Tools & Training
This page includes trainings on how to perform systematic reviews as well as links to software, tools, and resources that are used in the development, conduct, and reporting of systematic reviews.
Cochrane Systematic Review Training
- Introduction to Conducting Systematic ReviewsPart of the Cochrane Interactive Learning course on Conducting an Intervention Review, this free module introduces you to what systematic reviews are and why they are useful. This module describes the various types and preferred format of review questions, and outlines the process of conducting systematic reviews. Registration is required.
Covidence Systematic Review Software
Covidence is a systematic review management tool available through USC Libraries that frequently gets used to deduplicate citations; conduct title/abstract and full text screening; create Risk of Bias tables; perform data extraction; create PRISMA flow charts; and export to RevMan, and/or citation management software.
Some teams choose to use Covidence for screening, selection, and data extraction while other teams choose to use Covidence for screening and selection and another tool for data extraction.
- Covidence This link opens in a new windowCovidence is online screening and data extraction tool for conducting systematic reviews. Get access by submitting an invitation via the link above. Email medlib@usc.edu for help.
EndNote Citation Management Software
EndNote software is highly recommended for systematic reviews because it has more robust features including the ability to locate full text available through USC Libraries subscriptions. EndNote software is available to USC faculty, students, and staff for a discount at the USC Bookstore.
- EndNote GuideUSC faculty, students, and staff have free access to EndNote Online. EndNote software is available from the USC Book Store at a discount. Both can be used for citation management, but we recommend EndNote Software for systematic reviews.
- Systematic Reviews YouTube PlaylistVideos created by USC health sciences librarians on using EndNote software for systematic reviews, exporting citations from databases, search documentation, finding full-text, and more. For videos and guidance on using Covidence, view the Covidence Help site link below.
Finding Full Text
To find full-text articles, first run the full-text finder in EndNote. For the remainder of the articles, search the USC Libraries subscriptions to locate full text. Submit Interlibrary Loan requests for any articles you cannot find. Please see the links below for more help.
- EndNote Find Full Text FeatureThe EndNote Find Full-text tool is only available with the EndNote software. It will connect your EndNote library with USC Libraries subscriptions to import and attach the full-text pdfs of articles to your references.
- Find Articles by TitleLearn how to get to the full text of an article by searching for the title in the USC Libraries catalog.
- Get Full-Text Articles with FindIt@USCLearn how to get to the full text of an article through USC Libraries using Find it @ USC.
- Find JournalsLearn how to access journals in the USC Libraries catalog.
- Customize Google Scholar for USC LibrariesLearn how to customize Google Scholar to link to Find it @ USC and get full-text through USC Libraries.
- Install and Use LibKey NomadLearn to use LibKey Nomad for one-click access to articles through USC Libraries subscriptions directly from some (not all) publisher websites. Go to https://thirdiron.com/downloadnomad/ to download.
- InterLibrary Loan and Document DeliveryUse InterLibrary Loan to request full text of articles not available through USC Libraries.
Additional Systematic Review Tools
- Cochrane RevManTool for performing a meta-analysis. Can import study data from Covidence.
- Polyglot SearchTranslates the syntax of database search strings from one database to another (e.g. PubMed to Web of Science).
- Yale MeSH AnalyzerExamines MeSH terms attached to groups of PubMed citations.
- Citation ChaserAllows you to conduct a forward (citing) and backwards (cited) citation search on a set of included studies.
- PRISMA Flow Diagram GeneratorAllows you to produce a flow diagram for your own review that conforms to the PRISMA2020 Statement.
- VoyantFree web-based text analysis tool.
- WebPlotDigitizerAI assisted software that helps extract numerical data from images of a variety of data visualizations.
- RoBVis Visualization ToolA web app designed to for visualizing risk-of-bias assessments performed as part of a systematic review.
- RobotReviewerMachine learning system aiming that allows users to upload RCT articles and see automatically determined information concerning the trial conduct (the 'PICO', study design, and whether there is a risk of bias).