Booth, A., O'Rourke, A.J. and Ford, N. (2000) Structuring the pre-search reference interview: a useful technique for handling clinical questions. Bulletin of the Medical Library Association, 88 (3). 239 - 246. ISSN 0025-7338
Abstract
Objectives: To explore whether structuring a literature search request form according to an evidence-based medicine (EBM) anatomy elicits more information, improves precision of search results, and is acceptable to participating librarians.
Methods: Multicenter before-and-after study involved six different libraries. Data from 195 minimally structured forms collected over four months (Phase 1) were compared with data from 185 EBM-structured forms collected over a further four-month period following a brief training intervention (Phase 2). Survey of librarians’ attitudes toward using the EBM-structured forms was conducted early during Phase 2.
Results: 380 request forms, EBM-structured and minimally structured, were analyzed using SPSS. A statistically significant Pearson correlation was found between use of the EBM-structured form and complexity of the search strategy (P = 0.002). The correlation between clinical requests handled by the EBM-structured form and fewer items retrieved was also statistically significant (P = 0.028). However, librarians rated minimally structured forms more highly than EBMstructured forms against all dimensions except informativeness.
Conclusions: Although use of the EBM-structured forms is associated with more precise searches and more detailed search strategies, considerable work remains on making these forms acceptable to both librarians and users. Nevertheless, with increased familiarity and improved training, information retrieval benefits could be translated into more effective search practice.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2000 The Author(s). Reproduced in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Evidence-based medicine; Information need. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Social Sciences (Sheffield) > Information School (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 06 May 2014 14:01 |
Last Modified: | 23 Mar 2018 01:26 |
Published Version: | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC35232/... |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Medical Library Association |
Refereed: | Yes |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:78813 |