Course content

The role of systematic reviews, their impact and introduction to different types of systematic reviews: - Developing a protocol for a systematic review - Literature searching - Critical appraisal of primary studies and systematic reviews - Data extraction - Synthesis and meta-analysis - Reporting and disseminating of systematic reviews

Learning outcome

Learning outcome: By the end of the course, the participants will have written a protocol to be published in PROSPERO. In addition will the participants:

• Understand the role of a systematic review
• Understand the difference between a narrative and a systematic review
• Have knowledge of the basic elements for a protocol for a systematic review
• Critically appraise different search strategies
• Learn how to deal with "publication bias"
• Develop and make a plan to find a relevant research for the own systematic review
• Develop and plan inclusion and exclusion criteria
• Develop and critically appraise a sheet for data extraction
• Appraise risk of bias of included studies with explicit criteria in a transparent way
• Be able to do and understand meta-analyse in RevMan
• Pros and cons of combining outcomes of included studies
• Be able to explore and appraise statistical, methodological and clinical heterogeneity
• Be able to appraise the quality of the evidence with GRADE
• Understand "summary of findings"-tables
• Learn about systematic reviews of qualitative and diagnostic studies

Learning methods and activities

The course consists of lectures and activities in small groups and pairs, as well as individual writing time and one-to-one feedback from the instructor. After the course, participants can send their work to the instructor for additional feedback and follow-up. Before the written exam the students will have to hand in an exercise.

Compulsory assignments

• Exercise
• Submission of exercise

Further on evaluation

The course is mainly lectures with interactive work in small groups to practice skills, all of which are directly related to the participants’ own research question. Between sessions, the participants are required to keep in contact with their instructor through e-mails and will be offered an hour of supervision. The course will constitute 5 ETCS. All course activities are mandatory and participants will give a presentation at the end of the last teaching block. The exam is to submit a protocol for a systematic review.

Recommended previous knowledge

The course is in English and participants are required to read and write English. In addition, the participants must have knowledge of research methods at a Masters level.

Required previous knowledge

The course is open to PhD candidates who are members of the Norwegian Research School of Global health (NRSGH). The maximum number of participants is 20 and the applicants must have a tentative research question ready for the systematic review. Registration through Norwegian Research School of Global Health webpage: https://www.ntnu.edu/nrsgh/nrs8002

Contact: Elin Yli Dvergsdal - elin.y.dvergsdal@ntnu.no

Course materials

Egger M, Davey Smith G, Altman D (eds). Systematic Reviews in Health Care. BMJ 2001. (Kap 1, 5,9, 15) Cochrane Handbook for systematic reviews of interventions (Kap. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10,11,12, 20) Nettkurs om kunnskapsbasert praksis: www.kunnskapsbasertpraksis.no Guyatt GH, Oxman AD, Kunz R, Vist GE, Falck-Ytter Y, Schünemann HJ: GRADE Working Group. Rating quality of evidence and strength of recommendations: What is "quality of evidence" and why is it important to clinicians? BMJ. 2008 May 3;336(7651):995-8 For downloading of GRADEpro and more information about GRADE: www.gradeworkinggroup.org Malterud K. Qualitative research: standards, challenges, and guidelines. The Lancet 2001; 358, 9280