Scholarly Contributions: Exploring Review Types
This class explores the fundamentals of evidence synthesis and the diverse range of review methodologies available to researchers. Participants will examine the strengths and limitations of the traditional hierarchy of evidence and consider how meaningful contributions to scholarship can occur across multiple levels of research and review.
The session introduces major review types, including systematic, scoping, narrative, and other common evidence synthesis approaches. Emphasis is placed on using library resources and services to conduct preliminary literature searches, assess the scope and maturity of a research topic, and determine whether a research question is appropriate for a particular review methodology.
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Describe the purpose of evidence synthesis and its role in scholarly communication.
- Recognize challenges associated with the traditional hierarchy of evidence.
- Differentiate among major review types and their intended uses.
- Identify library services and resources that support evidence synthesis and review planning.