Scientific value of systematic reviews: survey of editors of core clinical journals.

PloS One
Joerg J MeerpohlErik von Elm

Abstract

Synthesizing research evidence using systematic and rigorous methods has become a key feature of evidence-based medicine and knowledge translation. Systematic reviews (SRs) may or may not include a meta-analysis depending on the suitability of available data. They are often being criticised as 'secondary research' and denied the status of original research. Scientific journals play an important role in the publication process. How they appraise a given type of research influences the status of that research in the scientific community. We investigated the attitudes of editors of core clinical journals towards SRs and their value for publication. We identified the 118 journals labelled as "core clinical journals" by the National Library of Medicine, USA in April 2009. The journals' editors were surveyed by email in 2009 and asked whether they considered SRs as original research projects; whether they published SRs; and for which section of the journal they would consider a SR manuscript. The editors of 65 journals (55%) responded. Most respondents considered SRs to be original research (71%) and almost all journals (93%) published SRs. Several editors regarded the use of Cochrane methodology or a meta-analysis as quality criteri...Continue Reading

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Citations

Oct 15, 2014·Medical Teacher·Richa SharmaTrevor Gibbs
Apr 25, 2017·AJR. American Journal of Roentgenology·Matthew D F McInnes
Dec 17, 2016·Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S P·Caroline Maria Herrero DomingosVanessa de Brito Poveda
May 6, 2020·Journal of Evidence-based Medicine·Lara DottoRafael Sarkis-Onofre
Aug 31, 2020·Addictive Behaviors·Guyonne RogierPatrizia Velotti
Apr 27, 2021·International Journal of Nursing Studies·Jin JunMatthew L Crecelius
Aug 26, 2020·Family & Community Health·Edison Andres Cruz OlivoLucas Guimarães Abreu
Jun 16, 2021·Langenbeck's Archives of Surgery·Eva KalkumPascal Probst

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