Presentation delivered on September 10, 2014 for UBC/Interior Health family practice residents and 3/4 clerkship students. Topics covered included: the literature review, search strategy, boolean logic, evaluating sources, evidence-based research, bias...
1. Research Basics for Clerks & Residents:
Finding and appraising evidence
Erin Menzies – erin.menzies@ubc.ca
Lisa Gysel - lisa.gysel@interiorhealth.ca
10 September 2014
2. Evidence. What is it?
A - Using Google to find answers
B - Making decisions based on what has worked in
the past
C - Using current research to support decision making
D - I have no idea
3. “Evidence-based health care is
the “intentional use of current
best evidence in making
decisions about the care of
individual patients or the
delivery of health services.”
(Cochrane)
4. How do we find evidence
anyway?
The Literature
Review!
5. Core Skills demonstrated by the
Literature Review:
•Research and Subject Expertise: You can
locate and have read the full range of
accredited sources relevant to your topic.
•Critical Analysis: You can summarize,
synthesize and evaluate those sources within
a coherent, organized document.
6. Steps to a Great Literature
Review: Research Cycle
Prepare
Search
Evaluate
Scan
and
Review
7. Overview of Writing Steps:
1. Take summary notes on each article, synthesize
and evaluate.
2. Organize the literature review, keeping in mind
your thesis and how the structure will prepare the
way for your research.
3. Write the first draft.
4. Revise for tone, analysis, clarity, writing style.
8. Research Cycle: Prepare
• Define your topic (though doing some
research will help you tighten your focus, so
be flexible)
• Develop search terms
• Identify key resources
9. Define your topic
• Read background information
– Reference materials
– Websites
– Textbooks
• Talk to your supervisor, classmates, and colleagues
• Be flexible
10. Developing search terms
Topic: Use and preservation of indigenous knowledge in First Nations’ communities in Northern British Columbia
11. Developing search terms
• Indigenous knowledge:
• Traditional knowledge
• Local knowledge
• Aboriginal knowledge
• First Nations:
• Aboriginal
• Indigenous
• Native
• “Indian”
To find other search
terms:
• Think about different
variations of the
words/phrases
• Search online
• Use a thesaurus
12. IDENTIFY KEY RESOURCES
Journals &
Articles
Primary
Documents
Books &
eBooks
Government
publications
Statistics
Indexes &
Databases
Websites
Your subject
librarian
Good places to start?
UBC Library website
IH Library Services (onsite or offsite)
16. Search
• Boolean searching
• Truncated searches *
i.e. toxic* finds toxicant, toxicity, toxicology, toxicologist(s), etc.
• Applying limiters
i.e. date, age, language, type of publication, etc.
• PICO
17. Designing Research Questions
using PICO
P Patient or Problem
I Intervention
C Comparative Intervention
O Outcome
18. Scenario
Your 40 year old patient is
interested in a tubal ligation.
She’s heard that this procedure
could reduce her chances of
ovarian cancer.
19. PICO: Scenario
Your 40 year old female patient is interested in a tubal
ligation. She’s heard that this procedure could reduce
Her chances of ovarian cancer.
P ______________________________
I ______________________________
C ______________________________
O ______________________________
21. Search Terms
P I O
Adult Females Tubal ligation Ovarian cancer
Adult Women Tubal sterilization Ovarian neoplasm
Middle Aged
Females
Middle Aged
Women
25. Evaluate
• Authority & Bias
– Who produced this source?
– What is the author’s background/credentials?
– Is there any conflict of interest?
– Does the article take a specific stance? Is it fair?
• Purpose & Audience
– Why was this source created?
– Who is it intended for? Academics? Genearal public?
– Is it scholarly? Popular? Technical?
26. • Currency/Date
– When was this source produced?
– Is it relevant now?
• Academic & Peer Review
– Is the resource applicable for academic use?
– Is it peer reviewed?
– Check the journal or Ulrich's Periodical Directory
• Relevancy
• Is the source suitable for your purposes?
• Is this the best source you could find?
27. Scan and Review
Helpful Tip: Check the bibliography of useful articles and
resources to find other resources
• Take breaks in the search process to review your progress
• Ask: Do I have enough information?
• You will need to read A LOT
• You may have to go back for more research after you’ve
started writing
29. RefWorks
• Online citation management database:
• Store, organize, and share citations
• Import citations from databases
• Format citations in a wide variety of citation styles
• Easily create a bibliography
Sign up for an account:
http://resources.library.ubc.ca/page.php?id=497
