Systematic Review Service

What is a systematic review?

Cochrane Reviews says that a systematic review "attempts to identify, appraise and synthesize all the empirical evidence that meets pre-specified eligibility criteria to answer a specific research question. Researchers conducting systematic reviews use explicit, systematic methods that are selected with a view aimed at minimizing bias, to produce more reliable findings to inform decision-making."

What can librarians do to support systematic reviews?

• Advise research team on systematic review process

• Search for existing reviews on the same topic

• Select appropriate literature databases

• Design and execute search strategies

• Document search process

• Manage search results and collect citations

• Write methods section of resulting manuscript

Why include a librarian on a systematic review team?

Studies have shown that teams that include a librarian write more comprehensive and reproducible reviews than teams without a librarian. This research demonstrates that studies that included a librarian searched more widely and comprehensively and that reporting of the search strategy and other details of the search process are improved.

The participation of a librarian on a research team is recommended or required by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Cochrane, and Campbell Collaboration.

The KU Libraries systematic review team supports and partners with projects with at least one person who is affiliated with the University of Kansas, including students, staff, and faculty.