Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T09:30:24.385Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A NOVEL SEARCH BUILDER TO EXPEDITE SEARCH STRATEGIES FOR SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2015

Biren B. Kamdar
Affiliation:
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLAbkamdar@mednet.ucla.edu
Pooja A. Shah
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
Sruthi Sakamuri
Affiliation:
University of Vermont College of Medicine
Bharat S. Kamdar
Affiliation:
Independent Technology Consultant
Jiwon Oh
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University

Abstract

Objectives: Developing a search strategy for use in a systematic review is a time-consuming process requiring construction of detailed search strings using complicated syntax, followed by iterative fine-tuning and trial-and-error testing of these strings in online biomedical search engines.

Methods: Building upon limitations of existing online-only search builders, a user-friendly computer-based tool was created to expedite search strategy development as part of production of a systematic review.

Results: Search Builder 1.0 is a Microsoft Excel®-based tool that automatically assembles search strategy text strings for PubMed (www.pubmed.com) and Embase (www.embase.com), based on a list of user-defined search terms and preferences. With the click of a button, Search Builder 1.0 automatically populates the syntax needed for functional search strings, and copies the string to the clipboard for pasting into Pubmed or Embase. The offline file-based interface of Search Builder 1.0 also allows for searches to be easily shared and saved for future reference.

Conclusions: This novel, user-friendly tool can save considerable time and streamline a cumbersome step in the systematic review process.

Type
Methods
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Karimi, S, Pohl, S, Scholer, F, Cavedon, L, Zobel, J. Boolean versus ranked querying for biomedical systematic reviews. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2010;10:58.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2. McGowan, J, Sampson, M. Systematic reviews need systematic searchers. J Med Libr Assoc. 2005;93:7480.Google ScholarPubMed
3. Montori, VM, Swiontkowski, MF, Cook, DJ. Methodologic issues in systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2003;413:4354.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4. Allen, IE, Olkin, I. Estimating time to conduct a meta-analysis from number of citations retrieved. JAMA. 1999;282:634635.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Supplementary material: File

Kamdar supplementary material

Search Builder 1.0 2013 with User Guide FOR PC

Download Kamdar supplementary material(File)
File 156.8 KB
Supplementary material: File

Kamdar supplementary material

Search Builder 1.0 2013 with User Guide FOR MACINTOSH

Download Kamdar supplementary material(File)
File 145.1 KB