Finding the Evidence. How to Search the Cochrane Library

Transcription

1 Finding the Evidence How to Search the Cochrane Library Ciara McCaffrey Librarian for Science & Health Sciences, University of Limerick The Cochrane Collaboration in Ireland: Facilitating Evidence-Based Practice in Ireland Dublin City University Thursday, 3 rd February 2005

2 How to search the Cochrane Library Enter keywords in the search bar on the right and click Go Note the number of results retrieved, above your results list Basic Search Tips AND physiotherapy stroke (No need for AND. Finds both words in the text) OR physiotherapy OR rehabilitation (Finds either word in the text) * rehab* (Finds rehabilitate, rehabilitation, rehabilitating, etc.) Sample Searches Is tamoxifen effective for treating early breast cancer? tamoxifen breast cancer What effective interventions are there for preventing or treating bed sores? bed sore OR bedsore OR pressure ulcer OR decubitus ulcer [Search within Abstract] What systematic reviews are there on the topic of physiotherapy? physiotherap* OR physical therap* [Search within Abstract] Match% to sort your results by relevance (rather than alphabetical) is a complete systematic review is a protocol a review in progress but not yet completed Click on Record to view an individual record Viewing a Record Choose the part of the review you wish to read from the panel on the left i.e. Reviewers Conclusions, References, Discussion, Graphs, etc. View, print or save the entire review by clicking on PDF at the top of the panel on the left 5 TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE SEARCHING 1. Condition Intervention Keep your keywords simple 2. Abstract Change Search All Text to Abstract 3. OR Use OR between words that mean the same thing 4. * Use * at the end of words for word variations 5. %Match Sort your results by relevance If You Get Lost To perform a new search click on The Cochrane Library 2004, Issue at the top of the screen

3 Advanced Searching Choose Cochrane Advanced Search for more search options You may search for authors or limit your searching to specific databases and specific years Searching with the Thesaurus (MeSH Searching) Click on MeSH Search to search for records using Medline subject headings Enter your term and click on Go to MeSH Trees Click Go to run the search using the term appearing in red 4 STEPS TO FIND ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING ON A TOPIC IN CLIB 1. Perform a keyword search using ANDs, ORs and the wildcard asterix * 2. Perform a MeSH search 3. Click on Search History 4. Combine the results from the keyword search and the MeSH search by typing #1 OR #2 Other Databases in the Cochrane Library At the top of a results list you may choose to see results in databases other than the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. These are other sources of evidence DARE (abstract) contains non-cochrane systematic reviews of all available evidence on a treatment, intervention or drug CENTRAL (abstract) contains a database of clinical trials Methodology Reviews (fulltext) contains information about the methodology of systematic reviewing, research methodology, etc. HTA (abstract) contains references and information about ongoing research in health technology NHS EED (abstract) contains information about the economic aspect of interventions, i.e. costs, savings, etc. Things to bear in mind Date of a systematic review - how old is it? Has it been amended recently? If there are no reviews or old reviews, check CENTRAL to see what trials have been done To cite a review in a reference list copy and paste the text at the top of a review after This record should be cited as Help Search Tips on the Cochrane Library homepage Transition Information on the Cochrane Library homepage Ask your librarian

4 Exercises for Beginners 1. Are antihistamines effective for treating the common cold? 2. How effective is tap water for cleansing wounds? 3. What non-drug interventions are there for cystic fibrosis? 4. Find systematic reviews about diabetes. Advances Searching 5. Find reviews on either radiotherapy or chemotherapy for breast cancer. 6. Use MeSH searching to find systematic reviews on stroke? 7. How many systematic reviews in the Cochrane Database are by Mike Clarke? 8. Find clinical trials on aloe vera. 9. Choose any systematic review from your results and a copy to yourself. 10. How would you cite the review that you ed to yourself in a reference list?

5 Exercises for Beginners - Suggested Searches in Italics 1. Are antihistamines effective for treating the common cold? antihistamines cold [Sort results %Match] 2. How effective is tap water for cleansing wounds? water wound [Sort results %Match] 3. What non-drug interventions are there for cystic fibrosis? cystic fibrosis OR CF [Abstract] 4. Find systematic reviews about diabetes. diabet* [Abstract] Advances Searching - Go to Cochrane Advanced Search 5. Find reviews on either radiotherapy or chemotherapy for breast cancer. radiotherap* OR chemotherap* [Abstract] AND breast cancer* OR breast neoplasm* [Abstract] 6. Use MeSH searching to find systematic reviews on stroke? MeSH heading: cerebrovascular accident 7. How many systematic reviews in the Cochrane Database are by Mike Clarke? Clarke M* [Author] 8. Find clinical trials on aloe vera. aloe vera [CENTRAL database] 9. Choose any systematic review from your results and a copy to yourself. You can the PDF version to yourself 10. How would you cite the review that you ed to yourself in a reference list? Copy and paste the Cited as: information at the beginning of the review