For a Simple Search
For a simple search - for example, you want to know all of the trials included in this database about a particular drug - type your term(s) into the search box and click "Browse."
You will be give a page with tabs along the top. "Cochrane Reviews" will bring you to all of the Cochrane-created Systematic Reviews. Many people are more interested in "Trials" which provides you with links to all of the trials that have been added to this database. It is important to note that the systematic reviews included are only Cochrane reviews (created by the Cochrane Review Group) but the Trials do not have this limitation.
To export these results, click on the tab you want (in this case, Trials) and you'll get the image below. Click "Select All" and then Export Selected Citations. Then choose RIS format and a file will be downloaded. RIS format works with all citation management systems, including Covidence, RefWorks, EndNote, Zotero, etc.
For a More Complex Search
If your search requires a more complex search - for example, you have many search concepts - follow these steps. Start by clicking "Advanced Search" with nothing in the search box.
This brings you to a page where you can build your search.
Type your keywords that pertain to a single topic into the first search box. Type the keywords for your next concept into the second box, and so on. When you are done, click "Run Search."
As above, you will be give a page with tabs along the top. "Cochrane Reviews" will bring you to all of the Cochrane-created Systematic Reviews. Many people are more interested in "Trials" which provides you with links to all of the trials that have been added to this database. It is important to note that the systematic reviews included are only Cochrane reviews (created by the Cochrane Review Group) but the Trials do not have this limitation.
To export these results, click on the tab you want (in this case, Trials) and you'll get the image below. Click "Select All" and then Export Selected Citations. Then choose RIS format and a file will be downloaded. RIS format works with all citation management systems, including Covidence, RefWorks, EndNote, Zotero, etc.
For information on how to incorporate MeSH terms into a Cochrane search, see the tutorial in the box to the left.
