(Image from http://www.open.ac.uk/library/help-and-support/how-do-i-do-a-literature-search)
1. Develop a sensitive search strategy to retrieve all possible relevant studies
2. Translate the search strategy for other databases
3. Document the search process for each database including final search strategy, date of search, and number of retrieved studies. Consult PRISMA for the type of information that should be recorded.
Multiple databases must be searched to ensure comprehensive results and to reduce bias. The most pertinent databases for the health sciences include:
Grey literature is documents produced by organizations (e.g., governments, academics, businesses, industry) outside of the traditional commercial or academic publishing and distribution channels. Grey literature includes reports, white papers, conference abstracts, presentations, proceedings, dissertations and theses, patents, regulatory information, and policies and procedures.
Other strategies for finding relevant studies:
(amputee[tiab] OR amputees[tiab] OR amputees[MeSH] OR amputation[tiab] OR amputation[MeSH] OR “amputation, traumatic”[MeSH] OR “limb loss”[tiab]) AND (leg[tiab] OR legs[tiab] OR “lower extremity”[tiab] OR “lower extremity”[MeSH] OR “lower limb”[tiab] OR transtibial[tiab] OR transfemoral[tiab] OR “below knee”[tiab] OR “above knee”[tiab]) AND (“energy expenditure”[tiab] OR “physical activity”[tiab] OR “physically active”[tiab] OR “activity level”[tiab] OR “activity levels”[tiab] OR “activity monitor”[tiab] OR “activity monitoring”[tiab] OR accelerometry[tiab] OR accelerometer[tiab] OR “physical performance”[tiab] OR “step count”[tiab] OR pedometer[tiab] OR “ambulation monitoring”[tiab] OR “body-worn sensor”[tiabs] OR “community mobility”[tiab])
" " = phrase search
[MeSH] = search for word/phase as a MeSH term
[tiab] = search for word/phase in the title or abstract
Using a search filters/hedges (i.e., a pre-tested collections of search terms designed to retrieve specific types of records) may help identify studies on particular topics or employing particular study designs. Search filters can be designed to maximize either search sensitivity or search precision.
Below are sources of filters that have been tested against gold-standard sets of bibliographic records.