Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33013210›Full record

ArticleJournal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA2020

Educational interventions to improve literature searching skills in the health sciences: a scoping review.

Julian Hirt, Thomas Nordhausen, Jasmin Meichlinger, Volker Braun, Adelheid Zeller, Gabriele Meyer

Abstract readScoping Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. A scoping review of librarian involvement in competency-based medical education.Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA · 2025
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Julian Hirtjulian.hirt@fhsg.ch, Institute of Applied Nursing Science, Department of Health, FHS St. Gallen, University of Applied Sciences, St. Gallen, Switzerland, and Medical Faculty, International Graduate Academy, Institute for Health and Nursing Science, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6589-3936
Thomas Nordhausenthomas.nordhausen@uk-halle.de, Medical Faculty, International Graduate Academy, Institute for Health and Nursing Science, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany.
Jasmin Meichlingerjasmin.meichlinger@fhsg.ch, Institute of Applied Nursing Science, Department of Health, FHS St. Gallen, University of Applied Sciences, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
Volker BraunVolker.Braun@medma.uni-heidelberg.de, Medical Faculty, Library of the University Hospital Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
Adelheid Zellerheidi.zeller@fhsg.ch, Institute of Applied Nursing Science, Department of Health, FHS St. Gallen, University of Applied Sciences, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
Gabriele Meyergabriele.meyer@uk-halle.de, Medical Faculty, International Graduate Academy, Institute for Health and Nursing Science, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe authors reviewed educational interventions for improving literature searching skills in the health sciences.

methodsWe 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.

resultsWe 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.

conclusionsThe 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.

Indexed as

Periodicals as TopicStudents, MedicalEducation, MedicalHumansInformation Storage and Retrieval

Identifiers

PMID33013210
PMCPMC7524628

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.