Levy Library Research Synthesis and Systematic Review Services: How We Can Help
Protocol Development
A drafted protocol is a critical step for the search strategy development and recommendation of library resources by the librarian. Please look at the following guiding documents/resources on how to develop a protocol for an evidence synthesis project.
- PRISMA-PPRISMA-P was published in 2015 aiming to facilitate the development and reporting of systematic review protocols. Includes a checklist for items to include and an explanation and elaboration paper.
- A Guide for Developing a Protocol for Conducting Literature ReviewsThis tool provides guidance on developing a protocol for conducting reviews such as systematic and scoping reviews. It discusses the importance of developing a protocol to guide reviews and describes the key elements in a protocol.
- Writing the ProtocolA guide from McGill Library on the elements to include in a protocol.
Levy Library Research Synthesis and Systematic Review Support Services
The Levy Library offers the following support services for research syntheses (including systematic reviews/meta-analyses):
- Introduction to methodology and best practices
- Developing your research question including:
- Investigating whether it is appropriate to try to answer the question/topic at hand via a systematic review/meta-analysis, if applicable
- Determining whether there is sufficient evidence available to provide an answer to the research question
- Comprehensive search strategy development including:
- Identifying a complete list of search terms
- Identifying appropriate databases to search
- Putting it all together - Building your search query
- Help creating a de-duplicated set of results for screening
- Training on Covidence, an online tool designed to facilitate the research synthesis process
- Guidance on selecting an appropriate quality appraisal tool
- Developing a realistic timeline for your research synthesis project
Need help with a research synthesis project? Please fill out our consultation request form and a member of the library staff will reach out to you to schedule an appointment.