Resources for Systematic Reviews
PROSPERO (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews).
This register includes protocol details for systematic reviews.
PRISMA (Statement for Reporting Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses).
AMSTAR (Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews).
EQUATOR (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research)
Library of reporting guidelines and also links to other resources relevant to research reporting and writing.
Methodology / guidance and protocols
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
AHRQ Methods Guide for Effectiveness and Comparative Effectiveness Reviews (2018)
The Campbell Collaboration
Systematic reviews of the effects of social interventions.
Writing a Campbell Collaboration Systematic Review.
Centre for Reviews and Dissemination
Guidance on the undertaking of systematic reviews.
Systematic Reviews CRD’s guidance for undertaking reviews in health care.
Cochrane Collaboration
Systematic reviews of health care interventions.
Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.
Institute of Medicine (IOM)
Finding What Works in Health Care: Standards for Systematic Reviews.
The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI)
The JBI promotes and supports the synthesis, transfer and utilization of evidence.
Online guides and training
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Bodleian Libraries Systematic Reviews and Evidence Syntheses guide
- Cornell University Steps in a Systematic Review - A Guide to Evidence Synthesis - LibGuides at Cornell University -(website with overview of steps and links to further info)
- John Hopkins Welch Medical Libraries’ Systematic Reviews and Other Expert Reviews guide
- Karolinska Intitutet. Systematic reviews.
- KCL’s Searching for Systematic Reviews guide
- King’s College London. Introduction to searching for systematic reviews
- Lancaster University. Introduction and Pathway for researchers starting a Systematic Review.
- National University of Singapore. Systematic Reviews: What is Systematic Review?
- Southampton’s Systematic Reviews guide with their 10 step roadmap
- University of Hull. Systematic reviews.
- University of Leeds Systematic Reviews
- University of Pittsburgh. Systematic Review Program: Getting Started
Training courses
University of Leeds
MEDR5160M Systematic Reviews of Research
Early February (but paused for 2024/25). Masters module available to University of Leeds PGRs and staff. Fee payable, usually run early February. Please contact Lesley Patchett, the course administrator for more details l.a.patchett@leeds.ac.uk.
Leeds Mixed Methods Systematic Review Courses
March-April 2025. Online. This is not an introduction to systematic reviews so courses in other Universities may be more suitable, particularly for risk of bias, data extraction and meta-analysis training.
Other training courses
Cochrane Interactive Learning: Conducting an Intervention Review
Online, self-directed.
Cardiff University online course
Course covers a range of study types (usually April).
Nottingham CEBS Systematic review course
TBC (usually June), face to face.
Nottingham Joanna Briggs Institute
JBI Comprehensive Systematic Review Training Programme - The University of Nottingham – July 2025. Face to face. (Quantitative and Qual Course)
Scoping Review Course – December 2024 and May 2025. Online.
ScHARR short courses that cover a range of review types - list
ScHARR Rapid Review Methods - February and July 2025
Systematic Approaches to Searching for Evidence - March 2025
Evidence Synthesis of Qualitative Research in Europe (ESQUIRE) - September 2025
Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis - TBC
Scoping Reviews, Mapping Reviews and Evidence Gap Maps (Online) - TBC
Southampton Health Technology Centre
May 2025. Online
Introduction to Systematic Reviews in Health Course (One Day Course)
University of Bristol. Introduction to Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis
January 2025, Online.
York Uni Introduction to systematic reviews and critical appraisal
Online Course. November and Spring, TBC.
Free online courses
- Campbell Collaboration Learning
- Cochrane Online Learning (some freely available)
- Qualitative Evidence Synthesis (QES): Learning Live webinar series | Cochrane Training - Cochrane Qualitative Synthesis 2021-2022
- Evidence Synthesis Ireland: Key Steps in a Systematic Review
- IMPACT - Systematic Review Webinars 11 webinars going through the steps of a systematic review. NIHR Global Health Research Group IMPACT in South Asia in partnership with Cochrane Common Mental Disorders group.
- A Walk through Thematic Synthesis - International Institute for Qualitative methodology (30 mins)
- Online Methods Course in Systematic Review and Systematic Mapping. Course supported by organisations including: Mistra; FORTE; and the Stockholm Environment Institute.
- Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. Open & Free. Carnegie Mellon University
(The course is currently being offered for free and learners may be solicited for feedback, as we are trying to continually update and improve the course. Designed with Campbell Collaboration researchers in mind)
- 10 week systematic review course - YouTube A 10-week guide for MSc students to deliver a PRISMA 2020 compliant systematic review with SWiM compliant narrative synthesis. Ian Kellar (School of Psychology, University of Leeds)