In this series of 4 online sessions (1.5 hours each; 6 hours in total), Prof. Amanda Salis will give you a step-by-step overview of how to confidently undertake a systematic literature review, with or without meta-analysis. Amanda has had 13 systematic literature reviews published to date, 8 of which included meta-analysis.

If you’re commencing research in a particular field, then reading systematic literature reviews in that field (with or without meta-analyses) – or doing one yourself if there aren’t any of relevance – is one of the best ways to identify the most pressing gaps in current knowledge in that field. This helps to ensure that any subsequent efforts you or others undertake in that field of research will be more likely to have high impact.

Another benefit of learning systematic literature review techniques, with or without meta-analysis,  is that they help you to avoid forming or presenting biased views of current literature in any field, thereby enabling you to gain a closer understanding of the truth.

This training will equip you with a step-by-step overview of how to undertake a systematic literature review, with or without meta-analysis, as outlined below. It is envisaged that at the end of this training, you will know how to ensure your systematic review process follows international best-practice guidelines, and be aware of mistakes to avoid so you can complete your systematic literature review – with or without meta-analysis – as time-effectively as possible.

Session 1 of 4 – PLAN your systematic review

• Decide if systematic review is appropriate
• Make time for your systematic review
• Start documenting everything you do and why
• Recruit your systematic review team
• Define your systematic review question

Session 2 of 4 – SEARCH and SCREEN the literature

• Formulate your search strategy
• Search several databases and other sources
• Screen your search results

Session 3 of 4 – EXTRACT, ANALYZE, and PRESENT the data

• Extract the data for your systematic review
• Determine if the data you find in your literature search is suitable – or not – for subsequent meta-analysis
• Analyze the data for your systematic review (excluding meta-analysis)
• Assess the risk of bias in included articles
• Present your systematic review data for publication

Session 4 of 4 – META-ANALYSE the data

• Understand the theoretical essentials of meta-analysis
• Know your options when selecting software for your meta-analysis

Who is this training for?

Any researcher from any institution who wishes to conduct (or supervise the conduct of) a systematic literature review, with or without meta-analysis, to advance their research.

Training prerequisite