Literature search
- WMO
- Non-WMO
Literature search
A search and analysis of the scientific literature relevant to the research question under consideration is essential for developing relevant research questions, hypothesis and a solid research plan. Often a comprehensive and targeted review of the most relevant publications is necessary to comply with the norm of taking into account the latest scientific insights.
All information from reliable sources should be considered. Scientific literature is a source of data in and of itself. Scientific transparency and reproducibility are best served when literature search, retrieval, extraction, and interpretation are documented, even if the literature review is not the primary goal of the study itself.
Plan:
- Conduct a comprehensive review of the literature in the relevant and associated fields of study in preparation for formulating a preliminary research question or hypothesis.
- Conduct an in-depth review of the literature most relevant to the preliminary research question or hypothesis to refine the research question or hypothesis.
- Repeat this process, resulting in the statement of a definitive research question or hypothesis.
- Consult the literature periodically to ensure that all relevant new information is available to the research project.
The Medical Library Research Support can help you find scientific information in your research area. Their online environments allows you to search and consult a large number of digital journals, medical and other databases. The Medical Library also offers support in searching the literature for relevant studies.
If you have any questions about doing an appropriate literature review relevant to the research question under consideration, you can request support from the department Epidemiology and Data Science (EDS) on their Service Portal EDS-Consult.
Trial Registers
The following public registers may help you find out what has been published or what kind of clinical studies are being conducted in your research area.
- Overview of Medical Research in the Netherlands (OMON): OMON is a register in which the clinical studies in The Netherlands are registered;
- Clinicaltrials.gov: clinical trials website of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH);
- Clinicaltrialsregister.eu: European register with information about pharmaceutical trials in the EU;
- ISRCTN register: International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register;
- apps.who.int/trialsearch/: International Clinical Trials Registry (WHO).
It is important to note that, in order to qualify for publication in an increasing number of medical and biomedical journals, registration in a public register approved by the WHO is mandatory.
OMON currently includes all research from the old National Trial Register (NTR) and the CCMO register published on ToetsingOnline.nl. See the Professionals page for more information on managing research data and future developments.
The information from the old National Trial Register (NTR) is only available in English. The information from the CCMO register is available in both Dutch and English. In addition, the information may be outdated (such as 'Status of recruitment'). Therefore, when in doubt, always check with the submitting party of a study what the current status is. The submitting party is responsible for the data. Contact details for each study can be found under 'Contacts'.