Can I get help with my search?

We offer two types of individual search support:

1. Advice on a search strategy
2. Collaboration in literature research

What is the difference and what can you expect?

1. Advice on a search strategy

   You can contact us with questions about:

   • Developing a systematic search strategy, for example for PubMed
   • Biomedical databases, tips for translating a search strategy to other databases
   • Updating a search strategy, deduplicating results, reporting the methodology, peer review of search strategies

   What can you expect: we help you by giving feedback on your search strategy and answering your questions. We also provide suggestions for testing and optimising the search strategy. It is advisable to first follow a workshop before you set up the search strategy, so that you know what to take into account when setting up a search strategy. We mainly help you with advice and by sparring with you we do not validate your search strategy.
   
   What do we expect from you: we expect you to take responsibility for the search strategy yourself. Fill in all fields in the online form: the research question (e.g. PICO), PMIDs of important articles and a (PubMed) search strategy with MeSH and free text. If necessary, first follow a workshop or ask for the workshop slides. Indicate in the form what your questions are or what you want to discuss.

2. Collaboration literature research

   Our information specialists have extensive experience with systematic literature research (search). Collaboration with an information specialist can increase the quality of the search method in your review. We provide robust, transparent and reproducible search strategies that match the research question and that have been well tested. We also ensure that the method is clearly described and that the (PRISMA) guidelines have been followed. In addition, we advise on the deduplication method and possibly on the screening workflow when using ASReview.
   
   What can you expect: we make an appointment to discuss the project and the collaboration possibilities. We also discuss the planning and (if we are going to collaborate) the division of tasks and the next steps.
   
   What we expect from you: we expect you to contact us at the start of the project and share the (provisional) protocol, to involve the information specialist in all communication about the project and to be willing to cooperate. For example, we ask you to screen sets of articles when testing the search strategy. The UMCG is listed as the primary affiliation on the article and the information specialist as co-author.

E-mail: literaturesearch umcg.nl