How to search Scopus

Question type or domain

Every searchable clinical question falls into a category known as the "type of question" (or domain). Each question type is associated with specific research methods and designs, understanding the question helps identify the research methods and designs you want for your filter. There are many types of questions, in health the main ones are:

• therapy
• diagnosis
• prognosis
• etiology
• feeling/experience (qualitative studies)

The following are basic filters or hedges which can be used for evidence-based searching:

• Therapy: 
  "randomized controlled trial" OR "clinical trial" OR (double AND blind*) OR random* OR placebo*
• Diagnosis: 
  (sensitivity AND specificity) OR diagnosis OR "diagnostic use} OR (predictive AND value*) OR reliability OR validity 
• Prognosis: 
  incidence OR mortality OR "follow-up studies" OR prognos* OR predict* OR course 
• Etiology: 
  "cohort studies" OR risk OR (odds AND ratio*) OR (relative AND risk*) OR (case AND control*)
• Qualitative: 
  ethnography OR phenomenology OR "grounded theory" OR "focus group" OR narratology OR "qualitative research" OR "case study" OR "participatory action research"

To use these hedges requires a basic understanding of:

To use a hedge in Scopus:

1. Click + Add search field (link; below search box).
2. Copy and paste the appropriate hedge into the Search documents (box).
3. Combine your search with the hedge using AND.