Reviewing the literature

It is becoming more common for Honours, Masters and HDR students to be assigned systematic or scoping reviews as assignments in order to better understand their use and importance. These are not easy projects and many students are unfamiliar with reviews needing extensive support to succeed. 

Some considerations when assigning students review type assessments are: 

• The time required and expectations. Systematic reviews typically take at least 18 months, much longer than a semester, but focusing on only specific parts of the review process is feasible and beneficial for students. 
• The support available from lecturers and supervisors. Reviews are done as a team for rigor, reduced risk of bias and to share the workload. Supporting students requires an excellent knowledge of reviews methodology and plenty of time to meet and guide students.
• What additional support and resources the students may need. Involving the library and learning skills advisors early can help plan assessments, resources, classes and individual student appointments. Providing support materials in Moodle means the students can go back and check if they are unsure of something. 
• Making sure the students understand the review type, aims and methods. Consider a ‘systematised review’ in which elements of the methods are simplified. 
• The learning outcomes of the course. Good pedagogy means making sure the assessments allow students to display their understanding of the learning outcomes. 
• What prior knowledge the students are likely to have. Like any research method, they may have only a basic understanding of reviews. Think about how to scaffold them so they can meet the learning outcomes. 

Key readings

Wissinger, C. L. (2018). Is there a place for undergraduate and graduate students in the systematic review process? Journal of the Medical Library Association, 106(2), 248-250. https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2018.387