You can request a Literature search by following this link or by filling in the request form at the bottom of this page.
We also provide training should you wish to learn how to do it yourself! again by filling in the request a service form
If you then need the articles from the searches we can get hold of them for you from our various sources. Just email us the details and we will do the rest. We can email them back to you or print them and post them to you or keep them in the library for you to pick up.
Tools That Can Help You With Your Own Literature Search
Designing Search Strategies for Clinical Issues
First up we have a tool called PICO which is basically a four column table that you fill out with appropriate search terms in each column (don’t worry if you don’t fill in all of the columns sometimes a column isn’t appropriate to a search). A blank example is shown below.
So how does it work?
P is your Patient or Population. This is the ‘Who’. For this you need to think of age, sex, ethnic origins or other defining characteristics of the patient and the population. Just jot down the search terms that describe them and any relevant synonyms in this column.
I is the Intervention (sometimes known as Exposure) It is the ‘What’. This is what is happening to the patient or population, so it could be a drug or a therapy, a screening questionnaire or a health improvement programme. Scribble the keywords that describe them and any relevant synonyms in this column.
C is the Comparison. With what is the intervention (or indeed population) being compared? This could be a control group. Write the terms that describe the comparator and any relevant synonyms in this column. (This column is often the hardest to fill in and therefore is the most frequently ignored).
O is the Outcome. What outcome do you expect to see? For example, you may be interested in knowing whether an intervention has a health benefit, or whether an exposure results in reduced or increased mortality. Just jot down the search terms that describe the outcome and any relevant synonyms in this column.
Where do I put the ANDs and ORs?
Anything within a column is an OR search (we recommend search for the terms within a column as a single search line).
Combine the results of your searches from within the columns with AND. Job Done!
Designing Search Strategies for Service Developments
PICO is great for clinical queries but not so good for service development. Never fear ECLIPS fills this need. It works in exactly the same way. Search terms and synonyms are written within the columns and searched together using OR and you then combine the columns using AND.
E This is the improvement or innovation or information that you want to see (no I can’t see the E in here either – so don’t stress about it!).
C Is the Client Group you are designing the service for.
L Is the Location in which the service is to be delivered (e.g. secondary or primary care).
I Is the Impact of the service development. What is the change in the service which is being looked for? What would constitute success? How is this being measured?
P Are the Professionals involved in service delivery or development.
S For which Service are you looking for information?
To make life even easier you can download a pdf of blank sheets using this link to blank PICO, ELCIPS and SPICE Templates (220) templates.
SPICE
Designed to act as a PICO or ECLIPS for the social sciences the SPICE tool will help you find qualitative materials to support either your work or study. We think it’ll be a really useful tool for Public Health too!
Just like PICO and ECLIPS we think this tool will help you develop better search strategies and find better more relevant information so give it a go.
SPICE Template click to download along with PICO and ECLIPS templates from Fade.
S – Setting – This is the ‘where’. What is the setting that is relevant to the studies you want to locate.
P – Population – This is the ‘who’. For this you need to think of age, sex, ethnic origins or other defining characteristics of the patient and the population.
I – Intervention – This is also sometimes known as exposure and makes up the ‘what’. This is what is happening to the patient or population, so it could be a drug or a therapy, a screening questionnaire or health improvement programme.
C – Comparison – With what are you comparing the intervention or population with. This could be the control group.
E – Evaluation – What are the evaluation factors that are relevant to the studies you want to find.
Where do I put the ANDs and ORs?
Anything within a column is an OR search (we recommend search for the terms within a column as a single search line).
Combine the results of your searches from within the columns with AND. Job Done!
You can download our SPICE template along with the PICO and ECLIPS templates here.
Often the hardest bit of undertaking a literature search is designing the search strategy both in terms of thinking about the keywords you could use and sorting out where to place you AND or OR operators. These tools can help with that process.
If you have any queries about how to use these tools or want some search training contact us on 0151 285 4493 or email us at library.services@fade.nhs.uk
Alternatively you can ask us to run a search for you using the form below:
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