Dr Tivani Mashamba-Thompson (third left) with UKZN librarians who attended evidence synthesis research methods workshops.UKZN Systematic Review Service Partners with Librarians to Reduce Research Waste
UKZN Systematic Review Services hosted two evidence synthesis research methods workshops for University librarians and information scientists.
Attended by 38 delegates, the workshops covered a key concept on evidence synthesis and a practical session on refining a research question in order to determine viable key words to use during a data base search.
According to the Director for the UKZN Systematic Review Service, Dr Tivani Mashamba-Thompson evidence synthesis is a key element of evidence-based practice.
Mashamba-Thompson said evidence synthesis research methods such as systematic reviews and scoping reviews could be used as an alternative approach to answering research questions and help reduce research waste.
‘Most of the research questions asked by our masters students in Public Health and other disciplines do not require a primary research study. It is estimated that US$170 billion of research funding is wasted each year because its outcomes cannot be used,’ she said.
‘The waste can occur during the following four stages of research production: selection of research question, study design, research and dissemination.’
She said by working together with librarians it was possible to produce high quality evidence synthesis studies. ‘The results of these studies can guide policies and practice to help reveal true research gaps to guide our future primary studies.’
‘It really doesn’t make sense for a researcher to conduct a new primary study if they are unsure whether or not the answer to their research question is already available. More importantly, if the answer to one’s research question is already available, it would not be ethical to recruit participants into a new primary study,’ said Mashamba-Thompson.
According to Mashamba-Thompson the course was well received by UKZN librarians and she hopes to see more involvement of librarians’ systematic review and scoping review projects.
Words: Nombuso Dlamini
Photograph: Supplied