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Updated: May 6, 2026

Comparing Bibliometric Analysis Using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science Databases
Published on: October 24, 2019
How comprehensive is comprehensive? Prevalence of searches beyond peer-reviewed journal articles and bibliographic
Jane O'Sullivan1,2, Sarah Dawson3, Chris Cooper4
1Anaesthesia and Critical Care, https://ror.org/04y3ze847University Hospital Limerick, Ireland.
Abstract:
To examine the extent to which information sources other than journal articles are sought for systematic reviews. Cross-sectional study of published systematic reviews. We examined all published systematic reviews included in MEDLINE in a 4-week period in 2019. Both systematic reviews and protocols of reviews were eligible for inclusion. (1) Number and types of information sources sought in systematic reviews; (2) proportion of reviews that explicitly searched for study reports other than journal articles; (3) proportion of reviews that searched resources containing study reports other than journal articles. A total of 1,262 systematic reviews fulfilled the eligibility criteria. The median number of information resources searched for all systematic reviews was 4. Of the 1,262 reviews, study reports other than journal articles were sought in 40% (n = 502) of systematic reviews (97% (n = 64) of Cochrane reviews and 37% (n = 438) of non-Cochrane reviews). Trial registers were searched in 88% of Cochrane reviews and 21% of non-Cochrane reviews. In 99.3% (n = 1,253) of all the systematic reviews, the searches performed had the potential to identify study reports other than journal articles. Between a third and a half of systematic reviews search for study reports other than journal articles. Systematic review searches often search resources that include study reports other than journal articles, whether or not the reviewers explicitly sought them.
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