Systematic Reviews are the informational backbone of evidence-based medical practice. Initially, systematic reviews focussed predominantly on the effectiveness of a clinical intervention - as indicated by randomised controlled trials. However, today's researchers are confronted by a wide range of questions for which they also need to review literature systematically, and not only through the lens of clinical effectiveness. Using practical examples run on Ovid MEDLINE and Embase, this webinar will demonstrate the variety of systematic reviews currently under discussion. It will show how to locate them using different search techniques, such as limits, search filters and free-text searching. In conclusion, we will consider what, aside from randomised controlled trials, constitutes a systematic review.

Michael Fanning is one of the Ovid Training Managers based in Europe. He has a background in medical science and extensive experience in the search and retrieval of information from medical databases and information systems. He has also held specialist courses on information use and re-use in the context of evidence-based medical practice.