HEALER Research Toolkit 
 

Step 2: Review the Literature
 
It is essential that existing sources of evidence, especially systematic reviews, are considered carefully prior to undertaking research.  
 
Where do I start?
 
Plan your search strategy, discussing your ideas with your supervisor or mentor if necessary.  The following resources may be helpful in undertaking your literature review:

• Aveyard H. (2014) Doing a literature review in health and social care: a practical guide.  3rd ed.  Berkshire: Open University Press.
• Clapton J.  (2009)  Establishing the context for your research project. Library and Information Research, 33 (104, 37-44. Available from: http://www.lirgjournal.org.uk/lir/ojs/index.php/lir/article/view/154
• Garrad J.  (2010)  Health sciences literature review made easy: the matrix method. 3rd ed.  Gaithersberg: Aspen.
• Grant MJ, Booth A.  (2009)  A typology of reviews: an analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 26 (2), 91-108.   
• Greenhalgh T.  (2006) How to read a paper: the basics of evidence based medicine.  Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
• Jesson, J., Matheson, L., Lacey, F. (2011). Doing your literature review: traditional and systematic techniques.  London: Sage
• Machi L S, MeEvoy B T.  (2009)  The literature review: six steps to success.  California: Corwin Press.
• Solutions for Public Health Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) for resources and checklists to help develop your critical appraisal skills 
• Also look at the FOLIO courses available to librarians in this area (this web site has not been updated for some time, but it contains a large amount of very helpful, downloadable material)

• Booth A, Papaioannou D, Sutton A. (2012) Systematic approaches to a successful literature review.  London: Sage 
• Centre for Reviews and Dissemination.  Systematic reviews: CRD's guidance for undertaking reviews in healthcare Undertaking systematic reviews of research on effectiveness.  York: CRD.  This is an excellent guide on producing systematic reviews published by The NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination at the University of York
• Clapton J, Rutter D, Sharif N. (2009) SCIE systematic mapping guidance. London: Social Care Institute for Excellence.
• PRISMA statement - Flowchart and tool for reporting results of data gathering in systematic reviewing 
• Toolkit for the NW Clinical Librarians Systematic Reviews Group: This toolkit is currently undergoing revisions though is still available from Alison Brettle, University of Salford at a.brettle@salford.ac.uk  

Other Useful Resources
 

The following journals are key sources for LIS research:

• Evidence Based Library and Information Practice  
• Health Information and Libraries Journal 
• Journal of Hospital Librarianship 
• Journal of the Medical Libraries Association 
• Library and Information Research 
• Library and Information Science Research
   

LIS Databases 

• Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA): Available free of charge to CILIP members
• Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts (LISTA): A freely available online bibliographic service
• Proquest Library Science.  Available free of charge to CILIP members

The following are clinical or health management databases but do include references to articles on knowledge management, library information services etc. 
 

• Cochrane Library:  A collection of evidence-based medicine databases, including the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 
• Embase: Major bibliographic database for biomedical sciences published in Europe
• ERIC: International bibliographic database on educational research and practice.  Subjects covered include physical education, exercise, sport, nutrition and health 
• PubMed: Searches MEDLINE and other life science journals for biomedical articles back to the 1950s.  Access is free for NHS staff and University staff   
• NICE Evidence: Provides access to 8 bibliographical databases and over 800 full text journals - excellent for literature searching. You need an Athens username/password (NHS staff password registation) to gain access. The databases are:
• Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED)
• British Nursing Index (BNI): UK nursing database which covers British publications and other English language titles from over 220 related journals
• CINAHL: Major bibliographic database for nursing and allied health.  This database also contains a substantial amount of health libraries literature.
• EMBASE: Major bibliographic database for biomedical sciences published in Europe
• Health Business Elite: Contains full text content from 480 journals, detailing all aspects of health care administration and other non-clinical aspects of health care institution management.
• Health Management Information Consortium (HMIC): Compilation database from two sources - the Department of Health's Library and Information Services and King’s Fund Information and Library Service
• MEDLINE: Major bibliographic database for biomedical sciences 
• PsycINFO: Major bibliographic database for psychology from 1887 to date

 
Web Sites 

• Evidence Based Toolkit for Public Libraries
• How to develop critical appraisal skills (CASP): Solutions for Public Health
• List of critical appraisal models from the International Centre for Allied Health Evidence
• Evaluation tool for mixed methods study designs