Systematic Reviews and Knowledge Synthesis for the Sciences

Translate Your Search Strategy

Translating your search strategy is important as each database has differences in syntax, subject headings, and search interfaces.

• Search translation guide: https://libguides.uvic.ca/ld.php?content_id=36113610

Syntax Guides

• Cochrane Library's syntax translation guide
  The Cochrane Library's guide for translation searches in Cochrane Library, CSA databases, EBSCOhost, Web of Science, LILACS, OVID, POPLINE, ProQuest, and WHOLIS.
• Searching Syntax Guide for Common Database Platforms
  Syntax Guide from University of Alberta. Supports translation in Ovid, PubMed, Cochrane Library, EBSCO, ProQuest, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar
• Searching Syntax Guide for Common Database Platforms (Adapted with slight modifications from the University of Alberta (2015))
  Supports translation in Ovid, PubMed, Cochrane Library, EBSCO, ProQuest, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar
• Search Syntax: Dalhousie University
  This guide was developed by Librarians at Dalhousie University and supports translation in PubMed, Medline (Ovid), Web of Science, ProQuest and Cochrane Library

Search Translation Example

Web of Science

#1 TS=((Boreal NEAR/5 (forest* OR zone OR tree*)) OR taiga OR spruce* OR picea OR pine* OR pinus OR birch* OR aspen* OR populus)
#2 TS=(Finland OR Finnish OR Swed* OR Norw* OR Russia* OR Estonia* OR Latvia* OR Lithuania* OR Fennoscan* OR Scandin* OR Baltic OR “North* Europ*” OR Canad* OR “North* Ameri*” OR Siber* OR Alaska OR “United States” OR USA) and TS=(forest* OR tree*)
#3=#1 OR #2
#4 TS=(“key habitat*”) OR TS=(“forest act habitat*”) OR TS=(reserve* NEAR/5 (forest* OR privat* OR area* OR patch* OR habitat*)) OR TS=(“private* protected area*”) OR TS=(voluntar* NEAR/5 (conservation* OR set-aside*)) OR TS=(METSO NEAR/5 program*) OR TS=(Komet NEAR/5 program*) OR TS=(conservation NEAR/5 easement*) OR TS=(connectiv*)
#5=#3 AND #4

Google Scholar

Boreal AND ("key habitat" OR "voluntary conservation" OR "voluntary set-aside" OR "private protected area" OR "private reserve") AND (biodiversity OR “species richness” OR “species diversity” OR abundance)

Example search strings used in Häkkilä, M., Johansson, A., Sandgren, T., Uusitalo, A., Mönkkönen, M., Puttonen, P., & Savilaakso, S. (2021). Are small protected habitat patches within boreal production forests effective in conserving species richness, abundance and community composition? A systematic review. Environmental Evidence, 10, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13750-020-00216-6