Podcast
Questions and Answers
In the PICO search model, what does 'P' represent?
In the PICO search model, what does 'P' represent?
What is the purpose of using 'NOT' in search queries?
What is the purpose of using 'NOT' in search queries?
Which of the following reflects the use of the question mark (?) in search techniques?
Which of the following reflects the use of the question mark (?) in search techniques?
What is the effect of using 'AND' in search queries?
What is the effect of using 'AND' in search queries?
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What type of articles would be found using the search 'Hepatotoxic NOT Nephrotoxic'?
What type of articles would be found using the search 'Hepatotoxic NOT Nephrotoxic'?
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How can the PICO model enhance research efficacy?
How can the PICO model enhance research efficacy?
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Which search technique is indicated by using keywords in parentheses?
Which search technique is indicated by using keywords in parentheses?
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When specifying a search for articles mentioning diabetic patients, what keyword strategy may be used?
When specifying a search for articles mentioning diabetic patients, what keyword strategy may be used?
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What is the numerical sequence presented in the content?
What is the numerical sequence presented in the content?
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Which number directly follows 10 in the sequence?
Which number directly follows 10 in the sequence?
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What is the last number listed in the given content?
What is the last number listed in the given content?
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Which option represents an even number from the sequence?
Which option represents an even number from the sequence?
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How many total numbers are present in the content?
How many total numbers are present in the content?
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Study Notes
Searching the Literature - Practical Guide
- Literature searching is a process to find relevant studies
- Define your search question, turning it into a research strategy
- Key steps include understanding literature searching, defining the question, creating a research strategy
- Recognizing how to develop and refine a search strategy is essential
- Knowing how to save searches is a practical skill
Contents and Learning Objectives (ILOs)
- Understanding literature searching: What is it and why is it important
- Defining your search question: Clearly posing the research question is crucial
- Turning search question into strategy: Turning the question into specific search terms
- Identifying where to search: Locating appropriate databases and resources
- Developing search strategies: Creating a tailored approach to finding relevant information
- Refining your search: Ensuring accuracy and relevance of results
- Saving your search: Storing the search to retrieve it later
Steps of Finding Research Papers
- Step 1: Understand literature searching
- Step 2: Define your search question
- Step 3: Turn question into a research strategy
- Step 4: Decide where to search
- Step 5: Develop a search strategy
- Step 6: Refine your search
- Step 7: Save your search
Literature Search vs. Literature Review and Other Terms
- Literature search: Finding studies, often for preliminary work,
- Literature review: Reviewing identified studies.
- Systematic review: A thorough look at all relevant studies (published and unpublished) to summarise findings.
- Meta-analysis: Combining similar studies to come to an overall result
Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Resources
- Primary: Original research by authors
- Secondary: Summarizes/synthesizes primary literature (e.g., systematic reviews, meta-analyses)
- Tertiary: Condensed versions of primary/secondary sources (e.g., textbooks, handbooks)
Grey Literature
- Scholarly work not commercially published or peer-reviewed
- Includes conference proceedings, theses, government documents, fact sheets and bulletins
Defining Your Search Question
- Form a search question before starting, including broad topic, refining to specific interests and formulating as a question
- Example: "In patients with eating disorders, how effective is cognitive behavioural therapy in improving self-esteem?"
Turning Search Question into a Research Strategy
- Identify main concepts in questions (e.g., "eating disorders," "cognitive behavioural therapy," "self-esteem")
- Use keywords and phrases to express concepts
- Have framework (e.g., PICO) - patient/population, intervention, comparison, outcome
Decide Where to Search
- Wide variety of search platforms and databases available
- Some are open-access (viewable/downloadable without subscription)
- Others require subscriptions or library fees for full text access
Develop a Search Strategy
- Account for possible search terms, keywords, phrases, and subject headings
- Adapt strategies for each database
- May need multiple strategies if research covers many areas
Search Strategy Techniques
- Use accurate keywords, synonyms, plurals, and singular variations
- Use limiters/filters to narrow results (e.g. type of article, language, full text articles only)
- Use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to combine terms (AND - searches for both terms, OR - searches for either term or both, NOT - excludes one term from results)
- Utilize truncated and wildcard searching for variations of terms
Developing a Search Strategy (continued)
- Utilize quotation marks for exact phrases
- Consider Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) for structured searching (hierarchical system for indexing).
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Description
This quiz covers essential steps in literature searching, including defining research questions and creating effective search strategies. Learn to identify suitable databases and refine your searches for more relevant results. Master the practical skills of saving and organizing your searches.
