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Search health databases

Learn how to use the major health databases to find the best available evidence for your research

Search strategies by study Type

What sort of Study Type is best to answer a clinical question?

Question Type  Study Type 
Therapy 
 
  • Systematic review (preferably based on randomised controlled trials)
  • Meta-analysis
  • RCT (Double Blind)
  • Prospective Studies
  • Retrospective Case Control Studies 
Diagnosis 
  • Controlled Trial
  • Cross Sectional 
Prognosis
  • Cohort Studies
    • Prospective Studies
  • Case Control
    • Case Series, Retrospective
Aetiology/Harm
  • RCT
  • Cohort Studies
    • Prospective Studies
  • Retrospective Case Control Studies
  • Case Reports
Prevention
  • RCT
  • Cohort Studies
Quality/Improvement
  • Meta-analysis
  • RCT

Do you need to run a search that will identify specific study types in PubMed?
We have provided a a list of prepared search strategies ready to use

1. Case Control Studies

PubMed Sensitive Search

(case control[all] OR case comparison[all] OR case referent[all] OR case base[all] OR case matched[all] OR retrospective[all])

2. Retrospective Case Control Studies

PubMed Sensitive Search

(retrospective[all] AND (case control[all] OR case comparison[all] OR case referent[all] OR case matched[all]))

3. Case Reports

4. Case Series

5. Clinical Trials

6. Cohort Studies

7. Comparative Studies

8. Controlled Trials

9. Cross Sectional Studies

PubMed Sensitive Search for Cross Sectional Studies

("cross sectional"[all] OR crosssectional[all] OR prevalence research[all] OR prevalence stud*[all] OR prevalence survey*[all])

10. Empirical Research

11. Epidemiological Studies

The PubMed Epidemiological Studies search without Seroepidemiologic Studies or Seroprevalence

(epidemiologic studies[mh] OR epidemiologic stud*[all] OR epidemiological stud*[all] OR epidemiologic survey*[all] OR case control analys*[all] OR case control evaluation*[all] OR case control stud*[all] OR case control survey*[all] OR case comparison analys*[all] OR case comparison stud*[all] OR case referent analys*[all] OR case referent stud*[all] OR case referent survey*[all] OR ”case based analysis”[all] OR ”case based analyses”[all] OR "case based evaluation"[all] OR case base stud*[all] OR case based stud*[all] OR case based survey*[all] OR case matched analys*[all] OR case matched stud*[all] OR cohort analys*[all] OR cohort evaluation*[all] OR cohort stud*[all] OR cohort survey*[all] OR concurrent stud*[all] OR concurrent survey*[all] OR incidence analys*[all] OR incidence stud*[all] OR incidence survey*[all] OR longitudinal analys*[all] OR longitudinal evaluation*[all] OR longitudinal studies[tw] OR longitudinal study[tw] OR longitudinal survey*[all] OR follow up evaluation*[all] OR followup evaluation*[all] OR followup stud*[all] OR follow up stud*[all] OR followup survey*[all] OR follow up survey*[all] OR prospective analys*[all] OR prospective evaluation*[all] OR prospective studies[tw] OR prospective study[tw] OR prospective survey*[all] OR retrospective analys*[all] OR retrospective evaluation*[all] OR retrospective stud*[all] OR retrospective survey*[all] OR cross-over studies[mh] OR crossover stud*[all] OR cross over stud*[all] OR crossover design*[all] OR cross over design*[all] OR cross over procedure*[all] OR crossover procedure*[all] OR cross sectional stud*[all] OR crosssectional stud*[all] OR cross sectional analys*[all] OR crosssectional analys*[all] OR cross sectional survey*[all] OR crossectional survey*[all] OR prevalence analys*[all] OR prevalence stud*[all])

12. Evaluation Studies

13. Follow-up Studies

PubMed Sensitive Search for Follow-Up Studies

(follow up[all] OR followup[all])

14. Health Technology Assessments

15. Longitudinal Studies (including Follow Up Studies, and Prospective Studies)

PubMed Sensitive Search for Longitudinal Studies

(longitudinal[all] OR follow up evaluation*[all] OR followup evaluation*[all] OR follow up stud*[all] OR followup stud*[all] OR follow up survey*[all] OR followup survey*[all] OR "prospective"[all])

16. Meta Analysis

17. Multicentre Studies

PubMed Sensitive Search for Multicentre Studies

multicentre[all] OR multicenter[all]

18. Outcome Assessments

19. Practice Guidelines

Sensitive PubMed Search

(practice guideline*[all] OR clinical guideline*[all] OR practice guideline*[all] OR clinical path[all] OR clinical paths[all] OR clinical pathw*[all] OR clinical care pathw*[all] OR clinical protocol*[all] OR critical path[tw] OR critical paths[tw] OR critical pathw*[all] OR critical care pathw*[all] OR consensus development*[all] OR treatment guideline*[all] OR best practice*[tw] OR guideline development[all] OR evidence based guideline*[all])

PubMed Very Sensitive Search

guideline*[all]

20. Prospective Studies

21. Qualitative Research

22. Randomised Controlled Trials

23. Retrospective Studies

24. Seroepidemiological Studies

PubMed sensitive search

(seroepidemiolog*[all] OR seroprevalen*[all])

25. Systematic Reviews

26. Twin Studies

27. Validation Studies

Want to run a search that will identify specific study types in Ovid Medline?
See below a list of prepared search strategies ready to use

1. Case Control Studies

((case control or case base or case matched or retrospective) adj3 (analys$ or design$ or evaluation$ or research or stud$ or survey$ or trial$)).mp.

Ovid Medline Sensitive Search

(case control or case base or case matched or retrospective).mp.

2. Retrospective Case Control Studies

(retrospective and ((case control or case base or case matched) adj3 (analys$ or design$ or evaluation$ or research or stud$ or survey$ or trial$))).mp.

Ovid Medline Sensitive version

(retrospective and (case control or case base or case matched)).mp.

3. Case Reports
(case reports/ OR case report$.mp. OR case stud$.mp. OR case histories.mp.)

4. Case Series
((case or clinical) adj2 series).mp.

5. Clinical Trials
((phase or multicent$) adj10 (trial$ or stud$).mp. OR exp clinical trial/ OR clinical trial$.mp. OR randomized controlled trial$.mp. OR randomised controlled trial$.mp. OR random allocation$.mp. OR rct.mp. OR rcts.mp.)

6. Cohort Studies
((cohort or concurrent or longitudinal or follow up or followup or prospective or retrospective) adj5 (analys$ or design$ or evaluation$ or research or stud$ or survey)).mp. OR (incidence adj1 (analys$ or research or stud$ or survey)).mp.

7. Comparative Studies
(comparative adj1 (analys$ or design$ or evaluation$ or study or studies or survey$)).mp.

8. Controlled Trials

((randomized controlled trial or controlled clinical trial or multicenter study).pt. or randomized.ab,ti. or randomised.ab,ti. or rct.mp. or rcts.mp. or placebo.mp. or drug therapy.fs. or randomly.mp. or random allocation$.mp.  or pragmatic clinical trial$.mp. or ((controlled or multicent or crossover or cross over) adj5 (analys$ or design$ or evaluation$ or research or stud$ or trial$)).mp.

Ovid Medline Sensitive Search

((randomized controlled trial or controlled clinical trial or multicenter study).pt. or (randomized or randomised).ab,ti. or drug therapy.fs. or (placebo or randomly or random allocation$ or controlled or multicent$ or crossover or cross over).mp.)

9. Cross Sectional Studies

((cross sectional adj4 analys$) or (cross sectional adj4 design$) or (cross sectional adj4 evaluation$) or (cross sectional adj4 research) or (cross sectional adj4 survey$) or (cross sectional adj4 stud$) or (crosssectional adj4 analys$) or (crosssectional adj4 design$) or (crosssectional adj4 evaluation$) or (crosssectional adj4 research) or (crosssectional adj4 survey$) or (crosssectional adj4 study) or (crosssectional adj4 studies) or prevalence research or prevalence stud$ or prevalence survey$).mp.

Ovid Medline Sensitive Search

(cross sectional or crosssectional or prevalence research or prevalence stud* or prevalence survey*).mp.

10. Empirical Research
((empirical or qualitative) adj2 (design$ or evaluation$ or research or stud$)).mp.

11. Epidemiological Studies

(exp epidemiologic studies/ or (epidemiologic$ adj3 stud$).mp. or (epidemiologic$ adj3 survey$).mp. or (case control adj1 analys$).mp. or (case control adj3 evaluation$).mp. or (case control adj3 stud$).mp. or (case control adj3 survey$).mp. or (case comparison adj3 analys$).mp. or (case comparison adj3 stud$).mp. or (case referent adj3 analys$).mp. or (case referent adj3 stud$).mp. or (case referent adj3 survey$).mp. or (case base$ adj3 analys$).mp. or (case base$ adj3 stud$).mp. or (case matched adj3 analys$).mp. or (case matched adj3 stud$).mp. or (cohort adj3 analys$).mp. or (cohort adj3 evaluation$).mp. or (cohort adj1 stud$).mp. or (cohort adj3 survey$).mp. or (concurrent adj3 stud$).mp. or (concurrent adj3 survey$).mp. or (incidence adj1 analys$).mp. or (incidence adj1 stud$).mp. or (incidence adj1 survey$).mp. or (longitudinal adj3 analys$).mp. or (longitudinal adj3 evaluation$).mp. or (longitudinal adj3 studies).mp. or (longitudinal adj3 study).mp. or (longitudinal adj3 survey$).mp. or follow up evaluation$.mp. or followup evaluation$.mp. or followup stud$.mp. or follow up stud$.mp. or followup survey$.mp. or follow up survey$.mp. or prospective analys$.mp. or prospective evaluation$.mp. or (prospective adj5 stud$).mp. or (prospective adj5 survey$).mp. or retrospective analys$.mp. or retrospective evaluation$.mp. or retrospective stud$.mp. or retrospective survey$.mp. or cross-over studies/ or (crossover adj5 stud$).mp. or (cross over adj5 stud$).mp. or (crossover adj5 design$).mp. or (cross over adj5 design$).mp. or (cross over adj5 procedure$).mp. or (crossover adj5 procedure$).mp. or (cross sectional adj5 studies).mp. or (cross sectional adj5 study).mp. or (crosssectional adj5 study).mp. or (cross sectional adj4 analys$).mp. or (crosssectional adj5 survey$).mp. or (cross sectional adj4 survey$).mp. or prevalence analys$.mp. or prevalence stud$.mp. or seroepidemiologic$ analys$.mp. or seroepidemiologic$ stud$.mp. or seroepidemiologic$ analys$.mp. or seroepidemiologic$ survey$.mp. or seroprevalence$.mp.)

Ovid Medline Epidemiological Studies without Seroepidemiologic Studies or Seroprevalence

(exp epidemiologic studies/ or (epidemiologic$ adj3 stud$).mp. or (epidemiologic$ adj3 survey$).mp. or (case control adj1 analys$).mp. or (case control adj3 evaluation$).mp. or (case control adj3 stud$).mp. or (case control adj3 survey$).mp. or (case comparison adj3 analys$).mp. or (case comparison adj3 stud$).mp. or (case referent adj3 analys$).mp. or (case referent adj3 stud$).mp. or (case referent adj3 survey$).mp. or (case base$ adj3 analys$).mp. or (case base$ adj3 stud$).mp. or (case matched adj3 analys$).mp. or (case matched adj3 stud$).mp. or (cohort adj3 analys$).mp. or (cohort adj3 evaluation$).mp. or (cohort adj1 stud$).mp. or (cohort adj3 survey$).mp. or (concurrent adj3 stud$).mp. or (concurrent adj3 survey$).mp. or (incidence adj1 analys$).mp. or (incidence adj1 stud$).mp. or (incidence adj1 survey$).mp. or (longitudinal adj3 analys$).mp. or (longitudinal adj3 evaluation$).mp. or (longitudinal adj3 studies).mp. or (longitudinal adj3 study).mp. or (longitudinal adj3 survey$).mp. or follow up evaluation$.mp. or followup evaluation$.mp. or followup stud$.mp. or follow up stud$.mp. or followup survey$.mp. or follow up survey$.mp. or prospective analys$.mp. or prospective evaluation$.mp. or (prospective adj5 stud$).mp. or (prospective adj5 survey$).mp. or retrospective analys$.mp. or retrospective evaluation$.mp. or retrospective stud$.mp. or retrospective survey$.mp. or cross-over studies/ or (crossover adj5 stud$).mp. or (cross over adj5 stud$).mp. or (crossover adj5 design$).mp. or (cross over adj5 design$).mp. or (cross over adj5 procedure$).mp. or (crossover adj5 procedure$).mp. or (cross sectional adj5 studies).mp. or (cross sectional adj5 study).mp. or (crosssectional adj5 study).mp. or (cross sectional adj4 analys$).mp. or (crosssectional adj5 survey$).mp. or (cross sectional adj4 survey$).mp. or prevalence analys$.mp. or prevalence stud$.mp.)

12. Evaluation Studies
evaluation stud$.mp.

13. Follow-Up Studies

((follow up evaluation* OR follow up adj8 stud* OR followup adj7 stud* OR follow up adj8 survey* OR followup adj6 survey*).mp.)

Ovid Medline Sensitive Search

((follow up or followup).mp.)

14. Health Technology Assessments
(exp technology assessment, biomedical/ or technology assessment$.mp.)

15. Longitudinal Studies (including Follow Up Studies, and Prospective Studies)

(longitudinal or prospective) adj6 (analys$ or design$ or evaluation$ or research or stud$ or survey$).mp. or (follow up or followup) adj1 research.mp. or (follow up or followup) adj3 (design$ or survey$).mp. or (follow up or followup) adj4 (analys$ or stud$).mp.

Ovid Medline Sensitive Search

longitudinal.mp. or prospective.mp. or (follow up or followup) adj6 (analys$ or design$ or evaluation$ or research or stud$ or survey$).mp.

16. Meta Analysis
(metaanalys$ or meta analys$).mp.

17. Multicentre Studies

(((multicentre or multicenter) adj4 analys$) or ((multicentre or multicenter) adj3 (design$ or evaluation$ or research)) or ((multicentre or multicenter) adj10 stud$) or ((multicentre or multicenter) adj6 survey$)).mp.

Ovid Medline Sensitive Search

(multicentre or multicenter).mp.

18. Outcome Assessments
exp "Outcome Assessment (Health Care)"/ or ((outcome$ or treatment$ or rehabilitation) adj1 (analys$ or assessment$ or measure$ or research or treatment$ or effectiveness or efficac$ or failure$)).mp. or (clinical adj1 (effectiveness or efficac$)).mp.

19. Practice Guidelines

(practice guideline.pt. or clinical guideline$ or clinical path or clinical paths or clinical pathw$ or clinical care pathw$ or clinical protocol$ or critical path or critical paths or critical pathw$ or critical care pathw$* or consensus development$ or treatment guideline$ or best practice$ or guideline development or evidence based guideline$).mp.

Ovid Medline Very Sensitive Search

guideline$.mp.

20. Prospective Studies
(prospective analys$ or prospective design$).mp. or (prospective adj5 assessment$).mp. or (prospective adj6 evaluation$).mp. or (prospective adj3 investigation$).mp. or (prospective adj3 measure*).mp. or (prospective adj3 protocol*).mp. or (prospective adj3 research).mp. or (prospective adj8 stud*).mp. or (prospective adj3 survey*).mp. or (prospective adj10 trial*).mp.

21. Qualitative Research
exp qualitative research/ or (qualitative adj6 research).mp. or (qualitative adj5 analys*).mp. or (qualitative adj6 design*).mp. or (qualitative adj5 stud*).mp.

22. Randomised Controlled Trials
((randomized controlled trial or controlled clinical trial).pt. or (randomi* or placebo* or randomly).mp. or drug therapy.fs.)

23. Retrospective Studies
((retrospective adj7 stud*) or (retrospective adj5 analys*) or (retrospective adj3 case) or (retrospective adj3 cohort) or (retrospective adj5 evaluation*) or (retrospective adj3 review*) or (retrospective adj6 survey*)).mp.

24. Seroepidemiological Studies

exp seroepidemiologic studies/ or ((seroepidemiolog* adj4 stud*) or (seroepidemiolog* adj5 analys*) or (seroepidemiolog* adj1 investigation*) or (seroepidemiolog* adj5 survey*)).mp.

Ovid Medline Sensitive Search

((seroepidemiolog* or seroprevalen*).mp.)

25. Systematic Reviews
(((systematic review OR meta-analy* OR metaanaly* OR systematic literature review OR meta synthesis OR metasynthesis OR unpublished OR citation* or references OR scales OR papers OR datasets OR rapid review OR evidence synthesis).mp. OR (integrative adj2 review*).mp. OR (consensus development conference).pt) AND ((literature OR articles OR publications OR publication OR bibliography OR published OR database* OR trials OR internet OR textbooks).ab,ti. OR (clinical .ab,ti. AND studies .ab,ti.) OR treatment outcome*.mp.) NOT (letter OR newspaper article).pt.)

26. Twin Studies
(((twin adj5 (analys* or design* or research or survey*)) or (twin* adj5 stud*)).mp.)

27. Validation Studies
((validation adj6 stud*) or (validation adj6 analys*) or (validation adj6 survey*) or (validation adj8 trial*).mp.)

Want to run a search that will identify specific study types in Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source?
See below a list of prepared search strategies ready to use

 

1. Case Control Studies
((TX "case base" OR TX "case-control" OR TX "case comparison" OR TX "case matched" OR TX "case referent" OR TX retrospective) n3 (analys* OR evaluation* OR method OR stud* OR survey*))

2. Retrospective Case Control Studies
((TX "case base" OR TX "case-control" OR TX "case comparison" OR TX "case matched" OR TX "case referent") n3 (analys* OR evaluation* OR method OR stud* OR survey*) AND TX retrospective)

3. Case Reports
(TX case n0 (histories OR report* OR stud*))

4. Case Series
(TI (case or clinical) n4 series  OR AB (case or clinical) n4 series)

5. Clinical Trials
(TX phase n10 trial* OR (TX clinical OR TX multicent* OR TX “multi cent*”) n10 (procedure* OR trial*) OR (TX “randomised controlled” OR TX “randomized controlled”) n10 trial* OR TX “random allocation*” OR TX rct)

6. Cohort Studies
((TX cohort OR TX concurrent OR TX incidence OR TX longitudinal OR TX followup OR TX “follow up” OR TX prospective OR TX retrospective) n4 (analys* OR design* OR evaluation* OR research OR stud* OR survey* OR trial*) OR TX “prospective method” OR TX “longitudinal method*”)

7. Comparative Studies
(TX comparative n1 (analys* OR design* OR evaluation* OR study OR survey*))

8. Controlled Trials
(TX “clinical trial*” OR TX “controlled trial*” OR TX randomized OR TX randomised OR TX randomly OR TX “crossover trial*” OR TX “cross over trial*” OR (TX multicent* OR TX ”multi cent*”) n4 (design* OR evaluation* OR research OR stud* OR survey* OR trial*) OR (TI multicent* OR TI ”multi cent*”) n6 (design* OR evaluation* OR research OR stud* OR survey* OR trial*))

9. Cross Sectional Studies
Copy the search terms below, then AND them to your topical search terms
(TX “cross sectional” n5 (analys* OR design* OR evaluation* OR method OR research OR stud* OR survey*) OR TX prevalence n5 (analys* OR design* OR evaluation* OR method OR research OR stud* OR survey*))

10. Empirical Research
(TX empirical n0 (evaluation* OR method* OR research OR stud*) OR TX qualitative n0 (analys* OR design* OR Method* OR research OR stud*))

11. Epidemiological Studies
(TX epidemiologic* n0 stud* OR TX case n0 (control OR comparison OR referent OR base OR matched) n0 (analys* OR evaluation* OR method* OR stud* OR survey*) OR (cohort OR incidence OR concurrent OR longitudinal OR followup OR “follow up” OR prospective OR retrospective OR crossover OR "cross over" OR “cross sectional” OR prevalence OR seroepidemiologic*) n0 (analys* OR evaluation* OR procedure* OR stud* OR survey*) OR seroprevalence*)

DOSS without seroepidemiologic* OR seroprevalence
(TX epidemiologic* n0 stud* OR TX case n0 (control OR comparison OR referent OR base OR matched) n0 (analys* OR evaluation* OR method* OR stud* OR survey*) OR (cohort OR incidence OR concurrent OR longitudinal OR followup OR “follow up” OR prospective OR retrospective OR “cross sectional” OR prevalence) n0 (analys* OR evaluation* OR stud* OR survey*))

12. Evaluation Studies
Copy the search terms below, then AND them to your topical search terms
(TX "evaluation studies" OR TX "evaluation study")

13. Follow-Up Studies
((TX “follow up” OR TX followup) n1 (analys* OR evaluation*OR research OR stud* OR survey*) OR DE "FOLLOW-up studies (Medicine)")

14. Health Technology Assessments
TX "technology assessment*"

15. Longitudinal Studies (including Follow Up Studies, and Prospective Studies)
(TX longitudinal OR TX “follow up” OR TX followup OR TX prospective) n5 (analys* OR evaluation* OR research OR stud* OR survey*) OR TX “longitudinal method”

16. Meta Analysis
(TX “meta analys*” OR TX metanalys*)

17. Multicentre Studies
((TX multicent* OR TX ”multi cent*”) n4 (design* OR evaluation* OR research OR stud* OR survey* OR trial*) OR (TI multicent* OR TI ”multi cent*”) n6 (design* OR evaluation* OR research OR stud* OR survey* OR trial*))

18. Outcome Assessments

(TX outcome* n0 (analys* OR assessment* OR evaluation* OR stud* OR measure* OR research) OR DE "OUTCOME assessment (Medical care)")

See Note 2 below for more comprehensive searches.

19. Practice Guidelines

(TX practice n0 guideline* OR (TX clinical OR TX critical) n1 (path OR paths OR pathw*))

See Note 2 below for more comprehensive searches.

20. Prospective Studies
DOSS considers Prospective Studies to be equivalent to Longitudinal Studies, but here is a search to find Prospective studies in articles in DOSS.

(TX prospective n0 (analys* OR evaluation* OR method OR stud* OR survey*))

For more comprehensive searches see Note 1 below.

21. Qualitative Research

DOSS
(TX qualitative n0 (analys* OR design* OR method* OR research OR stud*))

See Note 2 below for more comprehensive searches.

22. Randomised Controlled Trials

((TX randomi* W10 controlled OR TX “controlled trial*” OR TX randomi?ed OR TX randomi?ation OR TX randomly OR TX "random allocation*" OR (TX single OR TX double OR TX tripl* OR TX trebl*) w1 (blind* OR mask*) OR TX "clinical trial*" OR TX "crossover trial*" OR (TX multicent* OR TX "multi cent*”) n1( stud* OR trial*) OR TX groups) NOT (DE animals NOT DE “human beings”))

See Note 2 below for more comprehensive searches.

23. Retrospective Studies

(TX retrospective n3 (analys* OR evaluation* OR research OR survey* OR trial*))

See Note 2 below for more comprehensive searches

24. Systematic Reviews
TX systematic n0 review*

26. Twin Studies

TX twin n0 (analys* OR design* OR research OR stud* OR survey*)

See Note 2 below for more comprehensive searches.

27. Validation Studies
(TX validation n0 (analys* OR stud* OR survey* OR trial*))

For more comprehensive searches see Note 1 below.

 

Note 1
For both the Embase and DOSS searches I set the number after next and n at a particular number (1, 2, 5 etc). To vary the number of citations retrieved you can change this number. Increasing the number will find more citations but also increase the chances of finding some inappropriate citations.
Alternatively remove all the italicised terms highlighted in grey from the search to significantly increase the number of citations found.

Note 2
For both the Embase and DOSS searches I set the number after next and n at a particular number (0, 1, 2, 5 etc). To vary the number of citations retrieved you can change this number. Increasing the number will find more citations but also increase the chances of finding some inappropriate citations.