Consider whether a scoping review is required first.
Become familiar with standards for the design, conduct and reporting of systematic reviews. eg
- Allow sufficient time - systematic reviews take many months of work by the team.
- Assemble your review team - systematic reviews are rarely done by a single individual.
- Be prepared to screen large numbers of references. Searches for systematic reviews usually generate large numbers of citations.
- Define the review question - key question/s to be answered using a PICO or other relevant framework, including inclusion and exclusion criteria.
- Discuss the proposed review with the Librarian to ensure a clear of understanding of the topic and the process that will be followed.
- Ask the librarian to do a scoping review to determine whether the topic has already been reviewed.
- Provide the librarian with any gold standard references that must be found in the search strategy.
- Register the review protocol with PROSPERO - International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews.
- Ensure you have EndNote installed on any computer you will be using in doing the review.
Consider using tools to help manage the process:
More information:
SRDR+ is a free, powerful, easy to use tool for data extraction, management, and archiving.
Covidence can be used to help manage the review process for citations found in your search results. Covidence is not available in WACHS, but if you are working on a multi-institution review it is possible that another reviewer may have access.
Covidence and Rayyan. Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA, 106(4), 580–583.
University of Hawai‘i Health Sciences Library Guide on using Rayyan for systematic reviews
When writing up the systematic review for publication check out other Library guidance - citation guidelines and getting published. Beware of predatory publishers.
