Overview and Instructions

The formulary monograph project

During PHPR 622, you will work on a final project in small groups. Each small group will write  a formulary monograph on a topic approved by the course’s instructors.  Formulary monographs are based on comprehensive searches — the types of searches you were taught to create during “Introduction to Drug Information” and the type that will be reviewed in this tutorial. The authors of these documents must:

• use comprehensive search techniques to find all high quality evidence,
• critique that evidence, and
• provide recommendations based on their review of the evidence.

While search strategies may not always be included in the formulary monographs produced by practicing pharmacists, you will be required to include your search strategies in the formulary monographs produced for your group assignment.

Outline/Objectives of this tutorial

This online tutorial includes a reminder of the exhaustive, PubMed search techniques needed to complete this semester’s group project.

This tutorial, like the IPPE tutorial, provides a quick review of the PubMed searching skills learned in Introduction to Drug Information. Specifically, after completing the tutorial you should :

1. remember the reasons that multiple search techniques are needed to find all relevant PubMed records.
2. have completed the steps involved in creating a MeSH (medical subject heading) search that will locate trials conducted in humans that have been reported in English language journals
3. have completed the steps involved in creating a comprehensive keyword search.
4. have completed the the steps involved in using a keyword search to:
   1. search for unindexed records
   2. search for any previously published systematic reviews and practice guidelines
   3. search for indexed, randomized controlled trials
5. be familiar with the use of the required template to present your search strategies
6. be familiar with the use of a flow chart to portray the number of search results and to summarize the reasons for result exclusion.

After you complete the tutorial, you will be directed to complete the Canvas-based quiz that will test your understanding of the  content of the tutorials.

Instructions for Using the Tutorials:

Please, read all the instructions in the next section before following the directions.  (When you complete the first step in this section, the instructions will be obscured.)

Start by arranging the instruction window next to a new working window as follows:

• • click this link to open the library homepage in a new window or tab.
  • If the page opens in a new tab rather than a new window, pull the new tab away from this window so you have the two windows open on your screen simultaneously.

• • resize the new “working” window and this instruction window so that they can sit side by side on your computer screen.

• • Whenever you open a tab that covers the instruction panel, pull the new tab onto your working window. 

• • In this tutorial, ‘Page’ separations are indicated by a line.  Just scroll past the line to see the contents of the next page.  Some headings are underlined by a similar line (as seen earlier on this page).  I hope this doesn’t prove confusing.
  • Chapter links appear in the footer at the bottom of the window (see black arrow to the link in the footer in screenshot above).
  • Complete the steps on one page and then immediately go to the next page, or, if you are at the end of a ‘chapter’, click the link to the next chapter.
  • Don’t work ahead of the instructions.  It is easy to get lost or miss important instructions if you work ahead.

• • A contents menu is available above the text (See red arrow in screenshot above).  You can use this menu to jump between distant chapters.  The various “Contents” views toggle. Click to open the “Contents” panel or show the chapters in a section, re-click to close the contents panel or hide the individual chapters in a section