the literature search is to find all relevant studies including:
    • Traditional peer reviewed literature
    • Grey literature
The systematic review literature search must:
  • Be well documented
  • Be transparent and reproducible
  • Include a diversity of resources
  • Be iterative

 

Detailed video tutorials from the University of Toronto Library on how to search Medline via OVID
Medline Tutorial

Detailed videos from the University of Toronto Library showing how to search CINAHL in Ebsco (nursing and allied health database) -- search strategies are similar for SPORTDiscus:
Ebsco CINAHL Tutorial

 

 

Data Collection - The Literature Search

  • Consult with your librarian
  • Document, Document, Document
    • Databases searched, date range searched, date last searched
    • All search terms for each database, as far as possible
    • Follow the PRISMA flowchart (or other reporting guidelines -- refer to Reporting Findings
      • Number of hits for each database searched
      • Duplicates within databases

Saving Your Search

  • Save your searches in each database
    • Create an account within the database interface
    • Label the search clearly (is it a draft, final, date, database name)
  • Keep detailed records of all searches conducted:
    • Month, date, year of search
    • Database searched
    • Exact search strategy
    • Any limits used (year of publication, language, etc)
    • Number of hits for each database
  • Remember – goal is to report search strategy in a transparent manner so that it can be replicated

Search Strategy

Search Strategy
  • Key concepts to be searched (PICOS if using)
    • How are these terms represented in different disciplines?
    • What are related terms / synonyms? Be as comprehensive as possible
    • What are the subject headings (e.g. MeSH) in each database?
  • Review known relevant articles to determine keywords and subject headings
  • Review previous relevant systematic reviews for possible strategy
    • Is there a Cochrane group that has recommended terms

Search Strategy

Search Strategy
  • Use truncation
    • nurs* will retrieve: nursing, nurse, nurses, nurses, nursed, etc
  • Use both free text (keywords) and subject headings when possible
  • Pilot your search strategy
    • Is your search retrieving the known articles?
    • If no, why not?
      • Check indexing
      • Check truncation
      • Check free text keywords
      • Check descriptors / subject headings
  • It takes a LOT OF TIME

Search Strategy

Example of Search Concepts

Brainstorm synonyms for each search concept, as illustrated below.

Boolean: OR synonyms and AND search concepts

Example: What are the associations of concussions resulting from heading the ball in soccer?

 

Below are potential keywords for each concept. Remember, for each concept, you will also have to discover the subject headings for a comprehensive search.

 

Concussion

 Heading Soccer

concuss*

OR

MTBI

OR

mild traumatic brain injur*

OR

subconcuss*

heading

OR

head acceleration

OR

head impact*

OR

header*

soccer

OR

football

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