Help using evidence base
Help Using the Evidence Base
We hope that the evidence base is self-explanatory and easy to use. However, the information below may help if you are having problems. Failing this, please contact us for more information, or if you have any suggestions on aspects which you found less easy to use or ideas on how we could improve it.
This guidance is divided into the following sub-sections:
1. Overview of the evidence base
2. Search the evidence base
2.1 Listing all documents
2.2 Refining the search
2.2.1 Generic search criteria
2.2.2 Green infrastructure search criteria
3. Search results
3.1 Longer summary of a document
3.2 Changing the order of the documents in the list
3.3 Exporting the list to a pdf document
1. Overview of the evidence base
The evidence base holds a review of a number of documents. It allows you to:
- View a list (with a brief summary) of these documents
- Refine the list according to changeable search criteria
- Order the list
- Export the list to a pdf document
- View a more detailed summary of each document (and link to the websites housing the document or of the organisation responsible for the document).
The evidence base page is divided into two sections:
- Search the evidence base – which allows you to refine your search
- Search results – which allows you to view, order, and export the list (with a brief summary) of the documents relating to your search, and to reach a more detailed summary of each document.
2. Search the evidence base
2.1 Listing all documents
If you want to see the list of all the documents reviewed in the evidence base then DO NOT make any changes to the search criteria in this section. The full list of documents can then be seen in the search results section.
2.2 Refining the search
If you want to refine your search, there are two sets of search criteria, each with a number of specific searches that can be carried out:
- Generic search criteria
- Green infrastructure search criteria
Each of these sets, and the specific searches within them, can be expanded and contracted by clicking on the headings which have a + or – button.
It is always possible to select more than option from the tick boxes and lists provided.
Where 'All' appears next to a specific search, this search has not been refined; where the text next to the specific search changes, the search has been refined.
Once you have refined your search, click the green 'Search Evidence Base' button below the search criteria boxes. This will then amend the list of items appearing in the 'Search Results' section according to your search criteria.
Clicking the red 'Reset' button will remove any specific searches which have been set (i.e. will bring up the full list of documents again).
2.2.1 Generic search criteria
It is possible to refine your search according to:
- Evidence type – It is possible for you to select 'research', 'policy' and/or 'delivery' from tick boxes. Please note that a given document will only be classified as one of these types (e.g. it is not possible for us to classify a document as research and delivery, only research or delivery). In practice it is sometimes difficult to make such a clear distinction (e.g. a research document may have recommendations for policy or delivery). We have tried to be consistent in the classification made, but you should bear this in mind when refining your search.
- Organisation – It is possible to select one or more organisation from a list. The named organisations are responsible for documents which have been reviewed.
- Date range – This allows you to select a date range for the document using drop down boxes.
- Geographical area to which the document refers – This tries to capture the area which the document refers to. (e.g. if you select Manchester you will get results that refer to Manchester only, not those that refer to Greater Manchester, or to North West England; and vice versa).
- Key words of document – You can type anything in here, but to find a result this word will have to appear in the document title, author or findings.
2.2.2 Green infrastructure search criteria
It is possible to refine your search according to:
- Is 'green infrastructure' mentioned? – You can select 'yes' or 'no' (or both – which will bring up all the results) from tick boxes. For a document to be recorded as 'yes' the exact words must appear in it.
- Influence scale – You can select 'high', 'medium' or 'low' from tick boxes. This is an evaluation of how influential the document is, i.e. the power of it's prescriptions to alter current practice.
- Supportive of green infrastructure scale - It is possible to select multiple tick boxes for a range of supportive options, as well as 'no mention'. Many documents reviewed were written before the term 'green infrastructure' was common. This option allows you to refine documents on the language they use and the level of support.
- Green infrastructure type – It is possible to select multiple tick boxes for specific green infrastructure types, as well as 'non-specific green infrastructure'. Please note that where 'non-specific green infrastructure' has been linked to a finding, this finding could still be relevant to more specific green infrastructure types such as 'trees' or 'derelict land', it is just not explicitly referring to these types.
- Green infrastructure function – You can select multiple functions from the list. We have captured a specific function where it is referred to by a key finding.
- Green infrastructure benefits – You can select multiple benefits from the list. We have captured a specific benefit where it is referred to by a key finding.
3. Search results
The search results section tells you how many documents fit your search criteria and lists these (with brief summaries) with 20 results to each page. It is possible to scroll through the pages by clicking on 'Next >>' and '<< Back'.
'Document analysis in progress' means that we have either only partially completed the review (i.e. we may not have entered all the relevant information to make the document fully searchable in the evidence base) or we have not yet finalised the data entry. In some cases we may have added some basic information on a document which we think is relevant and want to include in the evidence base in some form, but we have yet to undertake the review.
3.1 Longer summary of a document
To view a longer summary of a specific document, click on the document title (highlighted in purple). From here, you can click on links to any named organisation's website and to the document itself (where such websites are available). To then go back to the search click on '<< Back To Search' at the top of the page.
3.2 Changing the order of the documents in the list
The default ordering for the results is by end date descending (i.e. the latest documents are listed first). It is possible to amend this. Using the drop down boxes at the top of the search results section, you can order the results by: 'end date', 'start date', 'document title', or 'author', in both ascending or descending order.
3.3 Exporting the list to a pdf document
The purple 'Export' button (at the top of the 'Search Results' section, and the bottom of the 'Search The Evidence Base' section) allows you to create a pdf document with the brief summary of your search results. This list is ordered according to your selection and can be saved or printed.
Please click here to return to the evidence base.
