2.0 Searching and critiquing the literature

Question 1

Sources of evidence based material

Answer 1

Library catalogues (look for library guides)
Medical and Health Science Databases (CINAHL, Medline)
Multidisciplinary Databases (Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar)
Reference lists
Primary and secondary sources

Question 2

What is primary literature and examples?

Answer 2

Original materials / studies
Authored by researchers
Contains original research data
Usually published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Includes:
Conference papers
Pre-prints
Preliminary reports

Question 2

What is secondary literature and examples?

Answer 2

Consists of interpretations and evaluationsderived from or referred to the primary literature. (Evidence that is taken from primary evidence)

Includes:
Review articles (meta-analysis, systematic reviews)
Reference works
Professionals within each discipline take the primary literature and synthesize, generalise, and integrate new research

Question 3

What is tertiary literature and examples?

Answer 3

Consists ofa collection of primary and secondary sources.

Includes:
Textbooks
Encyclopedia
Guidebooks
Handbooks

Purpose is to provide an overview of key research findings and an introduction to principles and practices within the discipline.

Question 4

Is primary information filtered or unfiltered?

Answer 4

Unfiltered i.e. no critical appraisal

Found in literature databases forRCTs, cohort studies, case-controlled studies, case series, etc. Examples:
Ovid MEDLINE
PubMed LinkOut
PubMed Clinical Queries
CINAHL
Scopus
Web of Science
ScienceDirect

Question 5

Is secondary information filtered or unfiltered?

Answer 5

Filtered.

Question 6

Where can primary information be found?

Answer 6

Found in literature databases forRCTs, cohort studies, case-controlled studies, case series, etc. Examples:
Ovid MEDLINE
PubMed LinkOut
PubMed Clinical Queries
CINAHL
Scopus
Web of Science
ScienceDirect

Question 7

Where can systematic reviews be found?

Answer 7

Cochrane Library
Ovid MEDLINE
PubMed LinkOut
PubMed clinical queries

Question 8

Systematic reviews …

Answer 8

summarise carefully designed healthcare studies and provides level of evidence on effectiveness of intervention

Question 9

Where can critically appraised topics be found?

Answer 9

UpToDate
Essential Evidence Plus
First Consult
Natural Medicines

Question 10

Critically appraised topics…

Answer 10

evaluate and synthesise multiple research studies

Question 11

Critically appraised articles….

Answer 11

evaluate and synthesise individual research studies

Question 12

Where can critically appraised articles be found?

Answer 12

ACP Journal Club
Evidence-based Nursing
Evidence-based Medicine

Question 13

Examples of filtered information

Answer 13

Systematic reviews
Critically appraised topics (evidence syntheses and gdls)
Critically appraised individual articles (article synopses)

Top of the hierarchy

Question 14

Examples of unfiltered information

Answer 14

RCTs
Cohort Studies
Case controlled studies and case series / reports

Middle of hierarchy

Question 15

What is on the lowest level of the hierarchy of evidence?

Answer 15

Background information / expert opinions

Question 16

Steps for developing a structured literature search (7)

Answer 16

1. Analyse your topic to identifyyour key concepts​
2. Identify key terms
3. Define your inclusion and exclusion criteria
4. Combine using Boolean operators
5. Refine search
6. Record your search
7. Manage your references - ENDNOTE

Question 17

When identifying key terms and alternative search terms, consider …

Answer 17

Synonyms (related terms)
Plurals
Variant spellings
Acronyms, Abbreviations
Broader terms
Narrower terms

Question 18

Truncation - what is it, its purpose and an example

Answer 18

Searches for main stem of a word
Used to broaden your search to include various word endings and spellings
Nurs* = nurse, nurses, nursing

Question 19

Wildcards - what is it, its purpose and an example

Answer 19

Wildcards substitute a symbol for one or more letters of a word
Immuni?ation= immunization, immunisation

Question 20

Phrase searching- what is it, its purpose and an example

Answer 20

Retrieves exact search term
(“ ”)
“Mental health nurse”

Question 21

Boolean operators

Answer 21

AND - as well as
OR - either / or

Question 22

What is MeSH?

Answer 22

Medical Subject Headings. A MeSH term is used interchangeable with a preferred term as a means of cross-referencing.

By using MeSH terms in your search, the various synonyms of a term are automatically included in the search query. Example: In literature the concept of ‘cancer’ can be described in various ways: cancer, cancers, tumor, tumour, neoplasms etc.

Question 23

Documenting the Search Strategy (5)

Answer 23

Record where you have searched for information
Why you chose those sources
How you carried out your search
How many results were found
Use a template as a record of your search

Question 24

The critique or critical review is …

Answer 24

the process of objectively and critically analysing research report’s content for scientific merit and application to practice or theory

Question 25

Critiquing literature requires some knowledge of

Answer 25

the subject matter
knowledge of how to read critically
how to interpret appropriate criteria
basic understanding of the research process
basic understanding of relevant terminology

Question 26

Synthesis understanding refers to:

Answer 26

combining parts into a complex whole

Question 27

Understanding a research article and seeing the terms in relation to the context relate to:

Answer 27

Comprehensive understanding

Question 28

CINAHL stands for…

Answer 28

Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied HealthLiterature.

Question 29

Impact factors (IF) are…

Answer 29

bibliometric measurement of citation rates

Question 30

Grey literature

Answer 30

Grey literature is published informally or non-commercially, or remains unpublished

Examples include reports, theses, dissertations, official documents, informal communication, research-in-progress, or clinical trials produced by government agencies, academic institutions, or business.