1. Scientific writing | September 2009 1 |1 | Designing and reporting search strategies in public health papers Institute for Population and Social Research Mahidol University Supported by Thai Health Promotion Foundation

2. Scientific writing | September 2009 2 |2 | Building your search strategy Use a combination of MeSH terms and free text – modify as necessary for different databases Grey literature, conference proceedings, personal contacts, reference lists from other papers Constant trade-off between time available, sensitivity and specificity of search. Befriend your librarian, and find a co-author.

3. Scientific writing | September 2009 3 |3 | Database sources The International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) also provides access to a wide range of databases including The Cochrane Library and journals. Journal titles available vary by country. www.inasp.info/file/68/about-inasp.html www.inasp.info/file/68/about-inasp.html Electronic Information for Libraries (eIFL) is a similar initiative based on library consortia to support affordable licensing of journals in 50 low-income and transition countries in central, eastern and south-east Europe, the former Soviet Union, Africa, the Middle-East and south- east Asia. www.eifl.net/cps/sections/aboutwww.eifl.net/cps/sections/about

4. Scientific writing | September 2009 4 |4 | Database overlap MEDLINE currently contains over 16 million references to journal articles from the 1950s onwards. Currently 5,200 journals in 37 languages are indexed for MEDLINE: Of the 4,800 journals indexed in EMBASE, 1,800 are not indexed in MEDLINE. Similarly, of the 5,200 journals indexed in MEDLINE, 1,800 are not indexed in EMBASE.

5. Scientific writing | September 2009 5 |5 | Databases LILACS (Latin American Caribbean Health Sciences Literature - www.bireme.br/bvs/I/ibd.htm) www.bireme.br/bvs/I/ibd.htm Web of Science, Medline, EMBASE, CENTRAL, SCOPUSSociologySociofile, Sociological Abstracts, Social Science Citation Index, Social Policy and Practice. ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center), C2-SPECTR (Campbell Collaboration Social, Psychological, Educational and Criminological Trials Register, www.campbellcollaboration.org), REEL (Research Evidence in Education Library, EPPI-Centre, eppi.ioe.ac.uk.)www.campbellcollaboration.org eppi.ioe.ac.uk.

6. Scientific writing | September 2009 6 |6 | More databases NTIS (National Technical Information Service), TRIS (Transport Research Information Service, ntl.bts.gov/tris), IRRD (International Road Research Documentation), TRANSDOC (from ECMT, European Conference of Ministers of Transport)ntl.bts.gov/tris TRoPHI (Trials Register of Promoting Health Interventions) DoPHER (Database of Promoting Health Effectiveness Reviews) (EPPI-Centre, eppi.ioe.ac.uk),eppi.ioe.ac.uk Public Health Electronic Library (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, www.nice.org.uk/guidance)www.nice.org.uk/guidance Database of abstracts of reviews of effectiveness (DARE)

7. Scientific writing | September 2009 7 |7 | Still more databases Popline (population health, family planning) db.jhuccp.org/popinform/basic.html, db.jhuccp.org/popinform/basic.html Enviroline (environmental health) Toxfile (toxicology) – available on Dialog, Econlit (economics), NGC (National Guideline Clearinghouse, www.guideline.gov.) www.guideline.gov ESRC Qualitative Data Archival Resource Centre (QUALIDATA, www.qualidata.essex.ac.uk), www.qualidata.essex.ac.uk Database of Interviews on Patient Experience (DIPEX, www.dipex.org) www.dipex.org

8. Scientific writing | September 2009 8 |8 | Free full text collections BioMed Central: www.biomedcentral.com/browse/journals/www.biomedcentral.com/browse/journals/ Public Library of Science (PLoS): www.plos.org/journals/www.plos.org/journals/ PubMed Central (PMC): www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/ Web sites listing journals offering free full-text access: Free Medical Journals: freemedicaljournals.com/freemedicaljournals.com/ HighWire Press: highwire.stanford.edu/lists/freeart.dtlhighwire.stanford.edu/lists/freeart.dtl

9. Scientific writing | September 2009 9 |9 | Dissertation and Theses ProQuest : indexes more than 2 million doctoral dissertations and masters’ theses: www.proquest.co.uk/enUK/catalogs/databases/detail/pqdt.s html Index to Theses in Great Britain and Ireland: lists over 500,000 theses: www.theses.com/www.theses.com/ DissOnline: indexes 50,000 German dissertations: www.dissonline.de/ www.dissonline.de/

10. Scientific writing | September 2009 10 | When planning a search, consider whether the review is limited to randomized trials or whether other study designs will be included the requirement to identify adverse effects data the nature of the intervention(s) being assessed; any geographic considerations such as the need to search the Chinese literature for studies in Chinese herbal medicine; the time period when any evaluations of these interventions may have taken place; and whether data from unpublished studies are to be included.

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12. Scientific writing | September 2009 12 | Controlled vocabulary and text words MEDLINE and EMBASE (and many other databases) can be searched using standardized subject terms assigned by indexers. Standardized subject terms (as part of a controlled vocabulary or thesaurus) are useful because they provide a way of retrieving articles that may use different words to describe the same concept and because they can provide information beyond that which is simply contained in the words of the title and abstract.

13. Scientific writing | September 2009 13 | Reporting the search process in the methods section List all databases searched. Note the dates of the last search for each database AND the period searched. Note any language or publication status restrictions. List grey literature sources. List individuals or organizations contacted. List any journals and conference proceedings specifically handsearched for the review. List any other sources searched (e.g. reference lists, the internet).

14. Scientific writing | September 2009 14 | Search methods for identification of studies Electronic searches We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; MEDLINE; OLDMEDLINE; EMBASE; and CINAHL 1 exp Influenza, Human/ 2 influenza.mp. 3 flu.mp. 4 exp Common Cold/

15. Scientific writing | September 2009 15 | Keep up-to-date in your field Set up email alerts from your searches Browse in your library collection Read on the bus Become a reviewer for your journal(s) of interest Good luck!