LibGuides: Doing a systematic review: Step 4: running & recording your search

Running and recording your search

It is very important to keep an accurate record of your searches so that they can be included in your report, enabling someone to reproduce them if necessary.

Keep a record of the date you searched, the name of the database, the platform, your search words, and any limits.
Register with the databases so that you can access your search strategy, combine searches, and save them.
Build up each search in steps, recording the number of results found at each stage.
Where possible set up alerts using your search strategy so that you are notified of any new papers relevant to your review.

Watch our video introductions to doing a systematic review
Watch video 2 in our series of videos on doing a systematic review which includes brief guidance on running and recording your search.

Find examples of existing search strategies

You can find details of search strategies others have used by looking at previous examples of systematic reviews. Select from the following sites:

3ie Systematic Reviews
Covers reviews in international development.
The Campbell Collaboration Online Library
Covers crime and justice, education, international development, and social welfare.

Cochrane Library [full-text] This link opens in a new window
Covers health care interventions.
Includes:

-The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Cochrane Reviews)
-The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL)
-The Cochrane Database of Methodology Reviews (Methodology Reviews)

Help and guidance
You can find training materials and videos by registering with the Cochrane Library Training Hub (requires an e-mail address).

DoPHER (Database of Promoting Health Effectiveness Reviews)
Health promotion and public health.

MEDLINE on PubMed This link opens in a new window
Use this database to find systematic reviews in the biomedical sciences. Limit your search to publication type 'systematic review'.
We also have access to PubMed on Web of Science from 1950 to the present day.

It gives references to journal articles in the biomedical sciences including: biotechnology and bioengineering; clinical medicine; drugs and toxicology; forensic medicine; health affairs; non-clinical aspects of health care; psychiatry. Covers 1950 to the present day.

Help and guidance
Help using PubMed
To save searches and set up alerts, you will need to use a third-party sign-in option, such as Facebook or Google. It is not possible to use your University login credentials for this purpose.