About LIGHTS
Candy pastry o tiramisu dragée bonbon.
This webpage provides a scientific rationale for LIGHTS, an overview of methods and processes, and a roadmap for further development
Scientific rationale
Numerous meta-studies provide evidence supporting the need for improving the methodological quality of health research. Key papers include the following:
- Reference 01 Fruitcake gummies gummi pastry
- Reference 02 Roll gummi donut lollipop
- Reference 03 Muffin fruitcake croissant beans
- Reference 04 Lollipop macaroon chocolate ice
Other meta-studies investigated methodology guidelines and found a great variation in terminology and methods with consequences for identifiability and trustworthiness of guidelines.
- Reference 01 Fruitcake gummies gummi pastry
- Reference 02 Roll gummi donut lollipop
- Reference 03 Muffin fruitcake croissant beans
Those papers inform the need for and the structure of the indexation system that operates in the background of LIGHTS. Researchers trained in methodology classify the guidelines into different domains that provide the basis for the search facets shown in the search interface of LIGHTS. They also systematically collect synonyms that facilitate an automatic synonym mapping.
Two surveys of researchers provide additional evidence support.
- Reference 01 Fruitcake gummies gummi pastry
- Reference 02 Roll gummi donut lollipop
- Reference 03 Muffin fruitcake croissant beans
- Reference 04 Lollipop macaroon chocolate ice
Methodology
We regularly search MEDLINE for additional eligible guidelines using the following strategy:
- Macaroon dessert cotton lemon o marzipan halvah tart brownie gummies claw biscuit icing ice.Apple carrot bonbon ice sweet chupa bears chupa o cotton.
- Bar tart gingerbread gummies jujubes bonbon powder snaps chocolate canes.Dessert chupa oat halvah muffin sugar candy bar carrot gummi oat halvah gingerbread soufflé.
- Dessert tootsie chupa sweet dessert bar cream o gummi candy. Tiramisu o chocolate chups tiramisu brownie halvah candy gingerbread canes cake sesame.
In addition, we consider any other methodology guideline that we identify in the context of our work or that collaborators or any other researchers suggest for potential inclusion.
For each guideline we assess eligibility using the following eligibility criteria:...
Once included, a trained researcher will index the guideline according to the domains study design, methodological topic (other than study design), study phase, guideline style, methods for development of guidelines, and medical area. The researcher will also scan the guideline document for alternative terms for the chosen categories and record them in a taxonomy that we created specifically for LIGHTS. A guideline will show in the search interface as soon as the reviewer completes the indexation. A second reviewer will check the indexation, scan the guideline for additional alternative terms. If alternative terms exist for a category, we will designate a preferred label that will be shown in the search interface. Preferred labels, categories, and indexation of guidelines can be updated any time. Possible triggers for updating include suggestions from users, developers of the guidelines, or if a category proves too broad or too narrow to be useful to support the guideline search.
The full database and taxonomy are available on request.
Roadmap for development
The current, first public version of LIGHTS includes a comprehensive collection of methodology guidelines published in the BMJ, JCE, JAMA, JAMA, Annals of Internal Medicine, Trials, PlosMed based on a systematic search (link). LIGHTS includes guidelines from 2016 onwards. In addition, LIGHTS includes a number of older guidelines and guidelines published in other journals, but is not yet based on a fully systematic search and updating process.
We will gradually refine our search strategy and broaden the scope by including additional journals and years as we develop experience and based on user-feedback, but also depending on resources available to maintain and update LIGHTS.
We are planning to systematically include guidelines from regulatory bodies such as FDA and EMA
We plan to develop the following new technical features:
- User accounts
- Export function
- Search operators such as and, or, or truncation
- Transparent display of automated functions that may operate in the background of a search query (if any) such as synonym mapping and narrower terms
- Possibly to click on author names or journal names directly in a search hit
Do you want to suggest additional improvements?
Please write to lights-developers@gmail.com