Table 3.
Self-evaluation of a search strategy adapted from PRESS25
| Domain | Questions |
|---|---|
| Translation of the research question | Does the strategy match the research question? Are all elements of the question included? Are the search concepts clear? Are they too broad/narrow? |
| Boolean/proximity operators | Are Boolean/proximity operators used correctly? If NOT is used, is this likely to result in any unintended exclusions? Could phrase searching/proximity operators be used instead of AND? If proximity operators are used, is the length appropriate? |
| Index terms | Are index terms used appropriate for each database? Are any relevant index terms missing? Are the index terms appropriately scoped (not too broad/narrow)? |
| Keywords | Are there any spelling errors in the search? If present, are the errors important spelling variants? Does the search include all synonyms? Are acronyms or abbreviations appropriately used? Are the keywords appropriate (e.g., not too broad/narrow)? |
| Syntax | Were the appropriate fields searched? Is the search syntax appropriate for the database? |
| Limits and filters | Are all limits and filters appropriate? |
PRESS: Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies
©CADTH 2024. Modified and reprinted with permission from CADTH January 12, 2024. This table may not be further modified or reused without permission from CADTH.