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Once you have finished searching your databases, you will need to export your search results to screen and evaluate your results. You will need to export the article RIS files (or equivalent) to reference management software and/or your screening and deduplication software. Ensure you are documenting your entire search strategy across all databases searched.
For information on how to export results from PubMed, Ovid databases, EBSCOhost databases, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Proquest databases into Covidence (or equivalent software), please see the University of Alberta guide.
For more information, please see our guide on citation management software.
Once you are finished searching and have exported your results from all databases searched, there will be duplicate sources from the different databases searched. You will need to identify and remove the duplicates from your final dataset. This is a process called deduplication. However, do not delete the duplicate records -- you will need to keep track of how many duplicate sources you found when you are documenting your search strategy; you will need to report the number of sources from each stage of your review.
It is important to document your search to ensure its reproducibility and transparency. This will make writing the methods section of your review much easier if you properly document throughout searching. As noted by the Collaboration of Environmental Evidence, "[g]ood documenting, recording and archiving of searches and their resulting articles may save a substantial amount of time and resource by reducing duplication of results and enabling the search to be re-assessed or amended easily (Higgins & Green 2011)."
Please see the search log/templates below and use one as you complete your search.
At a minimum, you will want to record: database searched, date of search, name of database provider (e.g. Ovid or EBSCOhost), search strategy (including keywords and nesting strategy), years searched, any filters or limitations, and number of search results.
Ovid Databases
In Search History, use the Save search history and Copy search history details to save and record your finalized searches.
Scopus
Use the Save Search function to save your search and document your finalized strategy. You can also copy/paste your complete search from the Advanced Search page.
Web of Science
In the Advanced Search Query Builder, copy/paste your complete and finalized search.
PubMed
In Advanced, use the Download option in History and Search Details to download a .csv file with your finalized searches.
CINAHL
Use the Print Search History option to view and copy/paste your finalized search in your search documentation.