A systematic review is a literature review focused on a research question that tries to identify, appraise, select and synthesize all high quality research evidence relevant to that question. Systematic reviews of high-quality randomized controlled trials are crucial to evidence-based medicine.

• Marina Englesakis

  Why aren't the guides/standards for systematic reviews being followed?

  Question: why are SR guidelines/standards not followed?

  Recent replies ⋅ Show All (8)

  • 
    Rebecca Rees replied

    HI all, I think we should think about systems and cultures here. We have a way to go, still, to get systematic reviewing recognised as a research activity. Not enough people with influence recogniseHI all, I think we should think about systems and cultures here. We have a way to go, still, to get systematic reviewing recognised as a research activity. Not enough people with influence recognise that a good review requires a skilled and experienced team with expertise and a range of necessary skills. This limits the financial and other resources necessary for good reviews, including the number of researchers trained to do them in a rigorous, critical way. Systematic reviews need to be recognised more fully as being pieces of research, with scopes, designs, methods and conclusions that can, and should be, defended by their authors. I am part of a team based at the Institute of Education in London that was funded to conduct research and develop Masters level teaching in the area of systematic reviews by the UK's Economic and Social Research Council. Check out some of the project's resources: 1) free online introductory chapter of the project team's book 'An introduction to systematic reviews', published by SAGE http://bit.ly/HwKMX2; 2) online and face-to-face short research methods courses and MSc Programme 'Research for public policy and practice' . http://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/MSc/rspp We argued that we needed a step-change in learning about systematic reviews, to increase the 'pull' for systematic reviews from research commissioners, but also to increase understanding as to what it takes to critically seek out, appraise and synthesise existing research. How many of you were taught about systematic reviews as part of your undergraduate or Masters degrees?

    3 days ago
• Marina Englesakis

  One more guide: Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewers Manual 2011

  http://www.joannabriggs.edu.au/Documents/JBI-Reviewers%20Manual-2011%20HR.pdf
• Marina Englesakis

  One more guide: Methods Guide for Effectiveness and Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, 2008- (constantly being updated)

  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK47095/
• Marina Englesakis

  Another guideline: SCIE systematic research reviews: guidelines, 2nd ed. 2010

  http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/researchresources/rr01.pdf
• Marina Englesakis

  Additional guideline for systematic reviews: Finding What Works in Health care: Standards for Systematic Reviews Quite thorough...

  http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2011/Finding-What-Works-in-Health-Care-Standards-for-Systematic-Reviews.aspx
• Bonnie Meekums

  How real is our rigour?

  I will be presenting soon about a literature synthesis undertaken with a young RA. Attempts to independently extract data were meaningless, I felt, as consensus always meant her agreeing with me. I will be presenting soon about a literature synthesis undertaken with a young RA. Attempts to independently extract data were meaningless, I felt, as consensus always meant her agreeing with me. How often do we think about issues of power in SR teams?

  Recent replies ⋅ Show All (13)

  • 
    Rebecca Rees replied

    Has anyone here experience of different software tools that can help optimise the time spent on independent screening/coding and then work to reach consensus? My organisation (EPPI-Centre) hasHas anyone here experience of different software tools that can help optimise the time spent on independent screening/coding and then work to reach consensus? My organisation (EPPI-Centre) has developed the EPPI-Reviewer software (sorry for shameless marketing) that allows me to automate comparisons of codes at all stages of a review - and kinds of reviews too, as we often do more qualitative integrative reviews where individuals will create codes inductively and then meet to compare. This really speeds the process up. I know of other software (I'm now marketing for others...) Comprehensive meta-analysis, Distiller SR, Mix 2.0, RevMan, Sumari. Do people have experience of these and do they also allow automatic comparison, and of all sorts of different kinds of review coding? I'm asking as I sometimes have to teach on this.

    11 days ago
• Deirdre Beecher

  This was published in January but just in case it slipped by you. Missing clinical trial data BMJ 2012; 344 doi: 10.1136/bmj.d8158 (Published 3 January 2012) Cite this as: BMJ 2012;344:d8158

  http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.d8158
• Daphne Plaut

  BioMed Central has recently launched a journal devoted to systematic reviews. It's great to now have an open access venue for papers about the design and conduct of systematic reviews.

  http://www.systematicreviewsjournal.com/
• Deirdre Beecher

  'Observer bias in randomised clinical trials with binary outcomes ...' - interesting systematic review

  http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e1119.short?rss=1&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bmj%2Frecent+%28Latest+from+BMJ%29
• Deirdre Beecher

  Some lesser used literature resources that maybe of interest. It is important to remember, that when writing reviews or other publications that require a literature search, that there are oftenSome lesser used literature resources that maybe of interest. It is important to remember, that when writing reviews or other publications that require a literature search, that there are often papers published in languages other than English that are not available via the usual sources.

  http://www.pediatriabasadaenpruebas.com/2012/02/formacion-e-informacion-en-pediatria.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
• Deirdre Beecher

  This months issue of the Cochrane Library has published a large number of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Systematic Reviews and Protocols.

  http://srdta.cochrane.org/cochrane-diagnostic-test-accuracy-reviews
• Deirdre Beecher

  This article reports on a project (in development) to create a web based archive of systematic review data, '... we have initiated the development of the Systematic Review Data Repository, an open,This article reports on a project (in development) to create a web based archive of systematic review data, '... we have initiated the development of the Systematic Review Data Repository, an open, collaborative, Web-based repository of systematic review data ...'.

  http://www.systematicreviewsjournal.com/content/1/1/15/abstract
• Sohan Deshpande

  Introduction to Cochrane Collaboration.

  http://www.cochrane.org/about-us

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  • 
    Sohan Deshpande replied

    Thanks for sharing it Deirdre

    Feb 22, 2012
• Deirdre Beecher

  Making systematic reviews work for international development research (Briefing Paper 1 January 2012) - Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium Interesting document in which the authors reflect uponMaking systematic reviews work for international development research (Briefing Paper 1 January 2012) - Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium Interesting document in which the authors reflect upon the use of SRs in international development research.

  http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/docs/7546.pdf
• Carlos Melo-Dias

  RSL operationalized

  http://www.researchgate.net/publication/215968363_RSL_Operacionalizada_RSL_operationalized

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  • 
    Carlos Melo-Dias replied

    Http://www.nursingportuguesa.com/conteudo.php?acbrbvbk=ad5ry1b3wmjxz1a7atpxvfewamqpdgfgvgoaz1nl&adlraatela9xr1tela9xr1=aghrnvaz&adlrafbcwnhxyvax=agrrnatela9xr1tela9xr1&advrafbqwmhxzva9aqrxafe7anmpcafkHttp://www.nursingportuguesa.com/conteudo.php?acbrbvbk=ad5ry1b3wmjxz1a7atpxvfewamqpdgfgvgoaz1nl&adlraatela9xr1tela9xr1=aghrnvaz&adlrafbcwnhxyvax=agrrnatela9xr1tela9xr1&advrafbqwmhxzva9aqrxafe7anmpcafkvggae1nl=aghrpwtela9xr1tela9xr1

    Feb 21, 2012