Table 2

Frequency of validity and validity assessment terms in titles, abstracts and four databases

Validity Terms Used in the Search Strategies

Titles n = 38

Abstracts n = 37¹

MEDLINE (mh) n = 29²

MANTIS (de) n = 28²

CINAHL (sh) n = 13²

Web of Science n = 26^2,3,4

Accuracy, accurate

3

10

1

Analysis of variance [mh] [sh] [de]

2

3

Construct validity [sh]

2

1

Content validity [sh]

Convergent

Criterion / Criterion related validity [sh]

3

1

Discriminant Analysis [mh] [de]

1

3

Discriminant validity [sh]

Face validity [sh]

Gold standard

1

Instrumentation [sh]/instrument*

1

3

1

2

1

Judgment [mh] [sh]

1

1

Likelihood functions [mh] [de] / Likelihood ratio

Predict* (predictive, predictor, predictability)

3

7

2

Predictive value of tests [mh] [sh] [de]

6

1

1

Reference standards [mh] [de]

ROC / ROC curve [mh] [de]

Sensitivity and specificity [mh] [sh] [de]

2

7

3

2

2

Valid, validation, validation studies [pt] [sh], validity [sh]

7

6

2

2

Validity Assessment Terms

Galvanic skin response [mh] [de]

1

1

1

1

Measure*, Pain Measurement [mh] [sh] [de]

2

7

4

2

4

2

Radiography [mh] [sh] [de]

1

6

2

5

3

1

Thermography [mh] [sh] [de]

1

1

1

1

X-rays [mh]

3

Terms Used by Authors and Indexers but not in Search Strategies.

Machine*

1

2

2

Reference values [mh] [sh] [de]

1

2

Reference based

1

1

Reproducibility of results [mh] [sh] [de]

7

13

[mh] = Medical Subject Headings in MEDLINE; [pt] = publication type in MEDLINE; [sh] = Subject Heading in CINAHL [de] = Descriptor in MANTIS Note: ¹One study did not have an abstract online. ²Not all studies had abstracts. ³Web of Science does not have a controlled vocabulary. ⁴Eleven studies had no keywords generated. * is a truncation symbol for a wild card search in PubMed and Web of Science.

Murphy et al. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2003 3:3   doi:10.1186/1472-6882-3-3