Examining Undergraduate Research Opportunities Using Evidence Synthesis Methodology: A CMU Libraries Case Study

Librarians trained in evidence synthesis (ES) methodology partnered with researchers at the CMU Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholar Development to participate in a scoping review on the impact of reflection exercises and strategies on student learning. A unique element in this collaboration was the involvement of several undergraduate students who participated in several steps of the scoping review as a part of the Summer Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship program offered by the Office. Librarians and researchers trained the students on several steps including defining inclusion and exclusion criteria, the search process, title and abstract screening, and full text retrieval. Students were also trained on the Sysrev platform, which is being used for this scoping review. This presentation will discuss this unique partnership, the training and steps that have been completed in the scoping review to date, and several professional development opportunities that have resulted from this work.