VU Systematic Literature Reviews: Searching techniques

In the paediatric population, do distraction techniques during immunisation result in less pain and anxiety?

Photo: James Gathany, Judy Schmidt, USCDCP

Searching techniques

Once you have compiled a comprehensive list of keywords and database-specific subject headings as well as considered possible fields for targeting keywords, you should now use different search techniques to combine your search terms into search strings.

Database filters for inclusion and exclusion criteria

Most journal databases have in-built search filters for aspects such as population age group or study type.

 * DO NOT USE these filters for systematic or scoping reviews. *

They tend to be inaccurate and frequently remove studies which should be kept in the results. Instead you should create your own filter for these aspects. See the 'search filters' page for more information.

 

Some examples of common inclusion/exclusion criteria might be:

  • Population group
  • Setting
  • Age of participants
  • Study type
  • Condition or exposure of interest
  • Geographic location
  • Outcomes
  • Language

For an extensive list of common inclusion/exclusion criteria, consult the University of Melbourne guide.