Steps in Searching and
Evaluating the Literature

Guide to Searching the Public Health Literature

A 7-step process can be used for searching the evidence-based public health literature.

• Step 1 : Determine the public health problem and define the question.

• Step 2 : Select information sources.

• Step 3 : Identify key concepts and terms.

• Step 4 : Conduct the search in subject-appropriate databases.

• Step 5 : Select documents for review.

• Step 6 : Abstract relevant information from the documentation.

• Step 7 : Summarize and apply the literature review.

Source: Adapted from Brownson, Ross C., Elizabeth A. Baker, Terry L. Leet, and Kathleen N. Gillespie, Editors. Evidence-Based Public Health. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003, p. 128.

Guide to Evaluating the Quality and Methodology of Public Health Research Results

The following set of questions can be used to assess reported research results.

What are the results?

• Were the results similar from study to study?
• What are the overall results of the review?
• How precise were the results?
• Can a causal association be inferred from the available data?

Are the results valid?

• Did the review explicitly address the public health question?
• Was the search for relevant studies detailed and exhaustive? Is it likely that important, relevant studies were missed?
• Were the primary studies of high methodological quality?
• Were assessments of studies reproducible?

How can the results be applied to public health practice and interventions?

• How can the results be interpreted and applied to public health?
• Were all important public health outcomes considered?
• Are the benefits worth the costs and potential risks?

Sources: Guyatt, G. and Drummond Rennie. User's Guides to the Medical Literature: A Manual for Evidence-Based Practice. Chicago: American Medical Association, 2002, p.159.

Source: Brownson, Ross C., Elizabeth A. Baker, Terry L. Leet, and Kathleen N. Gillespie, Editors. Evidence-Based Public Health. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003, p. 47.