ArticlePloS one2021
The effect of librarian involvement on the quality of systematic reviews in dental medicine.
Article in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Systematic reviews of convalescent plasma in COVID-19 continue to be poorly conducted and reported: a systematic review.Journal of clinical epidemiology · 2022Pooled it
- Improving peer review of systematic reviews and related review types by involving librarians and information specialists as methodological peer reviewers: a randomised controlled trial.BMJ evidence-based medicine · 2025Trial
- Reliability and reproducibility of systematic reviews informing the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: a pilot study.The American journal of clinical nutrition · 2025Article
- How to Conduct and Publish Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses in Dentistry.Journal of esthetic and restorative dentistry : official publication of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry ... [et al.] · 2025Review
- Librarian involvement on knowledge synthesis articles and its relationship to article citation count and Journal Impact Factor.The journal of the Canadian Health Libraries Association · 2024Article
- Designing a framework for curriculum building in systematic review competencies for librarians: a case report.Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA · 2024Article
- Searching for studies: A guide to information retrieval for Campbell systematic reviews.Campbell systematic reviews · 2024Article
- Large-scale systematic review support for guideline development in diabetes precision medicine.Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA · 2024Article
- Effect of librarian collaboration on otolaryngology systematic review and meta-analysis quality.Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA · 2024Article
- Adolescent Social Media Use through a Self-Determination Theory Lens: A Systematic Scoping Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- Inclusion of librarians and information professionals in Canadian knowledge synthesis grant funding.The journal of the Canadian Health Libraries Association · 2024Article
- Guidance for systematic reviews in journal author instructions: Findings and recommendations for editorial teams.Cochrane evidence synthesis and methods · 2024Article
- Bibliometric analysis of librarian involvement in systematic reviews at the University of Alberta.The journal of the Canadian Health Libraries Association · 2024Article
- Reducing the residue of retractions in evidence synthesis: ways to minimise inappropriate citation and use of retracted data.BMJ evidence-based medicine · 2024Article
- Librarians and information specialists as methodological peer-reviewers: a case-study of the International Journal of Health Governance.Research integrity and peer review · 2024Article
- A plan for systematic reviews for high-need areas in forensic science.Forensic science international. Synergy · 2024Review
- How to Conduct a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: A Guide for Clinicians.Respiratory care · 2023Article
- Critical appraisal of systematic reviews of intervention studies in periodontology using AMSTAR 2 and ROBIS tools.Journal of clinical and experimental dentistry · 2023Review
- Article
- A suggested data structure for transparent and repeatable reporting of bibliographic searching.Campbell systematic reviews · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesTo determine whether librarian or information specialist authorship is associated with better reproducibility of the search, at least three databases searched, and better reporting quality in dental systematic reviews (SRs).
methodsSRs from the top ten dental research journals (as determined by Journal Citation Reports and Scimago) were reviewed for search quality and reproducibility by independent reviewers using two Qualtrics survey instruments. Data was reviewed for all SRs based on reproducibility and librarian participation and further reviewed for search quality of reproducible searches.
resultsLibrarians were co-authors in only 2.5% of the 913 included SRs and librarians were mentioned or acknowledged in only 9% of included SRs. Librarian coauthors were associated with more reproducible searches, higher search quality, and at least three databases searched. Although the results indicate librarians are associated with improved SR quality, due to the small number of SRs that included a librarian, results were not statistically significant.
conclusionDespite guidance from organizations that produce SR guidelines recommending the inclusion of a librarian or information specialist on the review team, and despite evidence showing that librarians improve the reproducibility of searches and the reporting of methodology in SRs, librarians are not being included in SRs in the field of dental medicine. The authors of this review recommend the inclusion of a librarian on SR teams in dental medicine and other fields.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.