studysuch

Studysuch is a term used in research methodology to describe the deliberate, systematic search for studies and scholarly articles addressing a defined research question. It is a core component of evidence synthesis and literature reviews, helping to identify relevant evidence while aiming to minimize bias in selection.

Though not tied to a single discipline, the concept is widely employed in medicine, social sciences, and information science. The term appears in discussions of systematic reviews and evidence-based practice, and is occasionally used in German-speaking contexts as "Studysuche."

A typical studysuch proceeds through: formulating a precise question; developing a structured search strategy; querying multiple databases and grey literature; screening results against predefined inclusion criteria; extracting data; and assessing study quality before synthesis.

Common tools include PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and reference managers. The output is a collection of included studies and a narrative or quantitative synthesis, often accompanied by a PRISMA flow diagram.

Challenges include publication bias, language bias, and search truncation. Best practices emphasize preregistration of search protocols, transparent reporting, comprehensive search across sources, and reproducibility.

See also: systematic review, meta-analysis, evidence-based medicine, information retrieval.