Systematic searches

Recent years have seen increasing opportunities for libraries to participate in the research process of our patrons. Our skills in conducting thorough searches and documenting the search process in a transparent way, are highly sought after among researchers looking to write a systematic review article. We give an overview of how this service can be provided in an academic library setting, emphasizing the need for close collaboration between library staff and researchers. We discuss the advantages and limitations of the tools we use, with the aim that others interested in systematic searches can get workable advice. With the increase in information available, researchers need help finding, sorting, screening and documenting the systematic search process. As research librarians we are uniquely positioned to participate in this process. Libraries looking to start offering this service needs to invest in their staff, affording them time to acquire the skill set as well as the time needed for the work involved in the systematic search projects

Skrivenatt

Det er et stadig økende krav for studenter om å produsere akademiske tekster gjennom hele studieforløpet. De nye studentene som kommer rett fra videregående opplæring har liten, eller ingen erfaring i det å skrive akademiske tekster. Det har vært til dels lite fokus på skriveopplæring for nye studenter i akademisk skriving ved NTNU, derfor oppstod tilbudet om Skrivenatt. Skrivenatt er et kveldsarrangement hvor studenter ved NTNU Dragvoll får hjelp til å skrive akademiske tekster (Academic Literacy) og informasjonskompetanse (Information Literacy). Arrangementet er et samarbeid mellom NTNU Universitetsbiblioteket, biblioteket Dragvoll og NTNUs Institutt for språk og litteratur (ISL). Skrivenatt foregår i bibliotekets lokaler én kveld i semesteret. Skrivenatt er lagt opp slik at studentene selv kan velge hvordan de ønsker å bruke kvelden. De kan sitte og skrive på egen hånd, få hjelp av læringsassistenter som går rundt eller gå på workshoper. Workshopene vi tilbyr skal gi studentene kunnskap om ulike sider ved akademisk skriving. De første årene med skrivenatt gjennomførte biblioteket workshops i litteratursøk og referansehåndtering. Dette ble etterhvert endret til hjelpestasjoner med en-til-en veiledning. Disse endringen kom etter lite besøkte workshops og tilbakemeldinger fra studentene. Tilbakemeldinger fra studenter tyder på at de har fått mer kunnskap om hva akademisk skriving går ut på og hjelp der de er i skriveprosessen. Dette har gitt økt selvtillit og mestringsfølelse som de tar med seg videre i det å skrive akademiske tekster. There is an ever-increasing demand for students to produce academic texts throughout the course of study. The new student coming straight from upper secondary education has little or no experience writing academic texts. To help these students, we started Writing night. Writing Night is an evening event where students at NTNU Dragvoll get help writing academic texts and information literacy. The event is a collaboration between NTNU University Library, the Dragvoll library and NTNU's Institute for Language and Literature (ISL). Writing Night takes place on the library premises one evening during the semester. Writing Night is arranged to let the students choose how they want to spend the evening. They can sit and write on their own, get help from learning assistants from ISL, who walk around or go to workshops. The workshops we offer give students knowledge of various aspects of academic writing. During the first years of Writing Night, the library conducted workshops in literature search and reference management. This was later changed to one-to-one guidance stations. This change came after student feedback. Student feedback indicates that they have gained more knowledge about academic writing and the event helped them to move on in their writing process. This has given them the confidence and sense of accomplishment they can use when working with academic texts

Systematic searches: a new area of cooperation between the library and the social sciences

Recent years have seen increasing opportunities for libraries to participate in the research process of our patrons. Our skills in conducting thorough searches and documenting the search process in a transparent way, are highly sought after among researchers looking to write a systematic review article. We give an overview of how this service can be provided in an academic library setting, emphasizing the need for close collaboration between library staff and researchers. We discuss the advantages and limitations of the tools we use, with the aim that others interested in systematic searches can get workable advice. With the increase in information available, researchers need help finding, sorting, screening and documenting the systematic search process. As research librarians we are uniquely positioned to participate in this process. Libraries looking to start offering this service needs to invest in their staff, affording them time to acquire the skill set as well as the time needed for the work involved in the systematic search projects

The health consequences of informal employment among female workers and their children: a systematic review

Abstract Background Informal employment is unprotected and unregistered and it is often characterized by precarious working arrangements. Although being a global phenomenon and the most common type of employment worldwide, scholarly attention to its health effects has only recently accelerated. While there is still some debate, informal employment is generally understood to be detrimental to workers’ health. However, because women are more vulnerable to informality than men, attention is required to the health consequences of female workers specifically. We conducted a systematic review with the objective to examine the global evidence on the consequences of informal employment, compared to formal employment, on the health of female workers and their children. Methods We searched peer-reviewed literature in Embase, Medline, PsychInfo, Scopus and Web of Science up until November 11, 2022. No restrictions were applied in terms of year, language or country. Individual-level quantitative studies that compared women of reproductive age in informal and formal employment, or their children (≤ 5 years), were eligible for inclusion. If studies reported outcomes per subgroup level, these were included. Study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist and a narrative synthesis of the results were conducted. Results 13 articles were included in the review, looking at breastfeeding outcomes (n = 4), child nutritional status and low birthweight (n = 4), antenatal health (n = 3), and general health outcomes for women (n = 2). The overall evidence from the included studies was that compared to formal employment, there was an association between informal employment and worse health outcomes, especially on child nutritional status and antenatal health. The evidence for breastfeeding outcomes was mixed and showed that informal employment may be both protective and damaging to health. Conclusion This review showed that informal employment is a potential risk factor for health among female workers and their children. Further research on the pathways between informal employment and health is needed to strengthen the understanding of the health consequences of informal employment

Additional file 2 of The health consequences of informal employment among female workers and their children: a systematic review

Supplementary Material 2. Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist for analytical cross sectional studie

Additional file 1 of The health consequences of informal employment among female workers and their children: a systematic review

Supplementary Material 1. Example of the search strateg

Innovative technologies and social inequalities in health: A scoping review of the literature

<div><p>The aim of this study was to systematically review the range, nature, and extent of current research activity exploring the influence of innovative health-related technologies on social inequalities in health, with specific focus on a deeper understanding of the variables used to measure this connection and the pathways leading to the (re)production of inequalities. A review process was conducted, based on scoping review techniques, searching literature published from January 1, 1996 to November 25, 2016 using MEDLINE, Scopus, and ISI web of science. Search, sorting, and data extraction processes were conducted by a team of researchers and experts using a dynamic, reflexive examination process. Of 4139 studies collected from the search process, a total of 33 were included in the final analysis. Results of this study include the classification of technologies based on how these technologies are accessed and used by end users. In addition to the factors and mechanisms that influence unequal <i>access</i> to technologies, the results of this study highlight the importance of variations in <i>use</i> that importantly shape social inequalities in health. Additionally, focus on health care services technologies must be accompanied by investigating emerging technologies influencing healthy lifestyle, genomics, and personalized devices in health. Findings also suggest that choosing one measure of social position over another has important implications for the interpretation of research results. Furthermore, understanding the pathways through which various innovative health technologies reduce or (re)produce social inequalities in health is context dependent. In order to better understand social inequalities in health, these contextual variations draw attention to the need for critical distinctions between technologies based on how these various technologies are accessed and used. The results of this study provide a comprehensive starting point for future research to further investigate how innovative technologies may influence the unequal distribution of health as a human right.</p></div

Inclusion/Exclusion criteria.

<p>Inclusion/Exclusion criteria.</p

Overview of included studies.

<p>Overview of included studies.</p

Database rational and search strings.

<p>Database rational and search strings.</p