Inclusion of a search filter on this site is not an endorsement of its validity or a recommendation for its use by the editors of this site, by the InterTASC Information Specialists SubGroup or by the (UK) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). For suggestions on the appraisal of filters see the ISSG Search Filter Appraisal Checklist.
This page shows publications about methods of assessing search filter performance. Surveys of filter performance for a particular study design, where available, are found at the top of the pages for specific filters. Please note there may be innovations in measuring filter performance in papers for particular study designs as well.
Lunny C; Brennan SE; McDonald S; McKenzie JE. Toward a comprehensive evidence map of overview of systematic review methods: paper 1- purpose, eligibility, search and data extraction. Systematic Reviews. 6(1):231, 2017 Nov 21.
Lefebvre C, Glanville J, Beale S, Boachie C, Duffy S, Fraser C, Harbour J, McCool R, Smith, L. Assessing the performance of methodological search filters to improve the efficiency of evidence information retrieval: five literature reviews and a qualitative study. Health Technology Assessment 2017; 21.69.
Harbour J, Fraser C, Lefebvre C, Glanville J, Beale S, Boachie C, Duffy S, McCool R, Smith L, Varley D. Reporting methodological search filter performance comparisons: a literature review. Health Info Libr J. 2014;31(3):176-194.
Bradley SM. Examination of the Clinical Queries and Systematic Review “hedges” in EMBASE and MEDLINE. J Can Health Libr Assoc. 2010;31(2):27-37. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5596/c10-022
Jenkins M. Evaluation of methodological search filters--a review. Health Info Libr J. 2004;21(3):148-63.
Jenkins M, Johnson F. Awareness, use and opinions of methodological search filters used for the retrieval of evidence-based medical literature-a questionnaire survey. Health Info Libr J. 2004;21(1):33-43.
Wilczynski NL, Haynes RB, Hedges Team. Robustness of empirical search strategies for clinical content in MEDLINE.Proc AMIA Symp. 2002;904-8.
Wilczynski NL, Walker CJ, McKibbon KA, Haynes RB. Assessment of methodologic search filters in MEDLINE. Proc Annu Symp Comput Appl Med Care.1993;601-5.