RLO: Search strategy for locating randomised controlled trials

We will now take you through the steps for inputting the search strategy to locate RCTs – this search strategy was devised by the Cochrane Collaboration and may be found in the Cochrane Reviewers Handbook.

The Cochrane highly sensitive search strategy for MEDLINE was developed specifically with the needs of Cochrane reviews in mind. The earliest version of this search strategy was developed in 1994 and subsequent versions have been developed, each with a different syntax, specific to the version of MEDLINE being searched (e.g Silver Platter MEDLINE, OVID MEDLINE, PubMed).

Please go to the next page to view a demonstration RCT search.