How To Conduct A Systematic Review: Library Services

3.1.1 Work with a librarian or other information specialist trained in performing systematic reviews (SRs) to plan the search strategy

3.1.2 Design the search strategy to address each key research question

3.1.3 Use an independent librarian or other information specialist to peer review the search strategy

3.1.4 Search bibliographic databases

3.1.5 Search citation indexes

3.1.6 Search literature cited by eligible studies

3.1.7 Update the search at intervals appropriate to the pace of generation of new information for the research question being addressed

3.1.8 Search subject-specific databases if other databases are unlikely to provide all relevant evidence

3.1.9 Search regional bibliographic databases if other databases are unlikely to provide all relevant evidence

3.2.1 Search grey-literature databases, clinical trial registries, and other sources of unpublished information about studies

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2011. Finding What Works in Health Care: Standards for Systematic Reviews. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/13059.
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TCOM/TCOP librarians can:

• perform a search to see whether a SR on your topic has already been published or registered
• help you formulate and focus your research question.
• help with citation management
• determine if your question is right for a systematic review or better suited for another type of review
• identify tools, resources, guidelines, and standards for conducting and reporting systematic reviews
• suggest relevant databases and grey literature sources based on your systematic review question
• provide search strategy development and database search techniques
• perform searches, import references into RefWorks, and provide reproducible search strategies

The librarians will be listed as either a co-author or with an acknowledgement depending on the level of service provided.

Before your meeting:

1. Formulate your topic:  The more you are able to describe your topic, the better off you’ll be from the start..
2. Identify key articles: Do a quick PubMed search to locate a few important articles on your topic. This will help the librarians create an effective search and understand what you want to find.
3. Have a draft of the protocol: Even if you haven’t completed it yet, the protocol is helpful for your librarian to understand your topic better. It’s also critical to outline your inclusion and exclusion criteria from the start to minimize bias, but also to inform the search process.
4. Plan your timeline appropriately: The average systematic review takes 67.3 weeks (Borah, et al., 2018).  It’s critical to plan ahead. Your librarian will need time to create, test, translate, and run your searches.