Shaping systematic reviews to meet users' interests: getting started

Article type
Year
Authors
Oliver S1, Bangpan M2, Ryan R3, Dickson K4
1University College London, Institute of Education
2the EPPI-Centre, UCL Institute of Education
3Consumers and Communication Group
4EPPI-Centre, University College London Institute of Education, UK
Abstract
Objectives: To explore ways of shaping systematic review questions and conceptual frameworks to address interests in complex issues

Description: When questions for systematic reviews are posed by potential users, they raise three challenges for getting started:
1. scoping important gaps and shaping manageable review questions;
2. collating sets of studies for synthesis appropriately; and
3. balancing the evidence needs of the specific users (e.g. policy makers, funders) with an evidence product that will attract broad interest.

This workshop will offer solutions for each of these challenges. It will address:
1. how to focus discussions simultaneously on policy priorities, existing evidence and gaps, through ultra-rapid scoping and knowledge exchange;
2. how to choose comparisons and to group data to describe and synthesize the evidence in complex reviews; and
3. how to integrate contextual analysis so that authors and readers will be able to draw out the implications of the evidence for different geo-political, cultural, system or community contexts.

Each part of the workshop will begin with an introduction of the challenge, describing some solutions and illustrating them with existing reviews. Practical exercises will help workshop participants apply these approaches to their own areas of interest. The mutual learning from the workshop will inform guidance for authors of future reviews.