Systematic Reviews: Opportunities for Librarians

For more information or to schedule this course, contact: Emily Capellari, MLIS, at eginier@umich.edu.

The Systematic Reviews: Opportunities for Librarians course is offered in a blended format. The online component takes place asynchronously in a learning management system. Participants explore ten learning modules with corresponding activities designed to establish a foundation and shared understanding of the systematic review process. The workshop culminates in a live, multi-day workshop that provides ample opportunities for discussion and questions. Participants learn about best practices for systematic reviews and tips for handling challenging situations that may arise during systematic review and evidence synthesis projects. The workshop covers topics across the systemic review project life-cycle including protocol writing, team development and dynamics, systematic searching, reporting according to PRISMA-S, data management and sharing, standards related to generative AI use in evidence syntheses, and considerations for establishing systematic review services. Participants will be encouraged to write an action plan to help them apply what they have learned to their future systematic review work.

The Canvas course used for the online component of the course is also used to share resources with the participants throughout the in-person part of the course. This includes a page with helpful resources and articles and copies of all presentation slides (provided as both Google Slides and PowerPoint files). The participants still have access to the Canvas site for one year after the course and can download the materials to store them locally.

Resource URL: https://www.lib.umich.edu/research-and-scholarship/library-workshops-and-credit-courses/systematic-reviews-workshop

This course is an approved elective for the Level II of the Systematic Review Services Specialization.

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

Objective 1: Understand the purpose and methodological characteristics of systematic reviews and the relevant standards.

Objective 2: Apply best practices to the development and reporting of literature searches.

Objective 3: Utilize appropriate resources and methods for data management and delivery.

Objective 4: Understand the importance of communication and role negotiation in collaborative literature search projects.

Objective 5: Develop an implementation plan that combines skills and institutional knowledge to help achieve systematic review-related goals.

In addition to the overarching learning objectives for the Workshop, we also provide learning objectives for the 10 Canvas modules and 15 sessions in the live workshop. Here’s a selection of key learning objectives provided for individual components of the workshop:

• Explain how protocols contribute to the success of systematic review projects and distinguish between high and low quality systematic review protocols.
• Implement best practices for developing, refining, and translating systematic review search strategies.
• Understand the purpose and importance of peer review of systematic review search strategies.
• Explain how systematic review software contributes to the overall systematic review process.
• Describe systematic review standards relevant to data management and identify potential solutions to challenging situations that arise in systematic review data management and sharing.
• Identify standards for writing search methods for systematic review manuscripts.
• Explain key issues in tailoring systematic review manuscript submissions to journal specifications and responding to reviewer comments.
• Understand common issues related to accepting or declining systematic review project invitations and apply strategies to decline as desired or necessary.
• Describe principles for responsible use of generative AI tools in evidence synthesis projects.
• Identify tools for managing and assessing systematic review projects.
• Describe considerations for establishing systematic review or evidence synthesis services.

Agenda

Asynchronous Canvas Content:

Week 1
Module 1: Introduction to Systematic Reviews
Module 2: Roles and Teams
Module 3: Selecting Your Sources

Week 2
Module 4: Term Harvesting
Module 5: Search Construction

Week 3
Module 6: Refining Your Search
Module 7: Bias and Systematic Reviews

Week 4
Module 8: Supplemental Search Strategies
Module 9: Protocols, Data Management, and Deliverables
Module 10: Writing the Methods and Authorship

Timed Agenda for In Person Content:

Day 1
8:30-9:00 am Arrival and optional coffee & tea with instructors (Networking, Q&A)
9:00-10:00 am Welcome Getting Involved & Project Planning
10:00-10:55 am Filters & Limits
11:05-12:00 pm Search Translation; Supplemental Strategies
1:00-1:55 pm Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies; Search Project Debrief
2:05-2:55 pm Improving Your Search
3:00-4:00 pm Deduplication and Search Updates

Day 2
8:30-9:00 am Arrival and optional coffee & tea with instructors (Networking, Q&A)
9:00-9:55 am Data Management and Sharing
9:55-10:55 am Writing the Methods
11:05-12:00 pm Publishing Systematic Reviews
1:00-1:55 pm Saying No
1:55-2:25 pm AI in Evidence Synthesis
2:35-3:30 pm Project Management & Assessment; Systematic Review Services
3:30-4:00 pm Conclusion and Farewell

MLA CE Credits: 20