Efficient literature searching in diffuse topics: lessons from a systematic review of research on communicating risk to patients in primary care

Using the example of communication about risk in a primary care setting, this paper puts forward a method of developing and evaluating a detailed search strategy for locating the literature for a systematic review of a ‘diffuse’ subject. The aim of this paper is to show how to develop a search strategy that maximizes both recall and precision while keeping search outputs manageable. Six different databases were used, namely Medline, Embase, PsychLIT, CancerLIT, Cinahl and Social Science Citation Index (SSCI). The searches were augmented by hand-searching, contacting authors, citation searching and reference lists from included papers. Other databases were searched but yielded no extra references for this subject matter. Of the 99 papers included, 80 were indexed on Medline. The Medline search strategy identified 54 of them and the remaining 26 were located on other databases. The 19 further unique references were found using the other databases and methods of retrieval. A combination of several databases must be used to maximize recall and to increase the precision of searches on individual databases, thus improving the overall efficiency of the search.     

Relevance in pedagogy and the problem of educational quality in Latin America

The educational reforms implemented in various Latin America countries at the end of the 60's and early 70's shared a common desire to ruralize rural primary schooling in the search for relevance. Some reforms promoted differentiated content for rural areas while others, notably the Mexican, emphasized the adaptation of standard material to the local context through the use of a progressive methodology of teaching.Questions are raised as to whether the Mexican approach is any the less dualist for adopting standard material and whether it represents a viable strategy for the improvement of the quality of education in rural schools. The progressive model of teaching proposed is seen to be based on a number of assumptions of unproven validity, especially with regards to its ability to promote social and political awareness. In practical terms it is seen to depend for its success on types of teachers and pupils that are largely unknown in rural areas, and on a type of school organization that should precede any such reform of methods.More a philosophy than a practical plan of action, the progressive methodology is unlikely to act as an adequate substitute for more expensive but more determined policies designed to tackle the basic problems of truancy, drop-out and poor pupil performance.     

The Electronic Campus: the First Decade

Many universities are beginning to consider how information technology could influence teaching, research, administration and communications on and off campus. This article reviews the development of the 'electronic campus' in the USA over the last decade and finds three distinct phases of development. Change in the UK has been slower but is noticeable. Five case studies, drawn from both sides of the Atlantic are considered. Finally, some implications and opportunities for the future are discussed; the author notes that the case for the massive investment necessary to bring the electronic campus to reality across the university sector has yet to be properly formulated.     

Messy method: the unfolding story

This article outlines an attempt to develop a method of inquiry, which takes a frank look at the untidy realities of research. During his practitioner-based PhD the author was mainly ‘working without rules’ (Appignanesi & Garrett, 1995, p. 50). New understandings of concepts such as analysis, data, theory and writing began to evolve as he gradually embraced a positive view of ‘mess’.[1] Over the 6 years of the study, the author made many ‘errors’, but wanted to be honest about these. He eventually began to see an ‘honesty trail’, together with clear communication (the material should be very readable and subject to feedback) as essential parts of the project’s ‘strength’ (a term offered in place of validity):