TY - JOUR
T1 - Educational interventions to improve literature searching skills in the health sciences: a scoping review
AU - Hirt, Julian
AU - Nordhausen, Thomas
AU - Meichlinger, Jasmin
AU - Braun, Volker
AU - Zeller, Adelheid
AU - Meyer, Gabriele
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, Medical Library Association. All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/10
Y1 - 2020/10
N2 - Objective: The authors reviewed educational interventions for improving literature searching skills in the health sciences. Methods: We performed a scoping review of experimental and quasi-experimental studies published in English and German, irrespective of publication year. Targeted outcomes were objectively measurable literature searching skills (e.g., quality of search strategy, study retrieval, precision). The search methods consisted of searching databases (CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science), tracking citations, free web searching, and contacting experts. Two reviewers performed screening and data extraction. To evaluate the completeness of reporting, the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) was applied. Results: We included 6 controlled trials and 8 pre-post trials from the 8,484 references that we screened. Study participants were students in various health professions and physicians. The educational formats of the interventions varied. Outcomes clustered into 2 categories: (1) developing search strategies (e.g., identifying search concepts, selecting databases, applying Boolean operators) and (2) database searching skills (e.g., searching PubMed, MEDLINE, or CINAHL). In addition to baseline and post-intervention measurement, 5 studies reported follow-up. Almost all studies adequately described their intervention procedures and delivery but did not provide access to the educational material. The expertise of the intervention facilitators was described in only 3 studies. Conclusions: The results showed a wide range of study populations, interventions, and outcomes. Studies often lacked information about educational material and facilitators’ expertise. Further research should focus on intervention effectiveness using controlled study designs and long-term follow-up. To ensure transparency, replication, and comparability, studies should rigorously describe their intervention.
AB - Objective: The authors reviewed educational interventions for improving literature searching skills in the health sciences. Methods: We performed a scoping review of experimental and quasi-experimental studies published in English and German, irrespective of publication year. Targeted outcomes were objectively measurable literature searching skills (e.g., quality of search strategy, study retrieval, precision). The search methods consisted of searching databases (CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science), tracking citations, free web searching, and contacting experts. Two reviewers performed screening and data extraction. To evaluate the completeness of reporting, the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) was applied. Results: We included 6 controlled trials and 8 pre-post trials from the 8,484 references that we screened. Study participants were students in various health professions and physicians. The educational formats of the interventions varied. Outcomes clustered into 2 categories: (1) developing search strategies (e.g., identifying search concepts, selecting databases, applying Boolean operators) and (2) database searching skills (e.g., searching PubMed, MEDLINE, or CINAHL). In addition to baseline and post-intervention measurement, 5 studies reported follow-up. Almost all studies adequately described their intervention procedures and delivery but did not provide access to the educational material. The expertise of the intervention facilitators was described in only 3 studies. Conclusions: The results showed a wide range of study populations, interventions, and outcomes. Studies often lacked information about educational material and facilitators’ expertise. Further research should focus on intervention effectiveness using controlled study designs and long-term follow-up. To ensure transparency, replication, and comparability, studies should rigorously describe their intervention.
KW - Education, Medical/methods
KW - Humans
KW - Information Storage and Retrieval/methods
KW - Periodicals as Topic
KW - Students, Medical
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85091990491&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.5195/jmla.2020.954
DO - 10.5195/jmla.2020.954
M3 - Review article
C2 - 33013210
SN - 1536-5050
VL - 108
SP - 534
EP - 546
JO - Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA
JF - Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA
IS - 4
ER -