There are numerous opportunities to learn more about evidence synthesis in training courses, both within and outside of the School, to suit different requirements.
LSHTM Short Course
LSHTM offers a 4-day online short course ‘Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses of Health Research’ available to both internal and external students. This course focuses on quantitative systematic reviews. The course learning objectives are:
- describing the principles of systematic reviews and meta-analysis
- interpreting their results
- critically appraising existing reviews
- conducting their own
LSHTM Internal Resources and Trainings
LSHTM runs an intensive five-week module as part of its MSc programme (available to MSc/PhD students) on Reviewing the Literature. This module covers framing an appropriate review question; conducting literature search; data extraction; critical appraisal of evidence; synthesis and write-up. More information is on the module specifications page.
In addition, some MSc modules cover literature reviews/evidence synthesis as part of the wider research methods presented. One such module is the Distance Learning Research Design and Methods for the Analysis of Global Health Policy, offered within the MSc in Global Health Policy. Our module spec gives more details.
LSHTM also offers Library Support to its staff and students through the Library, Archives and Open Research Services. There are resources specific on literature searching & info skills. For more information, visit the intranet.
Other courses
Cochrane runs a range of online free / costed courses, as does the Campbell Collaboration. The EPPI-Centre (UCL) runs an MSc in Social Policy (Evidence Synthesis) as well as a range of tailored shorter courses.
The Specialist Unit for Review Evidence (SURE) at Cardiff University runs Conducting a Systematic Review: a practical guide (online) This is a practical and highly interactive course designed to equip participants with an understanding of the systematic review process and an introduction to the skills necessary to conduct a review. The course is taught over four days with a range of discussion, group and hands-on sessions. Attendees should come to the course with a research topic and leave with a draft protocol for their systematic review.
Other resources for evidence syntehsis
In addition to the above courses, there are several organisations dedicated to supporting and collating systematic reviews with relevance to public health policy and practice.
- Cochrane
This global organisation consists of around 40 review groups, each with a focus on a different health topic. Cochrane reviews are usually focused on the effectiveness of clinical interventions but now also include other types of topics and designs such as qualitative reviews.
The Public Health group supports people from all over the world to conduct systematic reviews to the Cochrane model and standards relating to public health.
The Cochrane website has more details on its library, review methods and software.
- Campbell Collaboration
The Campbell Collaboration has a similar approach to the Cochrane Library, but focuses more on education, social welfare and development.
- EPPI-Centre
The EPPI-Centre is part of the Institute of Education, UCL. This unit conducts evidence syntheses for various government departments in England on a wide variety of topics and methods. The Centre has also developed novel synthesis techniques, software, and review methods including participatory methods.
- 3ie
3ie funds, produces, quality assures and synthesises rigorous evidence on international development. They support evaluations and reviews that examine what works, for whom, why, and at what cost in low-and middle-income countries.
- Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD), University of York
The Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) conducts health-related evidence synthesis and has developed particular expertise in high quality systematic reviews and associated economic evaluations.
- Health Evidence Network, WHO
The Health Evidence Network (HEN) produces a variety of publications to meet policymakers’ needs for evidence, synthesizing the best available evidence in response to policymakers’ questions.
These include joint policy briefs and policy summaries, produced with the European Observatory on Health Systems and Polices, which synthesize the evidence around specific policy options for tackling key health system issues; and HEN summaries of reports, including synopses of the main findings and policy options.
- Africa Evidence Network
The Africa Evidence Network is an example of one of the numerous local and global networks supporting people to conduct and use evidence syntheses in public health policy and practice.