Library research skills for knowledge synthesis

Abstract

This course is for any student who wishes to increase their proficiency in conducting research for systematic reviews, scoping reviews and other types of knowledge synthesis. Learn about different types of knowledge synthesis to identify the right type for your question, including systematic and scoping reviews. Find out how to navigate the process of completing a knowledge synthesis project, including planning, following a protocol, developing your search and retrieving and saving search results.

This course has three modules that are designed to be completed independently at your own pace. Each module will take approximately 1 hour to complete.

Module 1 provides an overview of the different types of knowledge syntheses and the steps involved in planning a review, such as how to develop your research question, identify databases and resources, and create and register a protocol.

Module 2 covers how to identify sources for your review. You will learn how to use keywords and subject headings, how to translate your search strategy to multiple databases, and advanced techniques for searching in databases and for grey literature.

Module 3 discusses best practices for documenting your results and your searches to ensure transparency and reproducibility.

At the end of each module is a quiz to assess mastery of the course learning outcomes. This course contains interactive learning activities for you to test your understanding before completing the quiz at the end of each module.