PLEASE NOTE: You will need to bring your own laptop or similar device in order to participate in this session. 

Target Audience: Anyone starting a systematic search for the first time.

Pre-requisite: We strongly recommend completing the Library Canvas module “Literature Review - Introduction to Searching the Literature” in advance.

A systematic review is a high-level overview of primary research into a specific research question or topic, which tries to identify, select, synthesize and appraise all relevant high-quality research evidence in order to answer the question and/or establish an up-to-date understanding of the topic. While it is used in a range of disciplines, the systematic review is particularly prevalent in research on health, education and social policy (as part of evidence-based policy or practice). It represents much more than a literature review, because it follows a methodology which makes it transparent, rigorous and replicable.

In the class, we will cover how you can use different library resources to scope your research topic to establish its key concepts, and thus generate and identify relevant search terms. We will also look at the use of Controlled Vocabulary in conjunction with key words and phrases in building systematic search strategies. This will be followed by a demonstration of a sample systematic search in at least one scholarly database, and of how such searches can be recorded.

By the end of the session you should be able to

• Identify the key databases for your systematic search
• Use the library resources to scope your topic
• Develop a systematic search strategy
• Apply a search strategy to a relevant database e.g. CINAHL
• Record and document a search strategy