Evidence Synthesis in the Social Sciences

Resources

• Methodological Expectations of Campbell Collaboration Intervention Reviews (MECCIR)
• JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis - Although created for evidence-based healthcare, the JBI Manual is utilized in social sciences as well.
• Social Work Liaison Toolkit - Evidence Synthesis and Advanced Reviews

Qualitative Specific:

• Cochrane Handbook, Chapter 21: Qualitative Evidence
• Kate, F., Booth, A. Garside, R., Tunçalp, O., & Noyes, J. (2019). Qualitative evidence synthesis for complex interventions and guideline development: clarification of the purpose, designs and relevant methods: BMJ Global Health.
• Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group guidance series—paper 3: methods for assessing methodological limitations, data extraction and synthesis, and confidence in synthesized qualitative findings https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2017.06.020
• Methods for synthesizing qualitative evidence [recorded workshop] 
• Aguirre, R. T., & Bolton, K. W. (2014). Qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis in social work research: Uncharted territory. Journal of Social Work, 14(3), 279-294. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468017313476797
• Hannes, K., & Lockwood, C. (2012). Synthesizing qualitative research: choosing the right approach. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN: 978-0-470-65638-9.

Meta-Analysis

• Cooper, H. M. (2017). Research synthesis and meta-analysis : a step-by-step approach (5th ed). Sage publications. 
• Littell, J. H., Corcoran, J., & Pillai, V. K. (2008). Systematic reviews and meta-analysis. Oxford University Press.
• Chapter 8 - Step 3 of Evidence-Based Practice: Part 3—Meta-analysis and Systematic Reviews: Aggregating Research Results. J. W. Drisko, M. D. Grady, Evidence-Based Practice in Clinical Social Work, Essential Clinical Social Work Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15224-6_8

Adapted from: University of Minnesota's Systematic Review and Evidence Synthesis Research Guide

• Systematic reviews and meta-analysis: open and free Campbell Collaboration online course

  Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis: A Campbell Collaboration Online Course provides an overview of the steps involved in conducting a systematic (scientific) review of the results of multiple quantitative studies. These steps include problem formulation, searching for relevant literature, screening potentially eligible studies, coding and critically appraising the studies, synthesizing results across studies using meta-analysis, reporting and disseminating the results, and updating or re-analyzing the data.

• What Works Clearinghouse: 
  • Focus: Provides systematic reviews of education interventions to determine what works for improving student outcomes.
  • Impact: Influences educational practices and policies with evidence-based resources.
• What Works Network (based in the UK)
  • Focus: Comprises several centers, such as What Works Centre for Crime Reduction and the Education Endowment Foundation, that synthesize evidence in education, aging, youth employment, etc. 
  • Impact: Guides public and private sector decisions in the UK and internationally.
• The Global SDG Synthesis Coalition: 
  • Focus: Synthesizes evidence based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) initiatives to address social, economic, and environmental challenges, evaluating progress and informing interventions.
  • Impact: Guides global decision-making with actionable insights to advance sustainable and equitable development.
• Social Science Research Council: 
  • Focus: Facilitates interdisciplinary research synthesis through grants, mentorship, and knowledge-sharing to advance evidence-based policy solutions.
  • Impact: Informs global and national strategies addressing complex social challenges.
• Global Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Challenges
  • Focus: To foster the integration of evidence into policymaking, practice, and citizen engagement to tackle pressing global issues. 
  • Impact: Empowers decision-makers and communities to implement informed solutions that drive meaningful societal progress.
• EPPI Centre Evidence for Policy and Practice 
  • Focus: Conducts systematic reviews and evidence synthesis across education, social care, and public health sectors.
  • Impact: Informs policymakers, practitioners, and educators with robust evidence summaries.

The Systematic Review Toolbox, launched in 2014, is an online catalog of tools designed to support various tasks in the systematic review and evidence synthesis process.

In 2022, the Systematic Review Toolbox underwent a significant update. This included:

• New categorization of guidance and software tools following the systematic review taxonomy presented in Sutton et al. 2019.
• Updating the records to reflect what stage of the review process the tools aim to address.
• Checking each record to assess when the tool was last updated, or the most recent related publication was published.
• Checking individual records and links to ensure all tools are active and available.
• Developing a modern website with improved accessibility.

This work is reported in Johnson et al. 2022.

The Systematic Review Toolbox is currently supported and hosted by the NIHR Innovation Observatory.

Clark, J., Barton, B., Albarqouni, L., Byambasuren, O., Jowsey, T., Keogh, J., ... & Jones, M. (2025). Generative artificial intelligence use in evidence synthesis: A systematic review. Research Synthesis Methods, 1-19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/rsm.2025.16 

Good to know: 

Bibliographic database:

A collection of records containing information about written work, such as journal articles, books, or news. This information typically includes titles, author information, publication date, source (e.g., journal name), an abstract if available, and sometimes additional information provided by the database provider, such as publication type and geographic focus of the work.

Database platform:

While a database is a collection of records, a platform is the interface through which those records are accessed and searched. For example, ERIC can be searched through the ProQuest, Ebsco, or Ovid platforms, as well as the U.S. Department of Education website.

Database record:

An individual item in a database that contains searchable data about the item, for example, the title, author, and abstract associated with a journal article.

Indexing:

The process of collecting and compiling the records that make up a bibliographic database. This process may involve adding additional information about an item to make records more discoverable during searches. For example, some database providers add information like study design or geographic location to article records.

Grey literature:

The research and information produced by organizations, governments, and academic institutions that is not formally published through traditional journal and book publishing venues. This can include conference proceedings, reports, theses, white papers, and a wide range of other document types.