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Systematic and systematic-like review toolkit

Toolkit of resources to support researchers in the development of systematic and systematic-like reviews

Evidence synthesis support services

Systematic reviews, scoping reviews and other evidence syntheses require good quality, transparent and reproducible searches.

Deakin's evidence synthesis service offers a range of mechanisms to both develop skills in systematic searching and in partnering with researchers to develop searches for reviews.

Note

Please be aware that the following work must be undertaken by Deakin students and researchers:

  • Developing research questions or search design
  • Running searches (full text searching, grey literature searching, hand searching or citation searching)
  • Screening, appraisal or data extraction of search results

Summary of evidence synthesis services

Check out the table below for a summary of the resources and services Deakin Library provides to particular groups around evidence synthesis.

Deakin Library resources and services All Deakin students and staff Deakin honours and graduate research students Researchers
Online guides (self-directed learning) yes yes yes
Online modules (self-directed learning) yes yes yes
Recorded training sessions (self-directed learning) yes yes yes
Broad advice for techniques for identifying suitable search terms no yes yes
Broad advice for using search syntax and functions no yes yes
Broad advice around database selection no yes yes
Broad advice around search translation no yes yes
Specific advice around search troubleshooting no yes yes
Workshops no yes yes
Peer review of one finalised search per project team (focus on search syntax) no no yes
Mediated search no no yes
Premium mediated search no no yes

 


Catalogue of evidence synthesis services

Evidence synthesis services have been catalogued as a series of tiers: 

  • Tier 0 – Self-directed learning material that is publicly available. 
  • Tier 1 – Email support, consultations and workshops available to graduate research students and researchers. 
  • Tier 2 – Proofread of search that is available to researchers. 
  • Tier 3 – Mediated literature search that is available to researchers. 
  • Tier 4 - Premium mediated literature search that is available to researchers by negotiation.

Click on the plus (+) icons below to find out further information about the range of resources and services Deakin Library offers to support evidence synthesis (systematic searching).