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Evidence Synthesis Review Guide

A guide to performing systematic reviews and requesting assistance from a librarian.

Library systematic review services

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WSU librarians offer two tiers of systematic review services: consultation or collaboration. If you would like a librarian to assist your evidence synthesis review (such as a systematic review), please complete the form to request a meeting with a librarian. We will respond to your request within three business days.

Consultation (librarian acknowledged in resulting publication)

  • Librarian explains the systematic review process.
  • Librarian suggests which databases to search.
  • Librarian performs a basic literature search in a selected database to provide a sense of the size and scope of relevant studies.
  • Librarian demonstrates how to create a detailed search strategy and perform an advanced search in a selected database.
  • Librarian explains how to organize and de-duplicate search results.
  • Librarian demonstrates how to obtain full-text articles.

Collaboration (librarian is a co-author on resulting conference abstract(s) and publication)

  • Librarian helps refine the research question.
  • Librarian participates in defining inclusion and exclusion criteria.
  • Librarian creates detailed search strategies for multiple databases.
  • Librarian runs searches in databases.
  • Librarian performs other methods of identifying relevant studies (e.g., grey literature search, conference abstract and proceedings search, hand-searching)
  • Librarian organizes and de-duplicates search results.
  • Librarian keeps detailed records of the search process and its outcomes.
  • Depending on their subject expertise, librarian participates in title/abstract or full-text screening.
  • Librarian acquires full-text articles.
  • Librarian writes relevant parts of the Methods and/or Results sections (including creating a PRISMA flow diagram) of the manuscript.

Reviews co-authored by WSU librarians

Group training

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Librarians can also provide group training on systematic review-related topics including performing comprehensive literature searches and using tools for study screening. Contact the Shiffman Medical Library (askmed@wayne.edu or 313-577-1094) to request group training.