LITERATURE SEARCH STRATEGIES FOR FINDING EVIDENCE IN MEDLINE

After you have decided what kind of question you are posing and have identified important variables, you can begin your literature search. There are several approaches you can use to find the best evidence in MEDLINE:

1. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are considered the "gold standard" of care. So, using RCTs is a good way to locate relevant literature. To quickly find evidence, try searching for RCTs. Limit your search to the publication type, "Randomized Controlled Trials".

2. A second approach for finding evidence in the journal literature is to locate articles that have been identified as containing the "best evidence", including articles and topics that have been reviewed by internationally-recognized authorities on EBM, including the Cochrane Collaboration and other groups. These materials are available in BUMC MEDLINE Plus/OVID's "Evidence Based Medicine Reviews" database.

3. The third option for finding evidence is to use a standardized searching hedge or filter that will help you identify relevant citations.