Supporting Systematic Reviews and other Evidence Synthesis Methodologies: A Librarian's Toolkit

Evidence synthesis is a collective term for types of secondary literature research that brings together all relevant information on a well-formulated, well-focused research question using a consistent, reproducible methodology. This process includes scoping reviews, systematic reviews, umbrella reviews, meta-analyses, among others, aimed at summarizing evidence on a particular topic.

Librarians play a vital role in the evidence synthesis process towards ensuring the reproducibility and transparency of the research process, hence they should be involved in the process from the start to the end of the evidence synthesis review process/project. In fact, various guidelines recommend that evidence synthesis projects such as systematic reviews should have a librarian or a search expert to develop a replicable search strategy, conduct a search in different databases, document and manage the data, as well as write the methods section of identification of studies for inclusion. The role of the librarian goes beyond search strategy development and execution to include the organization and management of references through use of specialized software such as, Endnote, Zotero and software such as Covidence which helps in streamlining the de-duplication and screening process. Librarians can also provide guidance in developing the research question, which serves as the foundation for evidence synthesis, influencing the search strategy, study selection criteria, data extraction, and synthesis of results, thus guiding many aspects of the evidence synthesis process.

This toolkit therefore provides a comprehensive guide for librarians navigating the complex landscape of evidence synthesis. Through detailed explanations, practical examples, and valuable resources, this book equips librarians with the necessary information, tips and tools to support researchers in conducting evidence synthesis methodologies effectively, that is, in a reproducible and transparent manner.