Introduction to Systematic Reviews

Date:

30/04/2015

Organised by:

Social Research Association

Presenter:

Dr Tim Bickerstaffe and Ben Mitchell - Leeds Metropolitan University

Level:

Entry (no or almost no prior knowledge)

Contact:

Lindsay Adams - tel: 0207 998 0304 email: lindsay.adams@the-sra.org.uk

Map:

View in Google Maps  (WC2B 5DA)

Venue:

Grand Connaught Rooms, Great Queen Street, London (to be confirmed)

Description:

The reliability and accuracy of systematic reviews is based on a comprehensive, methodical and replicable approach to gathering and assessing literature in order to answer a specific research question. They can help to support the decisions of practitioners by combining all of the findings reported in the research literature to evaluate the efficacy of interventions in social policy. Many of the theories, methodologies and techniques have evolved within the field of health and are often associated with the work of the Cochrane Collaboration. The application of these methods to social research questions has required a reappraisal of the approach to allow for the influence of social context on particular interventions. This workshop will provide an introduction to this debate as well as offering some practical tips on how to conduct a successful systematic review for social research.


Objectives
By the end of the workshop, participants will

  •  Understand the distinguishing features of the systematic review method
  • Understand the different approaches to systematic reviews, including Cochrane Reviews and qualitative synthesis
  • Be aware of methodological issues and options for conducting systematic reviews
  • Understand the importance of planning reviews and literature searches and also the key elements of review protocols
  • Be able to develop an effective literature search strategy in order to implement it on an online database
  • Understand approaches to analysing literature for a specific research question

Topics
The course will cover:

  • The differences between systematic reviews and other literature reviews
  • Approaches to systematic reviews
  • Review planning and proposals
  • Literature searching for systematic reviews and other large reviews
  • Document selection and inclusion criteria
  • Data extraction and synthesis

Who will benefit?
This one day course is aimed at new researchers, or researchers new to systematic reviews and others with responsibility for interpreting review findings.


Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, participants will achieve a good understanding of the importance of carefully planning a systematic review, starting with the review question, through developing search strategies, inclusion criteria and putting together a team of researchers to implement the review. They will learn how systematic reviews differ crucially from other types of literature review and what variations there are on approaches that strictly adhere to hierarchies of evidence which only allow experimental methods to be included and analysed.


Course tutors
Tim Bickerstaffe and  Ben Mitchell, Policy Research Institute, Leeds Metropolitan University


Dr Tim Bickerstaff
Tim joined PRI in 2005 and has experience of working in different research contexts, including government policy consultations in the UK and Europe, NGO lobbying and campaigning, and policy evaluation research.  At PRI Tim has chiefly been involved in evaluating active labour market policies and interventions.  He also leads the postgraduate research methods course in the Faculty of Business and Law at Leeds Metropolitan University.


Ben Mitchell
Ben is the PRIs Information Officer. This role includes searching for and obtaining literature and other information that supports the institutes research and also contributing to literature reviews and policy briefings.

Cost:

£260 - SRA members pay £195

Website and registration:

Region:

Greater London

Keywords:

Research Skills, Communication and Dissemination, Systematic Reviews

Related publications and presentations:

Research Skills, Communication and Dissemination

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