I would like to use ResearchGate to find publications for a systematic review, which includes following steps:
- defining search terms
- defining where to search (in fulltext/keywords/abstract etc.)
- refining publication years, publication types etc.
- exporting the search results into CSV, where I further sort them and analyze
All of these (and many others) options are available in WoS, Scopus, etc. But in RG, there is only a general search window.
I suspect that RG does not have these abilities. However, we have submitted a review paper, based on such search in WoS and Scopus, and the reviewer asked us to search also in RG. How would you proceed? When I simply use the search terms, I get too much results... without having an option of exporting them. I will appreciate your help, thanks!
Astute choice of wording in the general search window usually gives a good selection from publications in RG. It may usefully supplement more systematic searches.
Yes, I agree. And by the way, how does RG search work? Does it search in fulltexts, titles, keywords, abstracts (or all of these)?
Dear Jiří Ambros did you include Google scholar in your search? This should be more appropriate, in my view, to be included rather than RG, even because RG should appear on Google when we run a search.
I would argue with the reviewer that you did not include RG, but you are happy to include Google scholar for looking for grey literature because this seems to be more appropriate. This is what I think RG should be used for. Because if you are looking for published literature, you should use the formal databases relevant to your topic instead Research Gate.
I hope this makes sense and helps.
Dear Helena, I thank you, and agree with you as well. In the meantime, I have been reading and thinking around the topic - in fact, RG is a great social network, but it does not make it a database. And neither GS is a database - it is a search engine. But thanks for the ideas, I will consider them.
Systematic review—A systematic review attempts to collate all relevant evidence that fits pre-specified eligibility criteria to answer a specific research question. It uses explicit, systematic methods to minimize bias in the identification, selection, synthesis, and summary of studies.
I agree with Helena Rezende
Do not use RG for a systematic review. This is not standard practice, you can cite the Cochrane handbook if you need a supporting reference, which lists Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases as the essential ones.
Use google scholar but limit it to the first 200 or 300 results. I have used this in three of my SRs. The protocol is drawn from - Article Optimal database combinations for literature searches in sys...
Reviewers often make erogenous comments, that one has to successfully rebut, without being rude or offending the reviewer.
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