fishing for pearls babraham phd

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARY

Diving for pearls…..How to get the most from your literature search and the Medical Library.

Isla Kuhn

Deputy Medical Librarian

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARY

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARY

• how to clarify the question(s) on which you need to find literature

• selecting the databases and other resources you will need to search

• devising the most comprehensive literature search strategy so you know you’ve not missed any relevant studies

• keeping up to date with new information appearing between the initial search and write-up

• issues around management of process and results • management of references (using software such as

Endnote), and getting hold of the full text article

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARY

1 clinical trial.pt.2 randomized.ab,ti.3 placebo.ab,ti.4 dt.fs.5 randomly.ab,ti.6 trial.ab,ti.7 groups.ab,ti.8 or/1-79 Animals/10 Humans/11 9 not (9 and 10)12 8 not 1113 dorsalgia.ab,ti.14 exp Back Pain/15 exp Low Back Pain/16 backache.ab,ti.17 (lumbar adj pain).ab,ti.18 coccyx.ab,ti.19 coccydynia.ab,ti.20 exp Sciatica/21 sciatica.ab,ti.22 spondylosis.ab,ti.23 lumbago.ab,ti.

24 or/13-2325 exp Spine/26 discitis.ab,ti.27 exp Spinal Diseases/28 (disc adj degeneration).ab,ti.29 (disc adj prolapse).ab,ti.30 (disc adj herniation).ab,ti.31 spinal fusion.sh.32 spinal neoplasms.sh.33 (facet adj joints).ab,ti.34 intervertebral disk.sh.35 postlaminectomy.ab,ti.36 arachnoiditis.ab,ti.37 (failed adj back).ab,ti.38 or/25-3739 exp activities of daily living/40 activities of daily living.tw.41 day to day activ$.ti,ab.42 daily activit$.ti,ab.43 ordinary activit$.ti,ab.44 normal activit$.ti,ab.45 stay$ active.ti,ab.

46 exp Bed Rest/47 bed rest.mp.48 or/39-4749 24 or 3850 12 and 4951 48 and 50

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARYFrom topic to search

• Topic -> question -> keywords/synonyms

Effect of chocolate in prevention of heart disease

...”Is consuming chocolate effective in reducing risk of heart disease?” ….

Keywords / PICO

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARY

Is consuming chocolate effective in reducing the risk of heart disease?

P –problem / patient?

I – Intervention?

C – Comparison?

O – Outcome?

From Topic to Results

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARY

Is consuming chocolate effective in reducing the risk of heart disease?

P – heart disease

I – chocolate

C –

O – risk

Synonyms?

From Topic to Results

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARY

Is consuming chocolate effective in reducing the risk of heart disease?

P – heart disease / heart failure / cardiovascular disease / coronary disease

I – chocolate / cocoa / cacao

C –

O – risk / prevention /

From Topic to Results

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARYBoolean Logic

AND – to narrow the search by combining different topics

eg

“physiotherapy” and “stroke”

Both terms must be present in the results.

StrokePhysiotherapy

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARYBoolean Logic

OR – to broaden your search, by combining similar terms

eg

“exercise” or “physical activity”

Either term can be present in the resulting set of articles.

Physical activityExercise

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARYBoolean Logic

NOT – to restrict your search so that it does not contain a particular term

eg

“physical therapy” not “manual therapy”

The first, but not the second, term must be present.

Manual Therapy

Physical Therapy

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARY

Is consuming chocolate effective in reducing the risk of heart disease?

heart disease OR heart failure OR cardiovascular disease OR coronary disease

AND

chocolate OR cocoa OR cacao

AND

risk OR prevention

From Topic to Results

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARYQuestion:

1st theme   OR   OR   OR

AND

2nd theme   OR   OR   OR

AND

3rd theme   OR   OR   OR

AND

4th theme?   OR   OR   OR

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARYMind map your question?

Research question

1st theme

4th theme

3rd theme

2nd

theme

synonym

synonym

synonym

synonym

synonym

synonym

synonym

synonym

synonym

synonym synonym

synonym

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARYPutting the theory into practice

http://wok.mimas.ac.uk

http://tinyurl.com/campubmed

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARY

Is consuming chocolate effective in reducing the risk of heart disease?

“heart disease*” OR “heart failure*” OR “cardiovascular disease*” OR “coronary disease*” OR “Cardiovascular Disease”[Mesh]

AND

Chocolate* OR cocoa OR cacao OR “Cocao”[Mesh]

AND

Risk* OR prevent* OR “Risk”[Mesh] OR “Primary Prevention”[Mesh]

From Topic to Results

Truncation Phrases

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARY

1. “heart disease*”

2. “heart failure*”

3. “cardiovascular disease*”

4. “coronary disease*”

5. “Cardiovascular Disease”[Mesh

6. 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5

7. Chocolate*

8. cocoa

9. cacao

10. “Cocao”[Mesh]

11.7 or 8 or 9 or 10

12.Risk*

13.prevent*

14.“Risk”[Mesh]

15.“Primary Prevention

16.12 or 13 or 14 or 15

17.6 and 11 and 16

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARY

1 clinical trial.pt.2 randomized.ab,ti.3 placebo.ab,ti.4 dt.fs.5 randomly.ab,ti.6 trial.ab,ti.7 groups.ab,ti.8 or/1-79 Animals/10 Humans/11 9 not (9 and 10)12 8 not 1113 dorsalgia.ab,ti.14 exp Back Pain/15 exp Low Back Pain/16 backache.ab,ti.17 (lumbar adj pain).ab,ti.18 coccyx.ab,ti.19 coccydynia.ab,ti.20 exp Sciatica/21 sciatica.ab,ti.22 spondylosis.ab,ti.23 lumbago.ab,ti.

24 or/13-2325 exp Spine/26 discitis.ab,ti.27 exp Spinal Diseases/28 (disc adj degeneration).ab,ti.29 (disc adj prolapse).ab,ti.30 (disc adj herniation).ab,ti.31 spinal fusion.sh.32 spinal neoplasms.sh.33 (facet adj joints).ab,ti.34 intervertebral disk.sh.35 postlaminectomy.ab,ti.36 arachnoiditis.ab,ti.37 (failed adj back).ab,ti.38 or/25-3739 exp activities of daily living/40 activities of daily living.tw.41 day to day activ$.ti,ab.42 daily activit$.ti,ab.43 ordinary activit$.ti,ab.44 normal activit$.ti,ab.45 stay$ active.ti,ab.

46 exp Bed Rest/47 bed rest.mp.48 or/39-4749 24 or 3850 12 and 4951 48 and 50

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARY

1 clinical trial.pt.2 randomized.ab,ti.3 placebo.ab,ti.4 dt.fs.5 randomly.ab,ti.6 trial.ab,ti.7 groups.ab,ti.8 or/1-79 Animals/10 Humans/11 9 not (9 and 10)12 8 not 1113 dorsalgia.ab,ti.14 exp Back Pain/15 exp Low Back Pain/16 backache.ab,ti.17 (lumbar adj pain).ab,ti.18 coccyx.ab,ti.19 coccydynia.ab,ti.20 exp Sciatica/21 sciatica.ab,ti.22 spondylosis.ab,ti.23 lumbago.ab,ti.

24 or/13-2325 exp Spine/26 discitis.ab,ti.27 exp Spinal Diseases/28 (disc adj degeneration).ab,ti.29 (disc adj prolapse).ab,ti.30 (disc adj herniation).ab,ti.31 spinal fusion.sh.32 spinal neoplasms.sh.33 (facet adj joints).ab,ti.34 intervertebral disk.sh.35 postlaminectomy.ab,ti.36 arachnoiditis.ab,ti.37 (failed adj back).ab,ti.38 or/25-3739 exp activities of daily living/40 activities of daily living.tw.41 day to day activ$.ti,ab.42 daily activit$.ti,ab.43 ordinary activit$.ti,ab.44 normal activit$.ti,ab.45 stay$ active.ti,ab.

46 exp Bed Rest/47 bed rest.mp.48 or/39-4749 24 or 3850 12 and 4951 48 and 50

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARY

Advice to rest in bed versus advice to stay active for acutelow-back pain and sciatica

The objective of this review is to determine the effects of advice to rest in bed or stay active for patients with acute low-back pain or sciatica.

The following comparisons will be made:

• Bed rest versus staying active

• Bed rest versus other treatments (besides staying active)

• Shorter periods of bed rest versus longer periods of bed rest

• Staying active versus other treatments (besides bed rest)

• Comparison between different forms of advice to stay active (e.g. avoiding bedrest, staying active)

http://mrw.interscience.wiley.com/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD007612/pdf_fs.html

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARYFrom topic to search: filters

• http://www.sign.ac.uk/methodology/filters.html Observational Study Filters

Medline 1 Epidemiologic studies/ 2 Exp case control studies/ 3 Exp cohort studies/ 4 Case control.tw. 5 (cohort adj (study or studies)).tw. 6 Cohort analy$.tw. 7 (Follow up adj (study or studies)).tw. 8 (observational adj (study or studies)).tw. 9 Longitudinal.tw. 10 Retrospective.tw. 11 Cross sectional.tw. 12 Cross-sectional studies/ 13 Or/1-12

Embase 1 Clinical study/ 2 Case control study 3 Family study/ 4 Longitudinal study/ 5 Retrospective study/ 6 Prospective study/ 7 Randomized controlled trials/ 8 6 not 7 9 Cohort analysis/ 10 (Cohort adj (study or studies)).mp. 11 (Case control adj (study or studies)).tw. 12 (follow up adj (study or studies)).tw. 13 (observational adj (study or studies)).tw. 14 (epidemiologic$ adj (study or studies)).tw. 15 (cross sectional adj (study or studies)).tw. 16 Or/1-5,8-15

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARY

From topic to search: filters - translated

• http://www.sign.ac.uk/methodology/filters.html Observational Study Filters

Medline (via Pubmed)#1 “Epidemiologic studies”[Mesh]#2 “case control studies”[Mesh]#3 “cohort studies”[Mesh]#4 Case control[Text Word] #5 (cohort stud*))[Text Word] #6 Cohort analy*[Text Word]#7 (Follow up AND (study or studies))[Text Word] #8 (observational AND (study or studies))[Text Word]#9 Longitudinal[Text Word]#10 Retrospective[Text Word]#11 Cross sectional[Text Word]#12 “Cross-sectional studies”[Mesh]#13 #1 OR #2 OR #3 OR #4 OR #5 OR #6 OR #7 OR #8 OR #9 OR #10 OR #11 OR #12

Medline 1 Epidemiologic studies/ 2 Exp case control studies/ 3 Exp cohort studies/ 4 Case control.tw. 5 (cohort adj (study or studies)).tw. 6 Cohort analy$.tw. 7 (Follow up adj (study or studies)).tw. 8 (observational adj (study or studies)).tw. 9 Longitudinal.tw. 10 Retrospective.tw. 11 Cross sectional.tw. 12 Cross-sectional studies/ 13 Or/1-12

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARY

http://library.medschl.cam.ac.uk/resources-training-support/databases/

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARY

• Reference Manager (or EndnoteWeb, or Zotero, or Mendely, or…?)

(to manage your references)

• LibrarySearch and/or e-journals@cambridge (to get hold of the articles)

From strategy to references

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARY

http://tinyurl.com/campubmed

http://wok.mimas.ac.uk

And other tools to help:

• Non-journal material (eg NGO websites, books, statistics, grey literature)

• RAVEN (perhaps other passwords?)

• Endnote (or endnoteweb or zotero or mendeley…etc)

• CASP Critical Appraisal Checklists / other critical appraisal tools

• Qiqqa or PDF X-change

From strategy to references

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARYKeeping up to date

• alerts

• journal TOCs

• citation tracking

• Email alerts

• RSS fees

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARYManagement of process & results

• What is the data you need to record?• Where will you record it? Where will you store it?• How will you record it?• How will you share it?

When should all this start? – more info on data management

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARYSearching – Do’s & Don’ts

• Don’t try to do the whole search in one line

• Don’t imagine that your first attempt will get all the articles you need

• Don’t give up!

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARYSearching – Do’s & Don’ts

• Do think of alternative ways of talking about your topic

• Do learn from your hits and your misses

• Do remember that you still have to critically appraise each article

• Do ask for help

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARY

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYMEDICAL LIBRARYHelp!

Isla Kuhn

Deputy Medical Librarian

Medical Library

Box 111

Addenbrooke’s Hospital

ilk21@cam.ac.uk

@ilk21

(01223) (3)36750

http://library.medschl.cam.ac.uk

Thank you.