Standardization of search methods for guideline development: an international survey of evidence-based guideline development groups

BACKGROUND: Effective literature searching is particularly important for clinical practice guideline development. Sophisticated searching and filtering mechanisms are needed to help ensure that all relevant research is reviewed. PURPOSE: To assess the methods used for the selection of evidence for guideline development by evidence-based guideline development organizations. METHODS: A semistructured questionnaire assessing the databases, search filters and evaluation methods used for literature retrieval was distributed to eight major organizations involved in evidence-based guideline development. RESULTS: All of the organizations used search filters as part of guideline development. The medline database was the primary source accessed for literature retrieval. The OVID or SilverPlatter interfaces were used in preference to the freely accessed PubMed interface. The Cochrane Library, embase, cinahl and psycinfo databases were also frequently used by the organizations. All organizations reported the intention to improve and validate their filters for finding literature specifically relevant for guidelines. DISCUSSION: In the first international survey of its kind, eight major guideline development organizations indicated a strong interest in identifying, improving and standardizing search filters to improve guideline development. It is to be hoped that this will result in the standardization of, and open access to, search filters, an improvement in literature searching outcomes and greater collaboration among guideline development organizations.     

Insect detectives

Insects are increasingly being used to trace absconding murderers. A fascinating branch of insect science (entomology)—forensic entomology—is introduced in this article.     

Satisfied conclusion validity of early intervention research with handicapped children

The statistical conclusion validity of early intervention research studies was examined by conducting a post hoc power analysis of 484 statistical tests from 49 early intervention articles. Statistical power determinations were made based on Cohen's (1977) criteria for small, medium, and large effect sizes. The analysis revealed that the median power to detect small, medium, and large effect sizes ranged from .08 to .46. Four percent of early intervention studies had adequate power (.80 or greater) to detect medium intervention effects and 18% to detect large intervention effects. The power values suggest poor statistical conclusion validity in the analyzed research and should alert investigators to the possibility of Type II experimental errors in the early intervention research literature. The argument is made that low statistical conclusion validity has practical consequences in relation to program evaluation and cost-effectiveness determinations.     

Influence of the scholar

Among the factors which will influence the emerging roles of medical libraries will be the changing needs of the medical scholars who use them. The effectiveness of the medical practitioner will be determined to an increasing extent by his capacity to mobilize information with a rapidity sufficient to permit its application in day-to-day decision-making. The practice of medicine is becoming an increasingly academic pursuit. The library and the librarian will, therefore, become more directly involved in the practice of medicine, and the library will be a more crucial resource in providing superior patient-care. Changes in undergraduate and continuing medical education will make new demands on the library. These and other related developments will create new functions, new problems, and new opportunities for the librarian.     

The Tunisian Educational Reform: From Quantity to Quality and the Need for Monitoring and Assessment

The Tunisian education system, like that of many other Southern nations of intermediate wealth, finds itself pulled in opposing directions. While quantitative advances at different levels of instruction have been easily achieved, a reorientation towards qualitative matters is nowadays more than ever necessary. Reforms at the secondary level, and the perspectives that they open up in terms of an improvement in the quality of educational services for young people, will receive special attention in this article. Radical changes in the traditional status of school inspectors are needed. Furthermore, a new national agency for monitoring and evaluating students' outcomes and schools' performance is indispensable.