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Related Experiment Videos

Systematic reviews need systematic searchers.

Jessie McGowan1, Margaret Sampson

  • 1Ottawa Health Research Institute/Institute of Population Health University of Ottawa Ottawa K1N 6N5 Canada. jmcgowan@uottawa.ca

Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA
|February 3, 2005
PubMed
Summary
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Expert searchers are crucial for systematic reviews, requiring specialized skills in database searching and information retrieval to ensure comprehensive and unbiased evidence for healthcare decisions.

Area of Science:

  • Health Sciences
  • Information Science
  • Medical Librarianship

Background:

  • Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are vital for healthcare practitioners to make informed decisions.
  • Effective searching is critical for systematic reviews, as errors can lead to biased or incomplete evidence.
  • Librarians performing these searches must possess expert-level skills.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the methods, skills, and knowledge of expert searchers on systematic review teams.
  • To highlight the essential role of expert searchers throughout the systematic review process.

Main Methods:

  • The study focuses on the expertise required for systematic literature searching.
  • It emphasizes the need for understanding database structures, functions, and search methodologies.

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Main Results:

  • Expert searchers require in-depth knowledge of bibliographic and specialized databases.
  • Proficiency in technical and methodological search issues is essential.
  • Search methodology should be grounded in information retrieval research.

Conclusions:

  • Expert searchers are integral to systematic review teams, contributing from proposal development to publication.
  • Continuous engagement with and contribution to information retrieval research is vital for expert searchers.
  • Advocacy for and conduct of research in information retrieval practices are key responsibilities.