Mixed Methods Systematic Review and Searching the Evidence Online Courses

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Course overview

The courses are now fully booked. Please contact Denise Womersley to join the waiting list for 2024 courses.

Mixed methods systematic reviews combine qualitative and quantitative evidence to answer complex applied health and public health questions. These methods are becoming increasingly important as we seek to understand why interventions may have different results for different people in different situations. This course will explore the current thinking on approaches to mixed methods systematic reviews.

You can attend all six half-days, or just the ‘Review’ course (four half-days) or the evidence search course (two half-days).

Conducting a Mixed Methods Systematic Review

Online course. Live sessions:

• 13.30 - 14.30 (BST) 20th April 2023 (optional introduction) 

• 13.30 - 16.00 (BST) on 21st, 24th, 26th & 28th April 2023 

Following this course (delivered in four half-day sessions) participants should have a strong understanding of:

• The purpose and value of mixed-methods systematic reviews

• Methods for synthesising qualitative and quantitative research including explanatory sequential, exploratory sequential, and convergent synthesis methods.

Searching the Evidence Base Workshop

Online course. Live sessions: 

• 13.30 - 14.30 (BST) 2nd May 2023 (optional introduction)

• 13.30 - 16.00 (BST) on 3rd & 5th May 2023 

This course, delivered over two half days, will develop:

• A strong understanding of best practice search methods for mixed-methods reviews

• Practical skills in search techniques, resource selection and managing reference records.

Online course format

The course materials and highly interactive live sessions will be delivered by software which will enable group discussions, break-out room discussion, quizzes and recording of sessions.

A brief introductory session will allow participants and presenters to introduce themselves and the course.

Participants will be given access to 1 to 1.5 hrs pre-recorded lectures that can be watched in their own time prior to each live session.

During the live interactive sessions, participants will complete hands-on activities and engage in discussion. The online sessions are spaced out in digestible chunks over several days.

Who the course is for?

This course is for you if you are interested in understanding how mixed-method synthesis provides a deeper understanding of complex interventions and their implementation. It is suitable for you if you already have an understanding of systematic review methods – i.e. you have had in-depth training and/or conducted a systematic review (either quantitative or qualitative) before.

The mixed methods course is not suitable for you if you are new to systematic reviews as it does not provide basic systematic review (screening, data extraction, quality assessment) or meta-analysis training. The ‘Review’ course focusses on synthesis methods.

Presenters

Dr Katy Sutcliffe is the Deputy Director of the Department of Health Reviews Facility at the Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Coordination Centre (EPPI-Centre), Institute of Education, University College London. Katy specialises in developing methods for research synthesis, in particular for qualitative and mixed methods reviews.

Dr Meena Khatwa and Dr Gillian Stokes from from UCL will facilitate group work with Katy. 

Judy Wright (University of Leeds) is a senior information specialist with expertise in finding evidence for mixed methods reviews. Judy leads the AUHE Evidence Synthesis team, supporting systematic reviews, economic models and realist syntheses.

Natalie King (University of Leeds) is an information specialist with expertise in finding evidence for systematic reviews, economic models and mixed methods reviews including realist syntheses.

Guest Speakers

Professor Joanne Greenhalgh (University of Leeds) is a social research methodologist applying realist methods to healthcare evaluation. Joanne has expertise in realist syntheses.

Professor Helen Elsey (University of York) is a senior lecturer. Helen and colleagues have recently completed a NIHR-PHR funded mixed methods review with the Campbell Collaboration

Fees

You can attend all six sessions, or the four ‘review’ course or the two ‘searching’ sessions.

£600 Six sessions mixed methods review course and searching for evidence course

£450 Four sessions mixed methods review course

£150 Two sessions searching for evidence course

*Concessions. University of Leeds staff and students receive a 33% discount.

Further information 

The courses are fully booked. Contact Denise Womersley to join the waiting list for 2024 courses.

2022 online course testimonials

“The activities themselves were well designed and resulted in learning, I was happily surprised how much I got out of them.”

“The lectures were delivered very well. Clear and interesting and I really liked the You Tube vids. It was well facilitated and a very useful topic for my work at the moment.”

“The course materials were great. But the best was probably your ability to explain and talk through the content in a very comprehensible manner. I do believe that the online format worked very well the way you used it”

“Even though online, the feeling of community and shared experience was palpable. The care that Katie, Judy & Natalie took with the sessions was excellent.”