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Evidence Synthesis with the Health Sciences Librarians at Abbott Library: Services

Last Updated: May 7, 2024 12:50 PM

Education Services

If you are interested in an instructional session or materials for your team, small group, or class, please contact askhsl@buffalo.edu. Systematic reviews or related topics include: overview of the process of the review type or types of interest; systematic search methodology; how to construct a systematic search; determining which review is right for you; database instruction; EndNote; and using Covidence for screening purposes. 

Types of Service

One hour-long meeting to discuss the review process and procedures, provide guidance on software, and/or address questions specific to the project.   

This level of service is open to everyone! 

The librarian will:  

  • Reach out to set up a meeting with the researcher(s) at an agreed upon time and date  

  • Provide advice 

  • Prepare a one-hour overview meeting based on the materials and questions submitted on the intake form  

  • Provide follow-up email with notes and resources 

  • Be available for clarifying questions via email 

The researcher(s) will:  

  • Complete the intake form  

  • Attend the scheduled meeting  

  • In the case of a research team, the Principal Investigator (PI) must be in attendance  

  • If a student is the PI, the faculty member(s) must be in attendance  

After the hour-long overview meeting described in Consultation Only, this level of service provides the researcher(s) with additional support and guidance throughout the project. This service level is limited: no more than three hour-long meetings with moderate additional asynchronous (e.g. email) review and advising. Individual students and teams lead by students, residents, and fellows welcome!  

In addition to the roles described in Consultation Only, the librarian will:  

  • Provide research consultation  

  • Help refine the research question  

  • Identify and suggest possible search terms 

  • Review researcher- or research team-developed search strategies on the fundamentals of systematic search building 

  • Provide information on the software platform decided upon (e.g. EndNote, Rayyan, etc.)  

Note:  At this level, the librarian will not build or execute the search and will not contribute to the writing and review of any scholarly output (e.g. poster, presentation or paper). 

In addition to the roles described in Consultation Only, the researcher(s) will:  

  • Formally acknowledge the role of the librarian on any poster, presentation or paper resulting from the project  

  • In the case of a research team, the Principal Investigator (PI) must be in attendance minimally at the initial meeting  

  • If a student is the PI, the faculty member(s) must be in attendance  

In addition to the roles described in Consultation Only and Consultation Plus, this level of service invites the librarian to be part of the research team.

At this level, the librarian must be listed as an author on any resulting presentations or papers.

Principal Investigators are limited to no more than two active reviews at a time with librarians as team members. This level of service requires a memorandum of understanding (MoU).  

This level of service is not available to individual students or teams lead by students, residents, and fellows. Faculty-led teams with student, resident, and fellow members are welcome!  

In addition to the roles described in Consultation Only and Consultation Plus, the librarian will:  

  • Determine if a systematic or scoping review has already been done for the topic  

  • Advise on protocols (e.g. PROSPERO, Open Science Framework)  

  • Advise on adherence to best practices (e.g. PRISMA

  • Advise on Covidence as screening software, available to current University at Buffalo faculty, staff and students  

  • Craft the search strategy, including editing as needed based on review from the research team  

  • Translate the search strategy for use in the identified databases of note  

  • Run the searches in the identified databases, exporting search results  

  • Deduplicate the exported search results  

  • Load the results into the selected software  

  • Assist with full text retrieval  

  • Document the search process  

  • Write search methodology section and supply relevant documentation (e.g. search strategies)  

  • Contribute to manuscript writing and review as appropriate 

In addition to the roles described in Consultation Only and Consultation Plus, the researchers will:  

  • Read and sign the requisite MoU  

  • Maintain contact with and provide project updates to the librarian, including if the project is paused or ended 

  • The Principal Investigator (PI) must be in attendance at all consultation meetings with the librarian and other team members  

Request Help from a Librarian

Interested in a systematic review, scoping review or other type of evidence synthesis project? Fill out the form below for any level of service and one of the Health Sciences Librarians will reach out to help you get started. Please be sure to thoroughly review the Types of Service before completing this form to better understand the levels of support.

Availability

Team Member level service will be dependent upon librarian availability which will be negotiated prior to researchers signing the MOU. The Libraries cannot guarantee the availability of Team Member level service due to the heavy time commitment required. Please contact HSL@Abbott early in the planning process, prior to beginning a Systematic or Scoping review.

At the time of request submission, we will review your request and respond with clarifying availability and next steps within five business days.  

Librarians may not be available due to high volume of request for review and other services.