In the context of research, what is 'sensitivity' referring to?

In the context of research, 'sensitivity' primarily refers to the ability of a study or a search method to correctly identify and retrieve relevant information from a database or among a body of literature. In this sense, sensitivity is often concerned with how effectively a search strategy can cast a wide enough net to include all pertinent articles related to a specific topic.

Therefore, when considering sensitivity as the number of articles retrieved from a search, it highlights the goal of maximizing the retrieval of relevant studies while minimizing the omission of valuable data. A highly sensitive search strategy would yield a comprehensive list of articles, ensuring that as many relevant studies as possible are considered in the research process.

This concept is crucial for systematic reviews and meta-analyses, where the integrity of the findings is heavily dependent on having identified all relevant research. This makes the number of articles retrieved a key factor in establishing the sensitivity of the search. Sensitivity, in this context, is less about the relevance of individual findings, the overall quality of the articles, or how qualitative data is interpreted, but rather about the breadth and inclusiveness of the initial search process in capturing all significant information related to a research question.