Review Article

Reviewing literature for research: Doing it the

right way
Shital Amin Poojary, Jimish Deepak Bagadia
Department of Dermatology, K J Somaiya Medical College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Address for correspondence:

Dr. Shital Amin Poojary, A‑401, Veena Vihar, Datta Mandir Road, Dahanukar Wadi, Kandivali (West), Mumbai ‑ 400 067, Maharashtra,
India. E‑mail: [email protected]

Abstract
In an era of information overload, it is important to know how to obtain the required information and also
to ensure that it is reliable information. Hence, it is essential to understand how to perform a systematic
literature search. This article focuses on reliable literature sources and how to make optimum use of these
in dermatology and venereology.

Key words: Cochrane, literature search, PubMed

INTRODUCTION wish to obtain information; knowing where to look,

and more importantly, how to look, is of prime
A thorough review of literature is not only essential
importance today.
for selecting research topics, but also enables
the right applicability of a research project.
Most importantly, a good literature search is Literature search
the cornerstone of practice of evidence based Fink has defined research literature review as a
medicine. Today, everything is available at the “systematic, explicit and reproducible method for
click of a mouse or at the tip of the fingertips (or identifying, evaluating, and synthesizing the existing
the stylus). Google is often the Go‑To search body of completed and recorded work produced by
website, the supposed answer to all questions in researchers, scholars and practitioners.”[1]
the universe. However, the deluge of information
available comes with its own set of problems; how Review of research literature can be summarized into
much of it is actually reliable information? How a seven step process: (i) Selecting research questions/
much are the search results that the search string purpose of the literature review (ii) Selecting your
threw up actually relevant? Did we actually find sources (iii) Choosing search terms (iv) Running
what we were looking for? Lack of a systematic your search (v) Applying practical screening
approach can lead to a literature review ending criteria (vi) Applying methodological screening criteria/
up as a time‑consuming and at times frustrating quality appraisal (vii) Synthesizing the results.[1]
process. Hence, whether it is for research projects,
theses/dissertations, case studies/reports or mere This article will primarily concentrate on refining
techniques of literature search.
Access this article online
Quick Response Code:
Website: Sources for literature search are enumerated in
www.ijstd.org
Table 1.

PUBMED
DOI:
10.4103/0253-7184.142387 Pu b M e d i s c u r r e n t l y t h e m o s t w i d e l y u s e d
among these as it contains over 23 million

How to cite this article:

Poojary SA, Bagadia JD. Reviewing literature for research: Doing it the right way. Indian J Sex Transm Dis 2014;35:85-91.

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 Poojary and Bagadia: Literature Search

Table 1: Sources for literature search

Resource Features
Indexes
PubMed: www.pubmed.gov Published by National Library of Medicine
Abstracts are free, full text article available depending on source
IndMED: Indmed.nic.in Articles from Indian journals available
Embase Extensive coverage of European journals
Paid website
Journal collections
Directory of open access journals: www.doaj.org Free full text articles
Medknow publications: www.medknow.com Mostly Indian journals and free full text available
Medind: Medind.nic.in Collection of Indian journal websites
Clinical trials
WHO International Clinical Trials Registry: www.who.int/ictrp/en/ Details of International Clinical Trials
Clinical Trials.gov: www.clinicaltrials.gov Run by the National Institutes of Health
CTRI: www. ctri.nic.in Maintained by ICMR: Online record of clinical trials in India
EU clinical trials registry: www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ Information on clinical trials in European union
Systematic reviews
Cochrane library Dependable source of evidence as it is based systematic and
extensive review
Available free in India (ICMR has renewed license up to 2016)
Up to date: www.uptodate.com Reviews are subject to extensive peer review, hence a reliable site
Paid site
Others
Psychinfo, Google scholar, books, dissertations, conference
literature
ICMR=Indian council of medical research; CTRI=Clinical trials registry‑India

Table 2: Field operators used in PubMed search citations for biomedical literature and has
Field Command Example been made available free by National Center
operator for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), U.S.
* Find alternative Syphil* (syphilis, National Library of Medicine. However, the
endings to this word syphilitic, syphilid) availability of free full text articles depends on
TIAB Search for this term in Donovanosis [TIAB] the sources. Use of options such as advanced
title and abstract search, medical subject headings (MeSH) terms,
TI Searches for this term Donovanosis [TI]
f r e e f u l l t ex t , Pu b M e d t u t o r i a l s , a n d s i n g l e
in the title only
citation matcher makes the database extremely
Adj Search for one term PEPadj3seropositive
within X number of (will find PEP within 3 user‑friendly [Figure 1]. It can also be accessed
terms from another words of seropositive) o n t h e g o t h r o u g h m o b i l e s u s i n g “ Pu b M e d
AU Searches for all articles Yesudian[AU] Mobile.” One can also create own account in
by a particular author NCBI to save searches and to use certain PubMed
JOUR Searches for articles in Indian J Dermatol [JOUR] tools.
a particular journal
PEP=Postexposure prophylaxis; TIAB=Title abstract; TI=Title;
Adj=Adjacent; AU=Author; JOUR=Journal
Tips for efficient use of PubMed search:[2‑4]

Use of field and Boolean operators

Table 3: Boolean operators used in PubMed When one searches using key words, all articles
search containing the words show up, many of which
Boolean Command Example may not be related to the topic. Hence, the use of
operators
operators while searching makes the search more
AND Find articles where both HPV AND cervical
specific and less cumbersome. Operators are of
terms appear cancer
OR Find articles where either Granuloma inguinale
two types: Field operators and Boolean operators,
term appears OR donovanosis the latter enabling us to combine more than one
NOT Find articles where one Angiofibromas NOT concept, thereby making the search highly accurate.
term appears only when the tuberous sclerosis A few key operators that can be used in PubMed
other term is not present are shown in Tables 2 and 3 and illustrated in
HPV=Human papilloma virus Figures 2 and 3.

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Figure 1: PubMed home page showing location of different tools which can be used for an efficient literature search

Figure 2: PubMed search results page showing articles on donovanosis using the field operator [TIAB]; it shows all articles which have the keyword
“donovanosis” in either title or abstract of the article

Use of medical subject headings terms be about an entirely different topic, but still may
These are very specific and standardized terms used contain your keywords in another context in any
by indexers to describe every article in PubMed part of the article). This will make your search more
and are added to the record of every article. specific. Within the topic, specific subheadings
A search using MeSH will show all articles about can be added to the search builder to refine your
the topic (or keywords), but will not show articles search [Figure 4]. For example, MeSH terms for
only containing these keywords (these articles may treatment are therapy and therapeutics.

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Figure 3: PubMed search using Boolean operators ‘AND’, ‘NOT’; To search for articles on treatment of lepra reaction other than steroids, after clicking
the option ‘Advanced search’ on the home page, one can build the search using ‘AND’ option for treatment and ‘NOT’ option for steroids to omit
articles on steroid treatment in lepra reaction

Figure 4: PubMed search using medical subject headings (MeSH) terms for management of gonorrhea. Click on MeSH database (Figure 1) →In the
MeSH search box type gonorrhea and click search. Under the MeSH term gonorrhea, there will be a list of subheadings; therapy, prevention and
control, click the relevant check boxes and add to search builder →Click on search →All articles on therapy, prevention and control of gonorrhea will
be displayed. Below the subheadings, there are two options: (1) Restrict to medical subject headings (MeSH) major topic and (2) do not include MeSH
terms found below this term in the MeSH hierarchy. These can be used to further refine the search results so that only articles which are majorly about
treatment of gonorrhea will be displayed

Two additional options can be used to further This option will again give you more focused articles
refine MeSH searches. These are located below the as it excludes the lower specific terms [Figure 4].
subheadings for a MeSH term: (1) Restrict to MeSH
major topic; checking this box will retrieve articles Similar feature is available with Cochrane
which are majorly about the search term and are library (also called MeSH), EMBASE (known as
therefore, more focused and (2) Do not include MeSH EMTREE) and PsycINFO (Thesaurus of Psychological
terms found below this term in the MeSH hierarchy. Index Terms).

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Figure 5: Saving PubMed searches. A simple option is to click on the dropdown box next to ‘Send to’ option and then choose among the options. It can
be saved as a text or word file by choosing ‘File’ option. Another option is the “Save search” option below the search box but this will require logging
into your National Center for Biotechnology Information account. This however allows you to set up alerts for E-mail updates for new articles

Saving your searches are available on a typical search results page.

Any search that one has performed can be saved Further specialized filters are available under
by using the ‘Send to’ option and can be saved as a “manage filters:” e.g., articles confined to certain
simple word file [Figure 5]. Alternatively, the ‘Save age groups (properties option), “Links” to other
Search’ button (just below the search box) can be used. databases, article specific to particular journals, etc.
However, it is essential to set up an NCBI account and However, one needs to have an NCBI account and
log in to NCBI for this. One can even choose to have log in to access this option [Figure 7].
E‑mail updates of new articles in the topic of interest.
The Cochrane library
Single citation matcher Although reviews are available in PubMed, for
This is another important tool that helps to find systematic reviews and meta‑analysis, Cochrane library
the genuine original source of a particular research is a much better resource. The Cochrane library is a
work (when few details are known about the collection of full length systematic reviews, which can
title/author/publication date/place/journal) and cite be accessed for free in India, thanks to Indian Council
the reference in the most correct manner [Figure 6]. of Medical Research renewing the license up to 2016,
benefitting users all over India. It is immensely helpful
Full text articles in finding detailed high quality research work done in
In any search clicking on the link “free full a particular field/topic [Figure 8].
text” (if present) gives you free access to the article.
In some instances, though the published article may An important tool that must be used while searching
not be available free, the author manuscript may for research work is screening. Screening helps
be available free of charge. Furthermore, PubMed to improve the accuracy of search results. It is of
Central articles are available free of charge. two types: (1) Practical: To identify a broad range
of potentially useful studies. Examples: Date of
Managing filters publication (last 5 years only; gives you most recent
Filters can be used to refine a search according updates), participants or subjects (humans above
to type of article required or subjects of research. 18 years), publication language (English only) (2)
One can specify the type of article required such methodological: To identify best available
as clinical trial, reviews, free full text; these options studies (for example, excluding studies not involving

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 Poojary and Bagadia: Literature Search

control group or studies with only randomized Selecting the right quality of literature is the
control trials). key to successful research literature review. The

Figure 6: Single citation matcher: Click on “Single citation matcher” on PubMed Home page. Type available details of the required reference in the
boxes to get the required citation

Figure 7: Managing filters. Simple filters are available on the ‘search results’ page. One can choose type of article, e.g., clinical trial, reviews etc.
Further options are available in the “Manage filters” option, but this requires logging into National Center for Biotechnology Information account

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Figure 8: Cochrane library is a useful resource for reliable, systematic reviews. One can choose the type of reviews required, including trials

Figure 9: Evidence pyramid: Depicting the level of evidence of references obtained from the aforementioned search tools

quality can be estimated by what is known as REFERENCES

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optimal use of available information, but also in
Source of Support: Nil. Conflict of Interest: None declared.
practice of evidence‑based medicine.

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