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 |
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| Online guides (self-directed learning) |  |
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| Online modules (self-directed learning) | |
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| Recorded training sessions (self-directed learning) | |
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| Broad advice for techniques for identifying suitable search terms |  |
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| Broad advice for using search syntax and functions | |
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| Broad advice around database selection | |
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| Broad advice around search translation | |
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| Specific advice around search troubleshooting | |
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| Workshops | |
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| Peer review of one finalised search per project team (focus on search syntax) | |
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| Mediated search | |
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| Premium mediated search | |
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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).
Tier 0 - Self-directed learning
Availability
Self-directed learning resources are available to all Deakin researchers, students and staff.
Purpose
Deakin Library has developed a variety of resources on systematic searching that can be explored and managed in your own time.
Check out the resources listed below:
Online guides
- Systematic Search for Health Guide
- HDR Literature Review Plan
- Systematic and systematic-like review toolkit
Recorded training sessions
Tier 1 - Consultations
Availability
Consultations are available to:
- Deakin honours students 2x50 minute consultations for each 6 months of candidature
- Deakin graduate research students 2x50 minute consultations for each 6 months of candidature
- Researchers 3x50 minute consultation per research project
Purpose
Deakin Library can provide:
- Techniques for identifying suitable search terms from starting studies
- Broad advice around using complex database search functions
- Broad advice around translating searches
- Specific search troubleshooting advice
Contact
Please contact your librarian and clearly state the search concerns you are experiencing.
In your email please provide the following:
- Finalised research question
- Initial search strategy
- List of databases you have run your initial searches (and results)
- Provide any key papers expected to be included in the review
Deakin Library staff require a minimum of 2 business days to process a query and determine if a consultation is required.
Tier 1 - Workshops
Availability
1-2 hour workshops are available to:
- Deakin honours students through core units
- Deakin graduate research students through the Individualised Learning Plan (ILP)
- Research groups can request workshops by contacting Scholarly Services.
Purpose
Deakin Library workshops present an overview of systematic searching and advanced search functions. Library staff will lead research students and staff through a group session that builds skills in these areas.
Contact
A request for a workshop requires a minimum of 10 business days’ notice.
Tier 2 - Proofread of a completed search
Availability
Proofread of a completed search for one database per review question is available to research teams.
Purpose
Deakin Library proofread of a completed search primarily focuses on proof reading for typos and any syntax errors in a completed search for one database. Search term selection remains the responsibility of the research team.
Contact
A request for a proofread of a completed search requires attaching a copy of your search strategy to the proofread request form. Proofread requests will be responded to in a minimum of 3 business days.
Tier 3 - Mediated search
Availability
Mediated search is available for research teams conducting systematic reviews, scoping reviews or other evidence syntheses.
15 hours (including up to 3 consultations) are available for this service. Searches requiring additional time will be returned to the research team for completion.
The mediated search service is available to research teams, subject to Library staff capacity.
Purpose
Working closely with the research team, a librarian will design a search for one review question for one database.
The research team is responsible for providing the following:
- a clear review question
- inclusion and exclusion criteria
- providing at least 3 example studies
- supporting the identification of search terms
- running and saving the searches in databases
- exporting results
- reviewing the suitability of the search results
- finding full text
- conducting translation
- grey literature searching
- handsearching and citation searching
- screening, appraisal and data extraction
- the methods section
The librarian will use this information and consult closely with the research team to design the search.
Advice is available for search design for one additional research question and for translation into up to two additional databases.
One mediated search is available at a time per research team. A minimum of 2 academic team members is required.
Librarian acknowledgement required for any research outputs associated with the search (depending on level of librarian contribution).
Contact
A request for a mediated search requires completing the literature search request form. The request form will be responded to in a minimum of 5 business days.
Tier 4 - Premium mediated search
Availability
This service is subject to availability and by negotiation only for research teams. A minimum of 2 academic team members is required.
Premium mediated search by librarians is available for research teams conducting systematic reviews, scoping reviews or other evidence syntheses, including for Cochrane, Campbell and JBI reviews.
Allow 6 weeks for delivery of premium mediated search. This includes approximately 15 hours per search (depending on search complexity) and 5-7 hours per translation (depending on search complexity).
Purpose
The premium mediated search provides the research team with a librarian who will:
- Design a systematic search in conjunction with the research team for up to 2 questions
- Support the team to translate the search into up to 3 additional databases
- Offer advice around grey literature search
The research team is responsible for saving and running searches, and exporting the results. The librarian will support the team for this stage.
The librarian can also contribute to the methods and other relevant parts of research outputs (co-authorship required).
Librarians can advise on finding full text, conducting grey literature searching, handsearching or citation searching but do not carry out these tasks. Librarians are unavailable for screening, appraisal or data extraction.
Contact
A request for a premium mediated search requires completing the literature search request form. The request form will be responded to in a minimum of 5 business days. The research team will then have a discussion with Deakin Library staff to determine if a premium mediated search is required.