What is a Systematic Review?
A systematic review is a thorough compilation and analysis of all known evidence on a given subject. In order to be formally recognized by publishers and repositories, a systematic review must include the following elements:
A clearly defined research question and protocol (research plan).
Evidence of a rigorous search process.
Inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Critical appraisal and bias assessment of all included studies.
For additional information, see:
Littell, J.H., Corcoran, J., & Pillai, V. (2008). Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. Oxford University Press.
Is a systematic review the right kind of review for your research?
Follow this flow chart from Yale's Cushing/Whitney Medical Library or ask a BYU librarian to learn if another kind of review is a better fit.
A team A systematic review can't be done alone! A typical team includes a project leader, a subject expert, reviewers, a methodologist and/or a librarian, and a statistician.
A research question Consider whether a systematic review is needed before starting your project. Has someone already written one on your topic? Librarians can help you find out.
A research protocol A research protocol is a detailed plan for how you will conduct your review. It is a good idea to register your protocol.
A literature search Your goal is to find ALL relevant studies on your topic, so your literature search should be thorough.
A tracking plan You’ll need to maintain detailed records of each step in the process.
Study selection and appraisal The screening of studies should be performed by at least 2 reviewers.
Data extraction The next step, also with a least 2 reviewers, is to extract data from the included studies.
Analysis and interpretation of results There are a number of tools that can help you to plot and analyze the results. The Cochrane Handbook provides detailed guidance on interpreting results and drawing conclusions.
Adapted from University of Minnesota's Resources for Conducting a Systematic Review Libguide.
The article "How to conduct a systematic review from beginning to end" from Covidence Academy is a good resource for understanding the steps of a systematic review.
Covidence Academy is an tutorial website for the Covidence systematic review tool, featuring free tutorials for different parts of doing a review.
Another recommended starting resource, Cochrane Handbook, is with step by step instruction for the steps in a systematic review.
Consultant
As a consultant, a librarian can step in at different points of your systematic review and offer advice on your research question, search strategy, or protocol development.
From Covidence Academy, "The Librarian's Role in a Systematic Review".
Co-Author
Co-authoring is a more substantial commitment, and a librarian will typically devote more than a year to partner with you on your systematic review. As a co-author, the librarian will be more hands-on and can participate in ways such as:
Librarians who have experience with Systematic Reviews include:
Meg Frost Life Science and Communication Disorders
Mike Goates Life Sciences and Geology
Betsy Hopkins Nursing
Greg Nelson Chemical and Life Sciences