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Systematic Reviews, Scoping Reviews, and Other Knowledge Syntheses

Updating the database searches using Covidence

To update your searches, we recommend rerunning your saved searches, exporting all the records to RIS files, and then importing those RIS files into Covidence for deduplication. This is our recommended approach to updating searches to retrieve new records only, as well as for removing duplicate records.

If you do this, be sure to follow the instructions provided by Covidence (e.g., download your PRISMA flow diagram before adding the new RIS files to a previous review).

How to update a review with new studies

Alternative: Updating the database searches using indexing dates

There are different methods that you can use to update your searches, and they are usually database-specific. What you are trying to do is avoid screening the same records all over again.

In Covidence, you can simply import all the records generated by the new/updated searches, and Covidence will remove records that have already been uploaded. If you do this, be sure to follow the instructions provided by Covidence (e.g., download your PRISMA flow diagram before adding the new RIS files to a previous review).

Another method is to restrict records to those entered into the database on or after the date you last ran the search (note: this is NOT the publication date, this is the date the record was added to the database, and this date field is not available in all databases).

This can be done in PubMed, MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Scopus, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), APA PsycInfo (Ovid), CENTRAL (Cochrane Library/Wiley), and Web of Science Core Collection (as well as others), but the entry date is not available as a search field in all databases and it may miss records.

Please note: The field codes are subject to change and we strongly suggest checking the database information, particularly at the beginning of a new year, when indexing changes are more likely to occur. Please also let us know if you identify issues with these codes. This table was last updated April 2, 2024 (Correction: da refers to MeSH Date in Ovid MEDLINE).

Many thanks to those who reach out to let us know when there are issues or corrections needed!

 

Bibliography

See also: Garner P, Hopewell S, Chandler J, MacLehose H, Akl EA, Beyene J, Chang S, Churchill R, Dearness K, Guyatt G, Lefebvre C, Liles B, Marshall R, Martínez García L, Mavergames C, Nasser M, Qaseem A, Sampson M, Soares-Weiser K, Takwoingi Y, Thabane L, Trivella M, Tugwell P, Welsh E, Wilson EC, Schünemann HJ. When and How to Update Systematic Reviews: Consensus and Checklist. BMJ. 2016;354. 10.1136/bmj.i3507

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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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