As part of the #NUOpenLibrarySessions, the NU Library recently launched a 5-day workshop titled “Making Sense of Evidence: Evidence Synthesis for Literature Reviews”, held from March 31 to April 4. The pilot session, led by NU Librarian April Manabat, brought together graduate students, research assistants, early career researchers, and faculty members from NUSOM, GSE, SEDS, and SSH.
This workshop was designed to support members of the academic community in navigating the process of conducting systematic literature reviews, an essential component of evidence-based research. Participants were guided through the core stages of evidence synthesis: preparing protocols, retrieving and appraising literature, synthesizing data, and writing and publishing results. The session also introduced AI-powered tools that can assist researchers in managing their review workflows more efficiently.
With the growing demand for systematic reviews, scoping reviews, meta-analyses, and rapid reviews, NU researchers are increasingly contributing to this critical field. A quick analysis via SciVal revealed that NU has produced 394 review studies between 2020 and 2025, primarily within the field of medicine. These types of studies not only identify gaps in the literature but also inform policy and practice based on robust research evidence.
The NU Library is proud to support initiatives like this that empower the university’s research community. Stay tuned for future sessions as we look forward to continuing this important work together.