Is there a place for undergraduate and graduate students in the systematic review process?

• Main Author: Christina L. Wissinger
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University Library System, University of Pittsburgh 2018-04-01
• Series: Journal of the Medical Library Association
• Subjects: Systematic Review; Undergraduate Students; Graduate Students
• Online Access: http://jmla.pitt.edu/ojs/jmla/article/view/387

Systematic reviews are a well-established and well-honed research methodology in the medical and health sciences fields. As the popularity of systematic reviews has increased, disciplines outside the sciences have started publishing them. This increase in familiarity has begun to trickle down from practitioners and faculty to graduate students and recently undergraduates. The amount of work and rigor that goes into producing a quality systematic review may make these types of research projects seem unattainable for undergraduate or graduate students, but is this an accurate assumption? This commentary discusses whether there is a place for undergraduate and graduate students in the systematic review process. It explains the possible benefits of having undergraduate and graduate students engage in systematic reviews and concludes with ideas for creating basic education or training opportunities for researchers and students who are new to the systematic review process.