Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: Methodology and Tools

Date:  May 20th and 21st, 2019
Time:  (5/20) 8:00am to 4:30pm and (5/21) 8:00am to 12:00pm
Location: Newman Library Athenaeum (Room 124) & Online (Zoom link: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/286115648)
Instructor(s): Ginny Pannabecker, Kiri DeBose, Erin Smith, Sally Morton

Description:

This NLI Summer Course will provide an introductory overview of methodology, tools, and standardized guidelines for conducting a Systematic Review study (SR) and Meta-Analysis, with an emphasis on identifying the characteristics of a high quality systematic review, overall planning, search strategy design, acquiring and managing a large number of references, and developing a protocol based on established guidelines to structure your project. Although not all systematic reviews include a meta-analysis, concluding this workshop with a discussion of meta-analyses will enable participants to determine if this methodology could be included in his/her systematic review. While each participant will come with a distinct level of knowledge and project planning status for his/her SR, this course will provide support for attendees to achieve one or more of the following outcomes:

• 1) a better understanding of systematic review and meta-analysis methodologies, resources, and tools available to assist with conducting these types of research projects
• 2) a general project plan outline, and/or
• 3) a draft SR study protocol.

During this NLI course all participants will use their own topic or an example topic to work through brief versions of SR study steps in order to practice using applicable resources and tools. Time will be provided periodically for participants to apply course information to address their individual learning goals.