Improving the translation of search strategies using the Polyglot Search Translator: a randomized controlled trial

Justin Michael Clark¹, Sharon Sanders², Matthew Carter³, David Honeyman⁴, Gina Cleo⁵, Yvonne Auld⁶, Debbie Booth⁷, Patrick Condron⁸, Christine Dalais⁹, Sarah Bateup¹⁰, Bronwyn Linthwaite¹¹, Nikki May¹², Jo Munn¹³, Lindy Ramsay¹⁴, Kirsty Rickett¹⁵, Cameron Rutter¹⁶, Angela Smith¹⁷, Peter Sondergeld¹⁸, Margie Wallin¹⁹, Mark Jones²⁰, Elaine Beller²¹

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia, jclark@bond.edu.au, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0133-1613.
² Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia, ssanders@bond.edu.au.
³ Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia, macarter@bond.edu.au.
⁴ Bond University Library, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia, d_honeyman@hotmail.com.
⁵ Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia, gcleo@bond.edu.au.
⁶ Gold Coast Health Library Service, Gold Coast University Hospital, Southport, Queensland, Australia, Yvonne.Auld@health.qld.gov.au.
⁷ University Library, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia, debbie.booth@newcastle.edu.au.
⁸ University Library, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, p.condron@unimelb.edu.au.
⁹ University Library, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, c.dalais@library.uq.edu.au.
¹⁰ Bond University Library, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia, sbateup@bond.edu.au.
¹¹ Bond University Library, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia, blinthwa@bond.edu.au.
¹² Sturt Library, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, nikki.may@sa.gov.au.
¹³ Centre for Teaching and Learning, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia, Joanne.Munn@scu.edu.au.
¹⁴ University Library, Australian Catholic University, Banyo, Queensland, Australia, Lindy.Ramsay@acu.edu.au.
¹⁵ University Library, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, k.rickett@library.uq.edu.au.
¹⁶ University Library, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia, c.rutter@qut.edu.au.
¹⁷ Hunter New England Health Libraries, New South Wales (NSW) Health, Hunter Region, New South Wales, Australia, Angela.Smith@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au.
¹⁸ University Library, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia, p.sondergeld@qut.edu.au.
¹⁹ University Library, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia, jam232@gmail.com.
²⁰ Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia, majones@bond.edu.au.
²¹ Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia, ebeller@bond.edu.au.

PMID: 32256231
PMCID: PMC7069833
DOI: 10.5195/jmla.2020.834

Randomized Controlled Trial

Improving the translation of search strategies using the Polyglot Search Translator: a randomized controlled trial

Justin Michael Clark et al. J Med Libr Assoc. 2020 Apr.

. 2020 Apr;108(2):195-207.

doi: 10.5195/jmla.2020.834. Epub 2020 Apr 1.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia, jclark@bond.edu.au, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0133-1613.
² Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia, ssanders@bond.edu.au.
³ Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia, macarter@bond.edu.au.
⁴ Bond University Library, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia, d_honeyman@hotmail.com.
⁵ Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia, gcleo@bond.edu.au.
⁶ Gold Coast Health Library Service, Gold Coast University Hospital, Southport, Queensland, Australia, Yvonne.Auld@health.qld.gov.au.
⁷ University Library, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia, debbie.booth@newcastle.edu.au.
⁸ University Library, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, p.condron@unimelb.edu.au.
⁹ University Library, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, c.dalais@library.uq.edu.au.
¹⁰ Bond University Library, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia, sbateup@bond.edu.au.
¹¹ Bond University Library, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia, blinthwa@bond.edu.au.
¹² Sturt Library, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, nikki.may@sa.gov.au.
¹³ Centre for Teaching and Learning, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia, Joanne.Munn@scu.edu.au.
¹⁴ University Library, Australian Catholic University, Banyo, Queensland, Australia, Lindy.Ramsay@acu.edu.au.
¹⁵ University Library, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, k.rickett@library.uq.edu.au.
¹⁶ University Library, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia, c.rutter@qut.edu.au.
¹⁷ Hunter New England Health Libraries, New South Wales (NSW) Health, Hunter Region, New South Wales, Australia, Angela.Smith@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au.
¹⁸ University Library, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia, p.sondergeld@qut.edu.au.
¹⁹ University Library, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia, jam232@gmail.com.
²⁰ Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia, majones@bond.edu.au.
²¹ Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia, ebeller@bond.edu.au.

PMID: 32256231
PMCID: PMC7069833
DOI: 10.5195/jmla.2020.834

Abstract

Background: Searching for studies to include in a systematic review (SR) is a time- and labor-intensive process with searches of multiple databases recommended. To reduce the time spent translating search strings across databases, a tool called the Polyglot Search Translator (PST) was developed. The authors evaluated whether using the PST as a search translation aid reduces the time required to translate search strings without increasing errors.

Methods: In a randomized trial, twenty participants were randomly allocated ten database search strings and then randomly assigned to translate five with the assistance of the PST (PST-A method) and five without the assistance of the PST (manual method). We compared the time taken to translate search strings, the number of errors made, and how close the number of references retrieved by a translated search was to the number retrieved by a reference standard translation.

Results: Sixteen participants performed 174 translations using the PST-A method and 192 translations using the manual method. The mean time taken to translate a search string with the PST-A method was 31 minutes versus 45 minutes by the manual method (mean difference: 14 minutes). The mean number of errors made per translation by the PST-A method was 8.6 versus 14.6 by the manual method. Large variation in the number of references retrieved makes results for this outcome inconclusive, although the number of references retrieved by the PST-A method was closer to the reference standard translation than the manual method.

Conclusion: When used to assist with translating search strings across databases, the PST can increase the speed of translation without increasing errors. Errors in search translations can still be a problem, and search specialists should be aware of this.

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Conflict of interest statement

Author Justin Michael Clark has received awards, with prize money, to continue developing the Polyglot Search Translator from the Australian Library Information Association. All other authors declare that they have no other competing interests.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Mean time taken (minutes) to translate search strings by the Polyglot Search Translator–assisted (PST-A) and manual methods Abbreviation: PST-A=Polyglot Search Translator–assisted.

**Figure 2**
Mean number of errors by the PST-A and manual methods

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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Improving the translation of search strategies using the Polyglot Search Translator: a randomized controlled trial

Affiliations

Improving the translation of search strategies using the Polyglot Search Translator: a randomized controlled trial

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Research Materials