Social Work: Research Overview

Levels of Research Evidence

Systematic reviews are considered the highest form of evidence as they are an accumulation of research on one topic. Cochrane Systematic Reviews are considered the most rigorous systematic reviews being done.

*Meta-analysis is a method of statistically combining the results of multiple studies in order to arrive at a quantitative conclusion about a body of literature and is most often used to assess the clinical effectiveness of healthcare interventions ("Meta-analysis", 2008).

Steps for a Systematic Review

1. Develop an answerable question 
2. Check for recent systematic reviews  
3. Agree on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria 
4. Develop a system to organize data and notes
5. Devise reproducible search methods 
6. Launch and track exhaustive search 
7. Organize search results 
8. Reproduce search results 
9. Abstract data into a standardized format
10. Synthesize data using statistical methods (meta-analysis)  
11. Write about what you found

• EBBP Systematic Reviews Course

  To learn more, see this presentation.

Timeline for a Cochrane Review

Table reproduced from Cochrane systematic reviews handbook.

Recommended Guidelines

• Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions

  The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions is the official document that describes in detail the process of preparing and maintaining Cochrane systematic reviews on the effects of healthcare interventions.

• Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)

  Welcome to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) website!
  PRISMA is an evidence-based minimum set of items for reporting in systematic reviews and meta-analyses. PRISMA focuses on the reporting of reviews evaluating randomized trials, but can also be used as a basis for reporting systematic reviews of other types of research, particularly evaluations of interventions.

• Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewers' Manual

  The JBI Reviewers’ Manual is designed to provide authors with a comprehensive guide to conducting JBI systematic reviews. It describes in detail the process of planning, undertaking and writing up a systematic review of qualitative, quantitative, economic, text and opinion based evidence. It also outlines JBI support mechanisms for those doing review work and opportunities for publication and training. The JBI Reviewers Manual should be used in conjunction with the JBI SUMARI User Guide.

• Institute of Medicine: Standards for Systematic Reviews

  These standards are for systematic reviews of comparative effectiveness research of therapeutic medical or surgical interventions