NCCMT - URE - 6S Pyramid - a tool that helps you find evidence quickly and efficiently

Video created: December 3, 2014

One of the key activities of evidence-informed public health is conducting an effective and efficient search for research evidence to answer your practice-based question. However, searching for research evidence can be a daunting task. Relatively few public health professionals look forward to this activity. But this new video may give you a new perspective on searching.

6S Pyramid: a tool that helps you find evidence quickly and efficiently explains how using a structured process can save you time.

The 6S Pyramid provides a framework to structure our search for evidence. It provides us with a map, showing us where to start our search and where to go next to find what we are looking for. Whether you have a librarian who conducts searches for you, or you do them yourself, the 6s pyramid is a helpful guide.

By starting at the top of the Pyramid, you always look for the most highly synthesized evidence first and only look for less synthesized evidence when nothing is found at the higher levels. This strategy can significantly reduce the time it takes to find the research evidence you need to answer your practice question.

Resources mentioned:
4:24 Funding for the National Guideline Clearinghouse ended in 2018. A good place to look for best practice guidelines in public health is the Trip Medical Database: https://www.tripdatabase.com/.
4:59 Health Evidence™: https://healthevidence.org/
5:09 The Community Guide: https://www.thecommunityguide.org/
6:29 Public Health+: https://www.nccmt.ca/knowledge-reposi...
6:54 PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
7:03 Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.ca/
7:07 Google: https://www.google.com/
8:04 NCCMT Learning Centre: https://www.nccmt.ca/learning-modules

The National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools is funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada and affiliated with McMaster University. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Public Health Agency of Canada.

NCCMT is one of six National Collaborating Centres (NCCs) for Public Health. The Centres promote and improve the use of scientific research and other knowledge to strengthen public health practices and policies in Canada.