The workshop offers a comprehensive journey through the landscape of systematic literature reviews, emphasizing synthesis over mere summarization. You will learn the critical steps for creating solid and valuable reviews based on best-practice guidelines, including the 'Ten Commandments' for crafting literature reviews. The workshop will also focus on common pitfalls that researchers encounter and advise you on how to sidestep them. At the end of the workshop, you will have a holistic understanding of the entire process of creating systematic literature reviews and will be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to craft your own high-quality review.
A team of subject librarians from Mainz University Library will guide participants in developing effective search strategies for systematic reviews. Participants will learn advanced search techniques such as truncation, phrase searching, controlled vocabulary, Boolean operators, and the use of filters. They will work with key databases, including Web of Science and other databases available through the EBSCO platform. The workshop will also introduce forward and backward citation searching, methods for deduplicating results, the practical use of AI-supported tools, and other resources that may support the systematic review process.

Dates:

• 12 June 2026. 9:00 a.m. –1:00 p.m.
• 19 June 2026, 9:00 a.m. –1:00 p.m.

Target group: This workshop is for researchers & students from disciplines of the social sciences.

Registration: Please register by 25 May 2026 (see link).