A commonly reported challenge of using Google Search to identify studies for a systematic review is the high number of results retrieved. Thus, 'stopping rules' are applied when screening, such as screening only the first 100 results. However, recent evidence shows that Google Search estimates a much higher number of results than the viewable…

The approach to identifying evidence for inclusion in realist reviews differs from that used in 'traditional' systematic reviews. Guidance suggests that realist reviews should be inclusive of diverse data from a range of sources, gathered in iterative searching cycles. Saturation is prioritised over exhaustiveness. Supplementary techniques such as…

Search filters are used to find evidence on specific subjects. Performance of filters can be varied and may need adapting to meet the needs of research topics. There are limited geographic search filters available, and only one pertaining to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). When searching for literature on preterm birth prevention and…

Systematic literature reviews are common in social research for integrating and synthesising existing research. This paper argues that the outcomes of such reviews are affected by the choice of bibliographic databases. It presents evidence of substantial variation across three large electronic databases (Scopus, Web of Science and EBSCO) in a…

The purpose of this article is to overview various challenges that prospective authors of quality systematic reviews should be prepared to address. These challenges pertain to all phases of the review process: from posing a critical question worthy of pursuit and executing a search procedure that is appropriately framed and transparently recorded,…

Reviews of literature are conducted within academia to summarize and highlight gaps in findings and research approaches associated with a particular line of inquiry. Identifying sources to be included in reviews in rigorous ways can be challenging for interdisciplinary research topics, as relevant articles may be found in a wide variety of…

The requirement for literature searches that identify studies for inclusion in systematic reviews should be systematic, explicit, and reproducible extends, at least by implication, to other types of literature review. However, realist reviews commonly require literature searches that challenge systematic reporting; searches are iterative and…

Introduction: Many diagnostic accuracy studies are never reported in full in a peer-reviewed journal. Searching for unpublished studies may avoid bias due to selective publication, enrich the power of systematic reviews, and thereby help to reduce research waste. We assessed searching practices among recent systematic reviews of diagnostic…

In this method note, we question if the primary search strategy in a systematic review should be accompanied by a search narrative. A search narrative could offer a conceptual and contextual report on the search strategy, which we suggest might benefit the peer review of literature searches and increase engagement with, and discussion of, the…

Literature reviews allow education professionals to identify effective interventions and assess trends in research and practice. However, issues with transparency and the specific methods used in conducting literature searches have the potential to limit the utility of reviews. This study evaluated the description of article search procedures and…

Systematic searching aims to find all possibly relevant research from multiple sources, the basis for an unbiased and comprehensive evidence base. Along with bibliographic databases, systematic reviewers use a variety of additional methods to minimise procedural bias. Citation chasing exploits connections between research articles to identify…

The number of systematic reviews (SRs) published continues to grow, and the methodology of evidence synthesis has been adopted in many fields outside of its traditional health sciences origins. SRs are now published in fields as wide ranging as business, environmental science, education, and engineering; however, there is little research looking…

Researchers in conservation biology and other non-medical fields are adopting systematic review as a research methodology. Since this methodology requires extensive and well-documented literature searching, it is beneficial for information professionals to understand disciplinary developments in its use. This article investigates trends in…

Background: People with intellectual disabilities are entitled to equitable access to psychological support. Traditional therapeutic approaches often rely on a person's ability to verbally articulate a description of their life, which can be particularly difficult for emotionally salient information. Methods: A systematic literature review was…

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of the peer review of literature search strategies prepared in support of rapid reviews. Methods: A sample of 200 CADTH rapid reviews was selected. For each rapid review meeting the inclusion criteria, the pre-peer-reviewed and corresponding post-peer-reviewed search strategies…