Supplement

Sample summaries and responses for different types of searches.

The supplement contains

• Real-life example requests, responses and reports for each type of evidence search outlined in the National Searching Guidance
• Templates for email correspondence with requesters
• An evidence searching process map, showing how one service undertakes mediated evidence services
• A systematic review strategy template
• An example spreadsheet, showing how one colleague organises and records their search strategy and results

Every topic and requester is different: no one report can represent a perfect example and a report that one requester finds invaluable may not prove as useful to someone else.

If you can establish a dialogue with your requester and an ongoing relationship then you can better meet their individual needs.

These examples will be updated and added-to as colleagues submit new ones. If you would like to submit an example, please contact Adam Tocock on [email protected] 

Spreadsheet to help develop and record a systematic review search strategy

This is available in the following versions:

• Blank template
• Filled-in example

Andra Fry, Information Specialist at LSE Library, has shared the following template of a spreadsheet used to devise and record a systematic review’s search strategy, as well as a completed example of the spreadsheet.

Please contact Andra at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Version history

This is version 1.3, released in May 2024.

This version removed examples from before NICE Evidence Services’ decommissioning in March 2022, and replaced them with more current examples;

Version 1.2, published in November 2023, is now archived.