The decisions and processes involved in a systematic search strategy: a hierarchical framework

Area of Science:

• Information Science
• Library Science
• Evidence Synthesis

Background:

• Systematic search strategies are crucial for evidence synthesis.
• The components of systematic search strategies have not been formally defined.
• A structured approach is needed to guide the development of systematic searches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify all potential decisions and processes for systematic search strategies.
• To develop a hierarchical framework categorizing these decisions and processes.
• To provide a foundation for future research on systematic search methodology.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a literature search for guidance on systematic searching.
• Extracted and categorized search decisions and processes from 74 documents.
• Developed an iterative framework, refined through expert feedback and testing.

Main Results:

• A hierarchical framework of 119 decisions/processes was created.
• These are organized into 17 categories under 5 main topics.
• Topics include searcher skill, information selection, electronic searching, and review updating.

Conclusions:

• This work formally identifies and classifies systematic search components.
• The developed framework can guide future research and practice.
• It facilitates the assessment and prioritization of research on effective search methods.