Initial Consultation
- Meet with the entire team to discuss the project scope and expectations, including co-authorship (1)
- Provide guidance on reporting standards and guidelines
- Ensure that no review has been done previously
- Determine concepts, keywords, objectives, and background of research
- Establish scope of review and desired timeline for completion of search
- Discuss inclusion/exclusion criteria and any other search limits
- Assist with finalizing and registering protocols at a registry site (e.g. PROSPERO, OSF) as needed
- Advise on relevant citation management software/review applications
- Discuss future meeting dates and communication methods as needed
Search Services
- Assist with formulation of research question(s) using PICO/concept box model
- Design the initial MEDLINE search strategy
- Translate searches in agreed upon databases using controlled vocabularies and keywords
- Ensure any seed articles are captured by the initial search
- Consider the PRESS guideline for peer reviewing search strategy
- Advise on search filters
- Provide guidance on searching grey literature, trial registries
- Advise on removing duplicates
Post Search Services
- Provide guidance for journal selection as needed
- Write or provide consultation to the search methodology
- Review and approve the final manuscript before journal submission
- Provide technical assistance with citation management software/review software
- Retrieval of select full-text that is difficult to obtain
References: (1) ICMJE. Defining the role of authors and contributors. 2017.
