The Gather step is the foundation of your Systematic Review. It allows you to build a comprehensive body of evidence by running multiple search strategies in parallel, combining different data sources (like semantic questions, Boolean strings, and Clinical Trial registries) into a single, reproducible protocol.
Unlike a standard search, the Gather workflow is designed for iteration. Test different queries side-by-side, review your search history, and curate exactly which strategies feed into your final screening.
1. Running Multiple Searches (Multi-Tab Workflow)
In a rigorous review, a single search query is rarely enough. The Gather interface allows you to layer multiple search strategies to ensure you don't miss key papers.
To add a new search strategy, locate the Paper sources bar at the top of the interface and click the + icon to open a new tab. Choose your search method:
Question Search: Best for natural language exploration.
Keyword Search: Best for precise Boolean strings.
Upload Papers: To include PDFs you already possess.
Why use multiple tabs?
A/B Testing: Keep your original search in "Tab 1" as a control. Create "Tab 2" to test a variation of your query.
Combining Methodologies: Have one tab for broad semantic discovery and another for a strict Boolean string. Elicit automatically de-duplicates papers across all active tabs.
Keyword-Exclusive search strategies: When using Elicit as part of something like an HTA filing, using a variety of keyword searches is standard practice.
2. Iterating & Using Search History
Update the text in any search bar and click Update search to refresh the results. Click the History button next to the Filters bar to open a log of previous queries run in that tab, allowing you to restore a past search strategy instantly.
3. Using Boolean Logic & Specific Corpora
Keyword Search (Boolean Logic): Select Keyword Search from the + menu to enter precise Boolean strings using operators like AND, OR, and NOT. For example: ("type 2 diabetes" OR "diabetes mellitus") AND (mortality OR survival). For a full guide, see Keyword search in Systematic Reviews.
Searching Specific Databases (e.g., Clinical Trials): Click the Source dropdown (top left of the search bar) and select Clinical trials to search registries like ClinicalTrials.gov and access trial-specific filters.
4. Managing Scope (Removing Tabs)
All papers found in the tabs currently open in your "Paper sources" bar will move forward to the Screening step. If you decide a search strategy isn't working, click the X on that search tab to close it and exclude those results from your review.
Warning: Closing a tab removes those search results from your systematic review entirely. They will not appear in Screening, Extraction, or the final PRISMA diagram.
5. Automated Reporting & PRISMA
The Gather workflow self-documents. When you proceed to Generate report, Elicit will automatically:
Generate a PRISMA flow diagram visualizing how many papers were identified from each specific search tab/source.
Document Methods listing the exact query strings and Boolean logic used for every active tab, alongside the date and database source.