 Reviews of increasing complexity from simple reviews to systematic reviews... To browse other articles on a range of HSL topics, see the wiki index.
Introduction
See also Research for librarians - portal, Scoping studies and Systematic review searching
To immerse yourself in a discussion of the skills and abilities needed for expert searching, we suggest that you begin by reading the MLA's The role of expert searching in health sciences libraries. You may also want to contact an academic health or hospital librarian to discuss what kinds of searching they do in their work.
What is expert searching?
Expert searching is a mediated process where users seek consultation from a recognized expert such as an information retrieval specialist or librarian. The recognized expert identifies the information need, devises a strategy to uncover useful information and performs a search that requires a combination of the following key skills and knowledge:
- knowledge of information sources, and subject domain knowledge
- ability to perceive implications of the articulated information need
- ability to identify and search resources in proprietary databases and the general web
- ability to recognize personal searcher limitations
- knowledge of database indexing or metadata conventions
- expert knowledge of retrieval systems, platforms, syntax and updating practices
- ability to employ an iterative and heuristic search process for discovery of evidence
- ability to efficiently and effectively evaluate retrieved evidence
- ability to process results and present coherently through removal of irrelevant items from search results
- ability to document search for end-user information, grant applications, clinical trials or eventual publication
- ability to use deductive and inductive reasoning combined with subject domain knowledge to respond to information need
See also
References
- Booth A: How much searching is enough? Comprehensive versus optimal retrieval for technology assessments. International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care. 2010;26.
- Bradley SM. Examination of the Clinical Queries and Systematic Review “hedges” in EMBASE and MEDLINE. Journal of the Canadian Health Libraries Association. 2010;32(2):27-37.
- Brettle A. Information skills training: a systematic review of the literature. Health Info Libr J 2003 Jun;20 Suppl 1:3-9.
- Briss PA, Brownson RC, Fielding JE, Zaza S. (2004). Developing and using the guide to community preventive services: lessons learned about evidence-based public health. Annu Rev Public Health. Jan; 25:281–302.
- Davis K, Drey N, Gould D. (2009). What are scoping studies? A review of the nursing literature. Int J Nurs Stud. Oct;46(10):1386-1400. Epub 2009 Mar 27
- Golder S, Loke Y. Search strategies to identify information on adverse effects: a systematic review. J Med Libr Assoc. 2009 April; 97(2):84–92.
- Institute of Medicine (IOM). Clinical Practice Guidelines We Can Trust. 2011.
- Librarians Named in New IOM Standards for Systematic Reviews. Finding What Works in Health Care: Standards for Systematic Reviews, one of two new reports just issued by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), recommends twenty-one standards for performing high-quality reviews. Librarians and other information specialists are mentioned under the “Standards for Finding and Assessing Individual Studies” in how to conduct comprehensive systematic searches for evidence.
- Nicholson S. Understanding the foundation: the state of generalist search education in library schools as related to the needs of expert searchers in medical libraries. J Med Libr Assoc Jan 2005;93(1):61-68.
- National Library of Medicine. Healthy people 2010 information access project. Bethesda, MD: The Library, 2003.
- Evidence-based practice for public health project. Worcester, MA: Lamar Soutter Library, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 2004.
- McGowan J, Sampson M. Systematic reviews need systematic searchers. J Med Libr Assoc. 2005;93(1):44.–80.
- Medical Library Association. Policy statement: role of expert searching in health sciences libraries. Chicago, IL: 2003.
- Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Healthy people 2010. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services.
- Ring N, Ritchie K, Mandava L, Jepson R. A guide to synthesising qualitative research for researchers undertaking health technology assessments and systematic reviews. NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. 2011
- Royle P, Waugh N. Literature searching for clinical and cost-effectiveness studies used in health technology assessment reports carried out for the National Institute for Clinical Excellence appraisal system. Health Technol Assess 2003; 7(34).
- Scullard P, Peacock C, Davies P. Googling children's health: reliability of medical advice on the internet. Arch Dis Child. 2010 Aug;95(8):580-2. Epub 2010 Apr 6.
- Smith AM. An examination of PubMed's ability to disambiguate subject queries and journal title queries. J Med Libr Assoc. 2004 Jan; 92(1):97–100.
- Vieira DL, Dunn K. Peer training in expert searching: the observation effect. J Med Libr Assoc. 2005 Jan;93(1):69-73.
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