Assembling the Pieces of a Systematic Review: A Guide for Librarians is a complete guide for librarians seeking to launch or refine their systematic review services. After a brief introduction to systematic reviews, this book guides librarians in defining and marketing their services. Next, it addresses developing documentation and conducting the reference interview. Standards specific to systematic reviews, including PRISMA; National Academics of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicinal; and Cochrane Collaboration, are discussed. Search strategy techniques are detailed. Data management and critical appraisal are covered in detail. Finally, the best practices for reporting the findings of systematic reviews are highlighted. This book is for any librarian interested in conducting reviews or assisting others with reviews. It has several applications for training librarians who are new to systematic reviews as well as developing a new systematic review service, wanting to establish protocols for a current service, and concluding reviews or running a service. Book jacket.

The revised edition of the Handbook offers the only guide on how to conduct, report and maintain a Cochrane Review 
 The second edition of The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions contains essential guidance for preparing and maintaining Cochrane Reviews of the effects of health interventions. Designed to be an accessible resource, the Handbook will also be of interest to anyone undertaking systematic reviews of interventions outside Cochrane, and many of the principles and methods presented are appropriate for systematic reviews addressing research questions other than effects of interventions. This fully updated edition contains extensive new material on systematic review methods addressing a wide-range of topics including network meta-analysis, equity, complex interventions, narrative synthesis, and automation. Also new to this edition, integrated throughout the Handbook, is the set of standards Cochrane expects its reviews to meet.  Written for review authors, editors, trainers and others with an interest in Cochrane Reviews, the second edition of The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions continues to offer an invaluable resource for understanding the role of systematic reviews, critically appraising health research studies and conducting reviews. 

This book offers a conceptual and practical guide to the systematic review process and its application to sport, exercise, and physical activity research. It begins by describing what systematic reviews are and why they assist scientists and practitioners. Providing step-by-step instructions the author leads readers through the process, including generation of suitable review questions; development and implementation of search strategies; data extraction and analysis; theoretical interpretation; and result dissemination. Conducting Systematic Reviews in Sport, Exercise, and Physical Activity clarifies several common misunderstandings including the difference between qualitative systematic reviews and meta-analyses . Each chapter begins with a set of learning objectives focused on practical application, illustrated with examples from reviews published within the sport, exercise, and physical activity fields. Once a reader has completed all the learning activities along the way, they will have designed a systematic review and have written a protocol ready for registration. The book ends with a collection of advice from internationally regarded scientists with substantial experience in systematic reviews.

This book provides a clear and thorough introduction tometa-analysis, the process of synthesizing data from a series ofseparate studies. Meta-analysis has become a critically importanttool in fields as diverse as medicine, pharmacology, epidemiology,education, psychology, business, and ecology. Introduction toMeta-Analysis: Outlines the role of meta-analysis in the research process Shows how to compute effects sizes and treatment effects Explains the fixed-effect and random-effects models forsynthesizing data Demonstrates how to assess and interpret variation in effectsize across studies Clarifies concepts using text and figures, followed by formulasand examples Explains how to avoid common mistakes in meta-analysis Discusses controversies in meta-analysis Features a web site with additional material and exercises A superb combination of lucid prose and informative graphics,written by four of the world?s leading experts on allaspects of meta-analysis. Borenstein, Hedges, Higgins, andRothstein provide a refreshing departure from cookbookapproaches with their clear explanations of the what and whyof meta-analysis. The book is ideal as a course textbook or forself-study. My students, who used pre-publication versionsof some of the chapters, raved about the clarity of theexplanations and examples. David Rindskopf, DistinguishedProfessor of Educational Psychology, City University of New York,Graduate School and University Center, & Editor of the Journalof Educational and Behavioral Statistics. The approach taken by Introduction to Meta-analysis isintended to be primarily conceptual, and it is amazinglysuccessful at achieving that goal. The reader can comfortably skipthe formulas and still understand their application andunderlying motivation. For the more statisticallysophisticated reader, the relevant formulas and worked examplesprovide a superb practical guide to performing ameta-analysis. The book provides an eclectic mix of examplesfrom education, social science, biomedical studies, and evenecology. For anyone considering leading a course inmeta-analysis, or pursuing self-directed study, Introduction toMeta-analysis would be a clear first choice. Jesse A.Berlin, ScD  Introduction to Meta-Analysis is an excellent resource fornovices and experts alike. The book provides a clear andcomprehensive presentation of all basic and most advancedapproaches to meta-analysis. This book will be referencedfor decades. Michael A. McDaniel, Professor of Human Resourcesand Organizational Behavior, Virginia Commonwealth University

Any piece of primary research ought to be preceded by a systematic review. The key advantage of a systematic review over the traditional narrative review is its ability to identify all the available eveidence in a systematic and replicable manner. This book will describe a) the key steps to undertaking a systematic review and b) the process of undertaking a meta-analysis. The book will include step-by-step examples of how to design data extraction forms, search strategies and combine in a meta-analysis.

What do we do if different studies appear to give different answers? When applying research to questions for individual patients or for health policy, one of the challenges is interpreting such apparently conflicting research. A systematic review is a method to systematically identify relevant research, appraise its quality, and synthesize the results. The last two decades have seen increasing interest and developments in methods for doing high quality systematic reviews. Part I of this book provides a clear introduction to the concepts of reviewing, and lucidly describes the difficulties and traps to avoid. A unique feature of the book is its description, in Part II, of the different methods needed for different types of health care questions: frequency of disease, prognosis, diagnosis, risk, and management. As well as illustrative examples, there are exercises for each of the sections. This is essential reading for those interested in synthesizing health care research.

The second edition of this best-selling book has been thoroughly revised and expanded to reflect the significant changes and advances made in systematic reviewing. New features include discussion on the rationale, meta-analyses of prognostic and diagnostic studies and software, and the use of systematic reviews in practice.

For many healthcare professionals there is a mystery surrounding systematic reviews of healthcare literature. How did they select certain studies and reject others? What did they do to pool results? How did a bunch of insignificant findings suddenly become significant? With this book you will embark on a journey that will provide the key information required to demystify these intrigues. By understanding the principles behind reviews of healthcare literature, you will be able to assess the credibility of the recommendations handed down to you in published reviews and practice guidelines. Systematic Reviews to Support Evidence-Based Medicinesimplifies and explains the key steps involved in reviewing literature, directing its deliberations at a readership of nurses, doctors, allied health professionals, public health personnel, new reviewers and students of epidemiology and health technology assessment. The authors are veterans of over 150 systematic reviews. Over the years they have worked with healthcare commissioners, clinicians and other decision-makers, producing reviews to inform policy and practice. They have collaborated with other epidemiologists and statisticians to advance methods for undertaking systematic reviews and between them; they have a wide and appropriate range of experience of reviewing and applying findings of healthcare research.