Over the last decade, many in the scholarly research community have been sounding the alarm about journal article retractions being on the rise, for example:
Thanks to an increase in awareness of this issue, new technologies have been developed to help alert library discovery tool users whenever they come across retracted items while searching. The thinking is that researchers should have the opportunity to closely examine retracted publications – and even publications that cite retracted papers but are not retracted themselves – as the research being reported within them may be compromised in some way.
One such tool, LibKey, that MSK community members can use via the library’s OneSearch catalog, flags retracted article citations whenever they appear in search result lists – see:
A “search hedge” is a library term that describes one of two things:
Filter: A pre-set feature found in some literature databases, that enables the user to be guided through a process to locate articles on a specific type of question.
Hedge: A published (and sometimes validated) comprehensive search strategy for a database on a specific concept or topic, that can be added to a search, customized, or used as a complete ready-made search.
Search Filters
Search filters are found within a database and work by assisting the user with locating articles for a specific type of question by filling out a form/selecting a pre-set filter.
PubMed Clinical Queries
PubMed Clinical Queries are a built-in search hedge found in PubMed, that assists users in locating clinical studies to answer clinical questions. Users simply enter their search terms and answer several questions (such as whether the question is related to diagnosis, therapy, prognosis, or etiology), and from there PubMed adds a pre-set hedge that is designed specifically for the answers provided.
The search hedge itself is “hidden” from the search strategy seen by the user, however the complete hedge can be viewed in the Clinical Queries filter details.
Embase Search tools
When using Embase (on the Elsevier platform) there are several built-in search tools available to help quickly filter results when searching on specific topics, including: PICO, PV Wizard, and Medical Device.
PICO
The PICO search tool assists in doing evidence-based practice by providing separate sections to enter each component of the PICO framework (population, intervention, comparison, outcome) as well as study design, to quickly identify clinical studies to answer the clinical question being addressed.
PV Wizard
The PV Wizard (PV stands for pharmacovigilance) allows the user to locate articles that address drug monitoring and adverse events using specific drug names (including trade, generic, and alternate names), with buttons to limit to things like adverse reactions, drug interactions, drug combinations, as well as special situations (pregnancy, breastfeeding, pediatric, geriatric, organ failure, etc.).
Medical Device
The Medical Device search allows users to quickly locate clinical and pre-clinical studies on general and medical devices, including manufacturers information and adverse events. This search hedge was developed and validated by industry representatives to ensure that it aligns with best practices for medical device monitoring.
Embase Quick Limits
Embase has several “quick limits” which are essentially search filters that can be added using a single click. These limits can be added by either checking off a box or by adding a specific field code to your search strategy.
Humans: Either the Humans quick limit button or the field code [humans]/lim
Animals: Either the Animal quick limit button or the field code [animals]/lim
EBM: Quick limit button for Cochrane Reviews, Controlled Trials and RCTs
Search Hedges
Search hedges are comprehensive search strategies for a specific database on topics or concepts that have been devised by librarians or information professionals. These hedges are published and available for anyone to use, and many are also validated. While hedges can be used on their own, as ready-made searches on various topics, they are most often added on to the user’s search strategy to limit or narrow the results.
Most search hedges are designed for things like specific populations, study types, diseases or conditions, or outcome measures. Typically a search hedge can simply be copied and pasted into the database, and then using the Boolean operator AND, added to a search already created.
Embase Study Type Hedges
The Embase Study Type Hedges are standardized search strategies for common and frequently used concepts that can used along with a search query. These search strategy hedges can be copied and pasted into the search box in Embase and then added to an already designed search using the Boolean operator AND.
These hedges are to be used to focus on locating specific types of clinical or experimental studies, and each hedge has an option for either sensitivity (comprehensive) and specificity (focused) based results.
There are several types of hedges available on Embase.com.
General Study Types: Therapy, Diagnosis, Prognosis, Etiology, Economics, etc
Hedges by Topic: Diabetes, Real-World Data, Cost Effectiveness, DEI
Animal Breed Hedges: Species-specific hedges for most animals used in research and agriculture
Locating Search Hedges
Since search hedges are published search strategies on specific topics, they can be found in a variety of places online. Some, such as the Study Type Hedges in Embase and the Study Type Filters in PubMed, are available from the database itself. Others can be found on various library websites, published literature, and in special search hedge repositories (though these may not be validated).
It’s common to find search hedges in systematic review resources, since systematic reviews require comprehensive search strategies, and search hedges can provide just that.
A validated search hedge is the “gold-standard” and has been independently tested and verified, so if there is a validated hedge available for the topic you are looking for, that is your best option.
Search Hedge Sources
Canada’s Drug Agency (formerly Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health [CADTH]): Search Filter Database
McMaster Health Information Research Unit (HIRU): Hedges Project
MSK now offers employees access to Open WebUI, a source for several chatbots available for workplace use. But if you think this tool can be used for searching the literature, think again.
What is Open WebUI and How Do I Access It?
This portal is “a proprietary, user-friendly, and PHI-secure portal where staff can access a wide array of popular large language models (LLMs) as well as tools for experienced developers behind the MSK firewall.”
You’ll then get the message “Account Activation Pending” followed by “Contact Admin for WebUI Access.”
No further action is needed and contacting admin isn’t necessary. You will not get confirmation once your account has been activated. But once it has, visiting the URL while onsite or on the VPN will take you to the tools.
Open WebUI includes the following chatbots:
Chatbot
Description
Amazon Nova Pro
A reasoning model for general analysis and summarization. Knowledge cutoff date: Unknown
Claude Sonnet 3.5
A general-use model by Anthropic. Effective with code generation. Knowledge cutoff date: April 15th, 2024
Claude Sonnet 3.7
Improved version of Sonnet 3.5, and also targets code generation as a differentiator. Knowledge cutoff date: October 2024
Claude Sonnet 4
High intelligence and balanced performance. Good for complex coding/debugging, detailed explanations, and documentation review. Detailed prompts recommended. Knowledge cutoff date: January 2024
DeepSeek R1
A reasoning model for logical inference, math problem-solving, code generation, or text-based clinical reasoning. Cannot process images. Knowledge cutoff date: October 2023
OpenAI o1
A reasoning model that thinks before it answers, making it suitable for deep analysis, task breakdown, or image-based clinical analysis. Knowledge cutoff date: October 2023
OpenAI GPT-4o
A general-purpose model that balances quality, speed, and cost-effectiveness. Knowledge cutoff date: October 2023
You can toggle between tools on the top left of the page and click the “set as default” option under a tool name after you’ve selected it.
Why Can’t I Use These Tools to Perform a Literature Search?
When you ask Amazon Nova Pro to perform a literature search, it appears to do so:
However, a follow-up question reveals that all is not as it seems, and that any citations provided are likely not real:
Other tools are clearer about their limitations from the start:
