Developing a code of practice for literature searching in health sciences: a project description

Area of Science:

• Library and Information Science
• Health Informatics
• Knowledge Management

Background:

• Libraries have offered mediated search services for over 40 years.
• A lack of practice standards has hindered search execution, training, and performance evaluation.
• A pan-Canadian group of librarians conducted a literature review from 2014-2017 to address this deficit.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the deficit in practice standards for mediated search services.
• To develop a comprehensive code of practice for mediated searching.
• To provide a unified reference for training and service delivery.

Main Methods:

• A three-phase, six-part content analysis of published literature on literature searching.
• Validation of findings using card sorting, Delphi methods, and an online questionnaire.
• Development of a code of practice and a supporting glossary of search terms.

Main Results:

• The research literature on mediated search methods is sparse, fragmented, and lacks a shared vocabulary.
• A code of practice was developed, detailing 85 search tasks across five complexity levels.
• A glossary of 150 search terms was created to support the code of practice.

Conclusions:

• A code of practice for mediated searching provides much-needed clarity in terminology, approach, and methods.
• This code will serve as a unified reference for training, upholding service standards, and educating future health library professionals.
• Standardized practices will enhance the quality and consistency of mediated search services.