Systematic Review Workshop: The Nuts and Bolts for Librarians*

A panel of expert searchers, comprised of members of the HSLS Systematic Review Group, will provide attendees of this face-to-face workshop with a framework for the completion of a systematic review, with special emphasis on successful completion of the literature search process.

Topics covered include:

1) Understanding the structure and purpose of systematic reviews

2) The reference interview and communication issues

3) Approaches to comprehensive literature searching

4) Project organization

Resource URL: http://www.hsls.pitt.edu/systematicreview/

Learning Objectives

Upon completion participants will be able to:

• Define what systematic reviews are and detail their importance within a health sciences setting

• Discuss the types of systematic reviews and associated studies and detail how these types can impact the direction of the reference interview

• List suggested questions that should be included in a systematic review reference interview

• Provide a rationale for inclusion of librarians on systematic review research teams as co-investigators/co-authors

• Identify potential databases to be included in a systematic review, depending on the topic

• Utilize a standardized approach to collecting relevant search terminology, including both controlled vocabulary and key words

• Explain methodology filters and their uses

• Provide approaches for identifying grey literature, clinical trial databases, and conference proceedings and abstracts • Discuss the process of handsearching and detail how electronic searching may have changed this manual process

• Suggest methods for project organization, search delivery, and reference management.

Agenda

Day 1	
Course overview with introductions: 30 min	
Method: sharing & disclosure	
Introduction to systematic reviews: 75 min
Method: slides/didactic, discussion, dialog, iClickers
Study design and systematic reviews: 45 min
Method: slides/didactic, discussion
break (approximately 60 minutes after start of second session): 15 min	
lunch break: 60 min	
Librarian as collaborator: 45 min	
Method: sharing & disclosure, iClickers	
The reference interview: Its importance and techniques: 90 min	
Method: slides, dialog, sharing & disclosure	
break: 15 min	
Publication bias: 40 min	
Method: Slides/discussion, iClickers	
daily wrap-up: 15 min 

Day 2	
Choosing databases: 60 min	
Method: slides/didactic, sharing & disclosure, hands-on exercise	
Harvesting search terms: 120 min	
Method: slides/didactic, hands-on exercise, discussion	
break (after approximately 60 minutes): 15 min
lunch break: 60 min	
Methodology filters: 45 min	
Method: slides/didactic, discussion	
Grey literature: 135 min	
Method: slides/discussion, iClickers, hands-on exercise	
break (after approximately 60 minutes): 15 min
daily wrap-up: 15 min

Day 3 (half day)	
Handsearching: 30 min
Method: slides/discussion, iClickers	
break: 15 min 
Project management - search terminology & results: 60 min	
Method: dialog, sharing & disclosure	
Writing the methods section: 45 min	
Method: slides/didactic	
Final wrap-up/evaluation: 30 min	

Facility Requirements

This class will be held in facilities provided by the Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh. The primary classroom will be set up in a manner to facilitate discussion, disclosure, and sharing. For the case study and hands-on exercises, students will have access to state-of-the-art computer labs providing access to the Internet and selected electronic resources and software.

MLA CE Credits: 20