The Leatherby Libraries recently launched and expanded the Systematic Review and Evidence Synthesis Service (SRESS). Created to support Chapman University’s research mission, SRESS has expanded to offer comprehensive support for faculty, staff, researchers, and students across all schools, colleges, and disciplines with systematic review and evidence synthesis projects.

What is a Systematic Review or Evidence Synthesis project?

Evidence synthesis is the rigorous process of gathering, analyzing, and integrating multiple studies to generate a comprehensive understanding of a topic. It draws on published and unpublished research to ensure a complete view of the evidence.

Systematic Reviews are the most common type of evidence synthesis and reviews. However, Chapman researchers may also conduct other projects, such as scoping reviews, evidence maps, rapid reviews, umbrella reviews, and meta-analyses, in their research across various fields, including medicine, policymaking, health sciences, education, criminal justice, business, food safety, and conservation.

Why Do Librarians Matter in these Types of Research Projects?

Research shows that systematic reviews and evidence synthesis projects that involve librarians feature higher quality search strategies, leading to more comprehensive and reproducible results. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, JBI, and Cochrane recommend librarians’ participation to generate better research outputs.

At Chapman University, our librarians participating in SRESS have received specialized training and are prepared to collaborate with researchers in every school and college.

Two Levels of Support

SRESS offers two levels of support, each designed to meet different needs and stages of the systematic review or evidence synthesis process.

1. Consultant Support

Librarians can step in at different points of a review project to provide the following consultant-level support:

  • Provide comprehensive resources on the systematic review process and other evidence synthesis projects.
  • Suggest appropriate databases, protocol registration platforms, and citation management software.
  • Offer suggestions for refining search strategies, including troubleshooting specific issues.
  • Provide advice on the translation of the search strategy for different databases.
  • Provide advice on documenting search strategies, search results, and reporting of methods in the manuscript.

2. Co-Authoring Support

For teams seeking deeper collaboration, librarians can partner as co-authors and provide the following level of support:

  • Assist in selecting relevant databases and grey literature resources.
  • Write and translate search strategies for various databases.
  • Perform searches and export results to citation management software.
  • Comment on the protocol and write portions of the methods section specific to searching.
  • Perform de-duplication, train the team on the process, and advise on article screening software.

Expanded Reach, Elevated Research

With its expanded scope, the Systematic Review and Evidence Synthesis Service ensures that Chapman researchers in all disciplines have access to high-quality support. Whether conducting a clinical systematic review, a policy analysis, or a business evidence map, our librarians are available to strengthen the work’s rigor, transparency, and impact.

Learn More

For more information about this service and to request a consultation, check out our Systematic Review and Evidence Synthesis Service LibGuide or email lrds@chapman.edu.