Abstract

Systematic reviews play an important role in a variety of disciplines and are at the top of hierarchies in quality of evidence in evidence-based practice. These reviews produce a large amount of data and require specialised tools and a well thought-out management process to successfully complete projects. Many individuals are interested in writing and publishing systematic reviews because of the high visibility of this publication type, however, creating high-quality systematic reviews is a time-consuming and complex process that researchers may need assistance navigating.

UAB Libraries has a systematic review service and researchers often request data management suggestions from UAB Libraries faculty. For the purpose of this presentation, data management is defined as the plan for organizing and maintaining all the information generated during the project; this includes citations, data extracted from the studies, the inclusion/exclusion decisions and comments of the systematic review team, etc. Several tools are needed to handle information from all components of the systematic review. This session will provide information on three aspects of the systematic review process. First, the presenters will give a general overview of the systematic review process from planning the review to writing the final report. Second, the presenters will give participants an overview of an online resource called the Systematic Review Toolbox; this resource provides descriptions of both free and fee-based systematic review tools. Third, the presenters will offer best practices for using specific software for citation management tools such as EndNote in conjunction with Rayyan and Covidence, web-based software specifically designed to support systematic review creation.

Objectives

• Give a brief description of the systematic review creation process
• Locate software to support systematic review process
• Recognize how best practices in systematic review creation are supported by systematic review software

Presenters

Megan Bell, UAB Libraries
Megan Bell serves as Reference Librarian, Instructor and School of Health Professions' Liaison at University of Alabama at Birmingham. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Xavier University of Louisiana and Master's degree in Library and Information Science from Louisiana State University. She enjoys hiking and photography, and as a native of southern Louisiana, enjoys gumbo and jambalaya. Her research interest include using the flipped classroom model with active learning to teach information literacy.

Dorothy Ogdon, UAB Libraries
Dorothy Ogdon is a Reference Librarian and the Liaison to the School of Dentistry at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is the current chair of the Medical Library Association Books panel and is a member of the Medical Library Association's Academy of Health Information Professionals. In 2017 she successfully applied for a New Faculty Development Grant through the UAB Faculty Senate to investigate uses of 3D Printers to create anatomical and molecular models to add to the UAB Libraries circulating collections. She holds a Master of Science in Information Science degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

Kay Smith, UAB Libraries
Kay Smith is Senior Research Librarian and Liaison to the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. A 25-year medical library veteran, she has participated in numerous systematic reviews and other research projects. She also is currently a Sewell Memorial Fund Fellow embedded with the UAB Department of Pediatrics to promote and assist with their evidence-based practice initiative. Kay has a Master of Library Science degree from the University of Alabama as well as a Master of Public Health degree from UAB. She is a Distinguished Member of the Medical Library Association Academy of Health Information Professionals.