After receiving a request to help with a systematic review or other evidence synthesis, the librarian should schedule an initial consultation with the researcher. During this meeting, you should cover the following points.
It's critical that all evidence synthesis projects, other than a narrative review, start with a protocol. The researcher will hopefully have already started creating a protocol before they reach out to the librarian. If not, you should devote time during the initial consult to discuss the need for a protocol. You may want to provide the researcher with a template and/or an example. You should also discuss whose responsibility it is to register the protocol once it has been finalized.
The protocol can't be finalized until you've finished creating the search strategy for at least one database. I've found it's easier to draft a search once I've seen a first draft of the protocol, so I don't search until then.
The researcher should provide you with seed articles which you can test your search strategy against. The more the better. I try for 6-20 seed articles. Adjust the search as needed until your strategy returns all seed articles. This may require additional conversations with the researcher about refining the research question.
You may want to ask another librarian to peer-review your search strategy. This would be a good time to do so. The PRESS Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies 2015 Guideline provides guidance tor evaluating complex search strategies.
The protocol should also indicate if alternative search strategies will be used, such as handsearching journal issues, snowballing references, etc. You should discuss this with the researcher, so you all are in agreement who is responsible for performing those alternative strategies.
Once the protocol has been finalized and registered, the librarian can start translating the original search to run across the remaining databases, websites, trials registries, etc.
It's absolutely critical you have a plan for documenting your searches. Some librarians use Word files with macros for the quick translation of syntax. Others use spreadsheets. Whatever method you use, make sure you document everything covered in the PRISMA-Search extension.
Make sure you're exporting the citations in a file format compatible with the screening software and citation management software the team will be using. The files should contain at least title and abstract. If using Covidence, all other fields will be stripped automatically.
Establish a file-naming convention for the citation import files. I prefer the following: Lead author's last name - database name - date ran - number of references. For example: smith medline 06072024 1456 refs.
Deduplicate the files for the researchers before screening begins. I usually deduplicate twice: the first time in EndNote and the final time in the screening software. Document the number of records before and after deduplication. You'll need to report this number in the PRISMA flow diagram.
Set up the screening software for the team. You may want to schedule a training session to teach them how to use it. You can also establish a training set for the team to practice screening. Once the records have been deduplicated and added to the screening software, inform the team that the project is ready for the first round of screening, i.e. the title/abstract screening. You may want to periodically check with them to make sure they're on-track.
After the first round of screening is complete, you can help the team upload full-text articles for the full-text screening round. Screening can continue while ILL requests are pending. Note: EndNote can be set up to find full-text, where available. Even if it can only find a third of the articles for you, the time-saving is worth it.
There's not much for the librarian to do during these sections of the evidence synthesis project. You may want to help them find templates or assessment tools. You may also want to periodically check in with the team to make sure they're still making progress. This is often where a project will stall.
As a coauthor and search expert, the librarian must be part of writing the manuscript. You should write the content in the methodology section that pertains to searching. Provide the team with the complete search strategies for all electronic searches; this should be submitted with the manuscript as supplemental material. If the journal doesn't accept supplemental material, you can make the searches available online via the protocol register, an institutional repository, searchRxiv, etc. You may also need to help the team fill out the PRISMA flow diagram.
All searches will need to be updated if they were originally performed more than a year before the intended date of publication. In fact, Cochrane refers searches to have been run within 6 months of the intended date of publication. Use EndNote (or other citation manager) to identify unique citations, by uploading the first search results and the new search results to the same library and deduplicating.
Systematic Searching by
In resource poor, cost saving times, this book provides practical advice on new methods and technologies involved in systematic searching and explores the role of information professionals in delivering these changes The editors bring together expert international practitioners and researchers to highlight the latest thinking on systematic searching. Beginning by looking at the methods and techniques underlying systematic searching, the book then examines the current challenges and the potential solutions to more effective searching in detail, before considering the role of the information specialist as an expert searcher. Systematic Searching blends theory and practice and takes into account different approaches to information retrieval with a special focus being given to searching for complex topics in a health-related environment. The book does not presume an in-depth prior knowledge or experience of systematic searching and includes case studies, practical examples and ideas for further research and reading. The book is divided into three parts: Methods covers theoretical approaches to evidence synthesis and the implications that these have for the search process, including searching for complex topics and choosing the right sources. Technology examines new technologies for retrieving evidence and how these are leading to new directions in information retrieval and evidence synthesis. People considers the future of the information specialist as an expert searcher and explores how information professionals can develop their skills in searching, communication and collaboration to ensure that information retrieval practice is, and remains, evidence-based. Systematic Searching will be essential reading for library and information service providers and information specialists, particularly those in a health-related environment. It will also be of interest to students of library and information science, systematic reviewers, researchers and practitioners conducting complex searches in settings including social care, education and criminal justice.
It's crucial that you keep detailed record of your information retrieval processes, including complete search strategies, numbers of results found, date(s) the searches were run, etc. Create and stick with a file naming convention for these records, including any import files you use.
Librarians should discuss expectations around data management with the team or team lead. Some important questions might include
Even expert searchers can benefit from a second pair of eyes looking over their search strategies. Consider seeking a peer-reviewer for at least your primary search.
Piecing Together Systematic Reviews and Other Evidence Syntheses by EndNote X2 and later can automatically find and download PDFs of articles in your library. You can optimize EndNote's Find Full Text function with the following steps:
Activate the Find Full Text function with the following steps:
EndNote will attempt to find PDFs or URLs for all selected articles. It can work in the background while you do other things. Any articles that EN can't find, you should look for in the library's OneSearch. If you still can't locate the full text, please submit an interlibrary loan request.
Note: Find Full Text will not automatically pull PDFs for the following vendors: