Suggested resources

for use in searching.

Systematic reviews

These resources are suggested for searches requiring information for systematic reviews:

• Campbell Collaboration: Searching for studies: A guide to information retrieval for Campbell Systematic Reviews
• Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions: Searching for and selecting studies, its technical supplement and appendix of resources
• Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Diagnostic Test Accuracy
• CRD guidance
• Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG): IQWiG Methods Resources. 7 Information retrieval
• JBI Collaboration: JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis
• The Methodological Expectations of Cochrane Intervention Reviews (known as MECIR Standards) 
• PRESS Checklist
• PRISMA Statement
• PRISMA-P guidance for writing review protocols
• PRISMA Flow diagram
• PRISMA-S extension to the PRISMA Statement
• PROSPERO
• The TARCiS Statement for conducting and reporting citation searches

Useful further information and a comparison of Rayyan and Covidence, systematic review software packages to aid the process of screening and data extraction, can be found at the following product review. 

For further help structuring a systematic review search strategy, see:

• Alternative Question Structures for Different types of systematic review
• Carrie Price’s YouTube channel for videos on elements of searching (and reporting searches) in systematic reviews (@carrieprice78 on Twitter/X)
• City University’s LibGuide, Using frameworks to structure your question
• Exploring issues in the conduct of website searching and other online sources for systematic reviews: how can we be systematic?
• Library of Search Strategy Resources (LSSR)
• PRESS Checklist
• Systematic reviews in the social sciences: a practical guide
• Systematic Review Toolbox - tools to assist with the PRISMA flow diagram
• Systematic reviews in the social sciences: a practical guide
• What is a Systematic Review and how does it differ from a Literature Review?

Sources to search for the review

These resource are suggested when searching for studies:

• high tier evidence sources
• clinical decision support tools
• bibliographic databases
• clinical trials registers
• preprint servers
• grey literature sources
• Google and Google Scholar
• citation indexes

Text mining software

These resources are systematic reviews requiring text mining:

• PubMed PubReMiner
• Vos Viewer
• Mesh on Demand
• Yale MeSH Analyzer
• Medline Transpose
• Litsearchr
• SWIFT-Review
• Polyglot Search Translator
• SnowGlobe
• Citationchaser
• RCT Tagger
• Connected Papers
• The University of Lancaster: Systematic Reviews - Introduction and Pathway for researchers starting a Systematic Review
• University of York: Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) Guidance
• Women and Newborn Health Service Library: What is a Systematic Review and how does it differ from a Literature Review?
• Research Synthesis Methods: Investigation of text-mining methodologies to aid the construction of search strategies in systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy-a case study

Community of practice

The Systematic Searchers Community of Practice is a forum of information professionals actively involved in supporting systematic reviews.  Join the community at LIS-SRSEARCHERSCOP to benefit from expert advice and friendly support.