1. Modified with permission from presentation by Steven Duffy Centre for Reviews & Dissemination, University of York December 2011

2.  All details of the search should be documented so that: ◦ It is transparent and reproducible ◦ It can be evaluated

3.  Describe in detail all searches, including: ◦ Bibliographic databases ◦ Internet/grey literature ◦ Hand-searching ◦ Contact with experts Good practice to document the search whilst doing it rather than retrospectively!

4.  Database or resource searched  Database service provider or URL  Date of search  Date span of search  The search strategy itself, in full  Number of records identified

5.  Database or resource e.g. Medline, PubMed, CEA Registry etc  The database service provider e.g. Ovid, EBSCO, ISI Web of knowledge etc  The website/organisation providing the resource e.g. www.cearegistry.org

6.  Date of the search  Date of the database or resource (inception to latest update)  Not always easy to find the latest update date – might have to do a bit further investigation

7.  Ideally, reproduce the search strategy directly from the search interface (If using PubMed each search listed in Advanced area as you search, copy & paste! )  May prefer to edit strategies for consistency and/or readability  May want to annotate and provide key to symbols/commands used

8.  Flow charts e.g. PRISMA flow diagram, template at: http://www.prisma-statement.org/statement.htm  Tables  Or simply in the search strategy itself (As you search in PubMed number of ‘Items found’ are listed in Advanced area)

9.  Should not simply be a technical exercise – it is an opportunity to justify decisions made when developing the search strategy  Why certain limits were introduced  Why methodological filters were not used  Why particular databases were not searched  How search terms were derived  Describe the conceptual breakdown of the search

10.  Always write up in full (record absolutely everything) while undertaking the searches  It is often not possible to include everything in the main body of the final report, and certainly not in a journal article  But should be able to include details in appendices or at least be able to refer reader to the full search strategies

11.  See HTA reports, Cochrane reviews and NICE guidance evidence reports  CRD guidance http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/index_guid ance.htm http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/index_guid ance.htm  Cochrane Handbook http://handbook.cochrane.org/

12.  Email: medlib@swansea.ac.ukmedlib@swansea.ac.uk  See Library Support Module for CoM in Blackboard