25980 - Laboratory of Bibliographic Research (BO)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will be able to use computer systems, software and complete databases to collect, organize and catalog information; identify a problem and carry out a literature review on the subject.

Course contents

• The Five Core Competencies for Evidence-Based Practice

• Literature searching: definitions. The use of literature reviews within nursing and midwifery practice.

• Defining the research question: translating an information need into a research question, from research topic to research question. The FINER criteria for formulating a research question. Background vs. foreground questions. Different types of foreground research questions. The PICO framework for structuring the research question and its variants (PICOT, PO, PEO). Other frameworks for defining the research question (EPICOT, SPIDER). From the research question to the definition of the purpose and objectives of the review. Inclusion and exclusion criteria.

• Resources for addressing a clinical question: scanning and searching. Translating the research question into a search strategy. Planning coherent search strategies aligned with the research question and objectives. Tools for developing an appropriate search strategy: keywords, synonyms, Boolean operators, truncation, and search filters. Precision and recall in the search strategy. Use of thesaurus and free-text searching.

• Biomedical databases: where to search for evidence. Filtered and unfiltered sources: EBHC pyramid 5.0. Different types of biomedical databases. Building the search string and methods of use (strategies and export of results) for PubMed/Medline, CINAHL, ProQuest, Scopus, and Web of Science (including citation systems and bibliometric analysis). Filtered evidence databases: Cochrane Library, JBI; Metadatabase: TRIP database. Overview of evidence-based textbooks: UpToDate, Dynamed. Notes on multidatabase searching; trial registries and databases for grey literature. Methods for retrieving clinical guidelines.

• Overview of the selection process: PRISMA statement (brief overview).

• Retrieving and accessing full-texts of selected sources: open access, University of Bologna library system, Bibliosan, author contact; ResearchGate, Google Scholar, and Semantic Scholar.

• Reference management software: Zotero (practical use).

• AI in literature searching: brief overview.

• Researcher identifiers: ORCID and Scopus ID.

• Reporting frameworks: PRISMA-S (brief overview).

The contents may be subject to change according to identified learning needs.

Readings/Bibliography

• Albarqouni L, Hoffmann T, Straus S et al. Evidence-based Practice: le competenze core per tutti i professionisti sanitari. Evidence 2019;11(6): e1000198. Disponibile a: www.evidence.it/e1000198

• Alper BS, Haynes RB. EBHC pyramid 5.0 for accessing preappraised evidence and guidance. Evid Based Med. 2016 Aug;21(4):123-5. doi: 10.1136/ebmed-2016-110447. Epub 2016 Jun 20

• Aromataris E, Lockwood C, Porritt K, Pilla B, Jordan Z, editors. JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis. JBI; 2024. Available from: https://synthesismanual.jbi.global [https://synthesismanual.jbi.global/] . https://doi.org/10.46658/JBIMES-24-01

• Bettany-Saltikov J. (2016) – How to do a systematic literature review in nursing: A step-by-step guide. Open University Press.

• Booth A., Sutton A., Papaioannou D. (2016) – Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review (2nd ed.). Sage

• Chiari, P., Mosci, D., Naldi, E., & Centro Studi EBN (2011). Evidence-based clinical practice: La pratica clinico-assistenziale basata su prove di efficacia (2. ed.). Milano: McGraw-Hill.

• Higgins JPT, Thomas J, Chandler J, Cumpston M, Li T, Page MJ, Welch VA (editors). Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. 2nd Edition. Chichester (UK): John Wiley & Sons, 2019.

• Rethlefsen, M.L., Kirtley, S., Waffenschmidt, S. et al. PRISMA-S: an extension to the PRISMA Statement for Reporting Literature Searches in Systematic Reviews. Syst Rev 10, 39 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-020-01542-z

• Polit, D.F., & Tatano Beck, C. (2014). Fondamenti di ricerca infermieristica. Milano: McGraw Hill.

• Vellone E., & Piredda, M. (2009). La ricerca bibliografica. Strumenti e metodi per trovare e utilizzare la letteratura sanitaria. Milano: McGraw-Hill.

• https://www.york.ac.uk/crd/

• https://sba.unibo.it/it/almare/servizi-e-strumenti-almare/gestione-bibliografie

• https://www.prisma-statement.org/

Additional references will be provided according to the identified learning needs.

Teaching methods

• Lectures
• Hands-on sessions

The course combines theoretical lectures and applied exercises, carried out individually and in small groups, aimed at developing competencies in literature searching within the fields of nursing and midwifery. The practical activities will guide students in the use of major international databases and in the development of advanced search strategies. Through participatory methodologies, students will be encouraged to plan and implement a rigorous research process.

Assessment methods

At the end of the course, students are required to prepare, in small groups, a written assignment to be submitted via e-mail to the teacher at least 15 days prior to the examination date. The assignment consists of conducting a literature search following a specific format provided by the professors. The aim is to assess the ability to formulate a PICO question, search major databases, select sources, and retrieve scientific information relevant to the discipline. Particular emphasis will be placed on evaluating technical and practical skills in accessing bibliographic sources.

The integrated examination will be considered successfully completed if the student obtains a final grade of 18/30 or higher in all course modules. The examination will be conducted in accordance with University regulations and any additional instructions provided by the academic governing bodies.

Teaching tools

The lectures will be supported by the use of multimedia and digital tools to complement traditional teaching, with particular emphasis on the practical demonstration of how to access and search major bibliographic databases through the institutional platforms of the University of Bologna. Teaching activities will also be enriched by the use of scientific articles and case studies, interactive platforms such as Mentimeter and Wooclap, and reference management software to support the organization of bibliographic sources.

Office hours

See the website of Silvio Quirini