Note: This procedure helps you keep track of the information that will be needed to report the methods in the article and also to fill in the PRISMA flow diagram.
Have the right EndNote library open in the background before you begin exporting.
Note: We do not generally recommend using Safari as your browser during this process, although it can be used with some tweaking.
For more instructions on using EndNote or other software programs, please see the Citation Guide
The steps below cover Ovid MEDLINE, Embase Classic+Embase on Ovid, PubMed, Web of Science databases, and CINAHL on EBSCO.
If EndNote does not seem to include an export filter for the database you are using (for example, ICTRP) or the available export filter does not seem to be working properly, search the web for [database name] EndNote export filter, or visit https://www.endnote.com/downloads/filters/ to search for an updated or additional filter.
We often start by exporting records from Ovid MEDLINE, if applicable (you may have decided to only use PubMed to search MEDLINE; those instructions are below):
Depending on the browser you are using and/or your computer setup, this will: (1) export the records directly to EndNote, or (2) prompt you to choose to use EndNote to open the file, or (3) save it as a .txt file which you would then need to import into your library.
Choose to use EndNote to open the file:
Import the .txt. file:
If the file was saved to your computer instead of automatically being imported into EndNote, import the file into EndNote (In EndNote menu: File > Import > File and locate the saved PubMed file on your computer) > Select PubMed (NLM) filter (if not visible, click “Other Filters…” to find it)
You can use a tool called Publish or Perish (download the program)
Note: You Cannot have syntax errors in your query or you will get 0 results
Export up to 1000 records > Save file as RIS (the EndNote option does not seem to always work)
If using EndNote, you may be able to update the bibliographic information up to a point: Select all (or do in smaller batches given the process can take a lot of time), go to Menu: References > Find Reference Updates
Using the uncompressed versions of the libraries containing the exported records (if you saved the records in multiple libraries), bring all the records from your separate searches in to one EndNote library if you haven’t done so already: From EndNote menu, File > Import > File > locate individual .enl files; Import: EndNote library. You will perform deduplication in this library. Import the records of higher quality first, and the lesser quality records last (e.g., first from PubMed/MEDLINE on Ovid, last from Google Scholar)
See the instructions on deduplicating in EndNote.
Create a compressed library for backup after having removed all duplicates, with a filename like SearchTerms-yyyymmdd-Deduplicated—xRecords.enlx. This will be the library for screening.
Due to a large influx of requests, there may be an extended wait time for librarian support on knowledge syntheses.
Find a librarian in your subject area to help you with your knowledge synthesis project.
Or contact the librarians at the
Schulich Library of Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, and Engineering
schulich.library@mcgill.ca
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