Piecing Together Systematic Reviews and Other Evidence Syntheses - (Medical Library Association Books) by Margaret J Foster & Sarah T Jewell

About the Book

Book Synopsis

The book is for training librarians new to systematic reviews, for those developing a new systematic review service, for those wanting to establish protocols for a current service, and as a reference for those conducting reviews or running a service.

Review Quotes

Chosen as a Doody's Core Title for 2023.

Foster and Jewell's team of authors demystify and delineate the expertise and effort involved in producing a high-quality systematic review or evidence synthesis. The framework and insights offered by this expert guide for information practitioners also make worthwhile reading for funders, reviewers, editors, and administrators supporting knowledge synthesis.

Readers in multiple settings will find this book a beneficial and worthwhile investment. Librarians and administrators contemplating evidence review service development will find a user guide to librarian roles in project teams. Non-librarian researchers and students will be shown the depth and scope of systematic review projects. Although the content is geared to those with moderate exposure to evidence syntheses, the writing is clear and understandable for all levels of researcher and a valuable addition to medical, academic, and research library collections.

Relying on a combination of cutting edge practices and tried-and-true techniques, Piecing Together Systematic Reviews and Other Evidence Syntheses provides a practical, up to date guide for librarians on all aspects of evidence synthesis, from planning to writing up results.

The landscape of systematic reviews and evidence syntheses is one of both complexity and opportunity for librarians. Piecing together provides a comprehensive pathway through an oft uncertain space. oft uncertain space. It is not overstating to say that this thoroughly researched and resource-rich book is set to become a gold standard reference.

While written primarily by librarians for librarians, the book could be of interest to anyone involved in evidence synthesis. Piecing Together Systematic Reviews and Other Evidence Syntheses is an accessible yet thorough overview of evidence synthesis as a process that requires many steps and collaborators. The book is a good starting point for librarians getting started with evidence synthesis. It is also a stimulating resource for librarians looking to extend their knowledge and skills. The book includes a chapter of four case studies, which document the process of planning different types of reviews. The chapter could be expanded into an entire book of its own, full of case studies of evidence synthesis collaboration. Significantly updated and expanded since its first edition, Piecing Together Systematic Reviews and Other Evidence Syntheses demonstrates not only how much librarians contribute to evidence synthesis projects but also how valuable it can be for librarians to write about the evidence synthesis process.

About the Author

Margaret J. Foster, MSLIS, MPH, is a Professor at Texas A&M University and director and founder of the Center for Systematic Reviews and Research Syntheses. With over 20 years experience working in libraries, she has consulted and collaborated on thousands of reviews across a wide variety of disciplines.
Sarah T. Jewell, Senior Scientific Librarian for Danaher Diagnostics, has over 15 years of experience as a medical librarian. She started conducting systematic reviews in 2010, launching the systematic review service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Library. She also formalized the systematic review service across multiple campuses at Rutgers University Libraries.