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Librarian's role: Systematic Review Librarian's Role

Systematic Review Searching Library Service

Please note that due to staffing limitations and the significant time commitment required for a systematic review we are not able to accept all requests. Review teams need to include at least two other authors who have more than a supervisory role, and to demonstrate a serious commitment to publish following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. 

Please note that we are unable to design search strategies or co-author in situations where staff are expected to do that themselves for study purposes. In those situations we can offer tutorials in literature searching, recording search methodology and Endnote.

Please contact the library for more information

Librarian's Role

The librarian's role as co-author in a systematic review may include:

  • initial consultation with the review team around the subject matter and the librarian's expected role in the paper
  • brief scoping searches to identify relevant key terms, subject headings, textwords and phrases
  • identification of search terms through text mining programs such as Yale MeSH Analyser & Pubmed PubReMiner (where appropriate)
  • consultation with topic experts to confirm definitions and search parameters
  • development and refinement of initial search strategy for Ovid Medline
  • confirmation of database search strategy with topic experts
  • translation of Medline search strategy to other relevant databases such as Emcare, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase and the Cochrane Library
  • running searches in appropriate databases
  • recording databases searched, detailed search strategies, date of last search and number of results
  • export of search results to Endnote or RefWorks
  • removal of duplicate citations in Endnote or RefWorks
  • provision of deduped citations in a compressed Endnote library
  • initial draft of PRISMA flowchart including search results
  • answering queries re search methodology
  • teaching team members/research assistants how to source full text articles for full text review stage
  • updating searches on request
  • writing search methodology for publication
  • proofreading drafts and providing feedback
  • response to reviewers as appropriate
  • other relevant consultations with the research team in accordance with the librarian's expertise