Skip to contents

Record how the search was run

Source: R/records.R
gr_search.Rd

The part of a review that no tool can infer and every review must state: which databases were searched, with what query, on what date, and what limits were applied. PRISMA items 6 and 7 ask for it, and item 7 asks for the full strategy for at least one database so that it could be repeated.

Usage

gr_search(
  databases,
  dates = NULL,
  limits = NULL,
  registration = NA_character_,
  other = NULL,
  notes = NULL
)

Arguments

databases

Named character vector or list: name of each source, value the query string run against it. The query is the point; a review reporting "we searched PubMed" without it cannot be repeated.

dates

When each search was run, as YYYY-MM-DD. One value, or one per database. Searches drift: a review is a statement about a date.

limits

Limits applied: language, publication years, study design filters. Free text; a review states them whatever they were.

registration

Registration identifier (a PROSPERO number, say), or NA and say so. PRISMA item 24 asks either way.

other

Any further sources: reference lists checked, experts contacted, registers, preprint servers, hand-searched journals.

notes

Anything else the methods section has to say.

Value

An object of class gr_search.

Details

This function computes nothing. It exists so the answer travels with the run instead of living in a lab notebook. It reaches gr_flow() and the audit report, and it round-trips through gr_protocol_save() alongside the criteria, so what was searched and what was eligible are one artifact.

See also

gr_records(), gr_protocol(), gr_flow()

Other corpus functions: gr_calibrate(), gr_inventory(), gr_records(), gr_reference()

Examples

gr_search(
  databases = c(PubMed = "(spaced practice[tiab]) AND (retention[tiab])",
                Scopus = "TITLE-ABS-KEY(\"spaced practice\" AND retention)"),
  dates = "2026-02-14",
  limits = "English; 2000 onwards; primary studies only",
  registration = "PROSPERO CRD42026000000",
  other = "Reference lists of included studies hand-searched"
)
#> <gr_search> 2 source(s)
#>   PubMed  (searched 2026-02-14)
#>     (spaced practice[tiab]) AND (retention[tiab])
#>   Scopus  (searched 2026-02-14)
#>     TITLE-ABS-KEY("spaced practice" AND retention)
#>   limits : English; 2000 onwards; primary studies only
#>   also   : Reference lists of included studies hand-searched
#>   registration: PROSPERO CRD42026000000