Timeline and Communication
According to the Cochrane Collaboration, “the main resource required by authors is their own time”. While the exact time targets will vary widely from review-to-review, Cochrane estimates that most reviews often require a minimum of nine to twelve months to complete (Cochrane Handbook, Chapter 2.3 Logistics of doing a review). During the initial meeting, the Principal Investigator and the librarian will establish and agree to a timeline.
It is recognized by both parties that deadlines are critical to the project’s success. With respect to completing this project in a timely manner, both parties commit to communicating openly and promptly so that progress on the project can continue and timelines can be adhered to.
Principal Investigator’s Responsibilities
- Submit request for collaboration by completing the SSRC application form
- The Principal Investigator meets with the librarian at the initial meeting
- Follow the appropriate methodological framework for the requested project
- Follow a pre-established reporting guideline
- Provide the librarian a test set of key articles that would make it into the review
- Provide direction and feedback for the search
- Document every step of deduplication, screening, abstraction, analysis, and manuscript writing process
- Share all documentation (including the draft and final manuscript) so that they may be reviewed and edited by the librarian
- Have a pre-established, or in the process of being established, research team (minimum of two people by the time of submitting the application form excluding the librarian)
- Agree to offer co-authorship to the librarian, who may choose to accept or decline upon reviewing the final manuscript
- Provide a rationale for a preliminary search if necessary
- Allow for a realistic timeline of completion
- Agree that the librarian can remove themselves from the project if any of these stipulations are broken.
- Abide by the agreed upon timeline
Ready to submit an application?