This page features resources and information to help health sciences librarians dive a little deeper into some common topics they may encounter, including:
EBM/EBP Steps
Steps differ somewhat across sources, but many libraries/programs use the 5 A's:
The evidence pyramid is often used to illustrate the development of evidence. At the base of the pyramid is animal research and laboratory studies – this is where ideas are first developed. As you progress up the pyramid the amount of information available decreases in volume, but increases in relevance to the clinical setting. When searching for evidence to answer clinical questions, you should aim to identify the highest level of available evidence.
Below is one example of an evidence pyramid developed by Duke University Medical Center Library & Archives. Other depictions are available from:
Image Source: Evidence-Based Practice: Study Design from Duke University Medical Center Library & Archives.
Duke University Medical Center Library & Archives. (2025). Evidence-Based Practice [LibGuide]. https://guides.mclibrary.duke.edu/ebm/
Straus, S. E., Glasziou, P., Richardson, W. S., Haynes, R. B. Evidence-Based Mhttps://guides.mclibrary.duke.edu/ebm/homeedicine: How to Practice and Teach EBM (5th ed.). Elsevier.
In addition to the documents highlighted above, the ACRL Instruction Section's Information Literacy in the Disciplines Committee has aggregated a collection of resources and research that is relevant for developing a deeper understanding of what information literacy looks like in selected health disciplines. See pages for:
Click on each stage below for more information.
A protocol is a detailed work plan that describes how and why you are doing a systematic review. It is best practice to develop a protocol and make it publicly available before starting a systematic or scoping review.
PRIMSA-P includes guidelines for the development and reporting of systematic review protocols.
Scoping Review Protocol Guidance
This document provides information for each core protocol component (see color-coded headings) consisting of overarching goals, core requirements, helpful tips, and published protocol examples.
PROSPERO is an international database of prospectively registered systematic reviews on health-related topics.
OSF is a free and open repository for scientific research. This is a good option if you are doing a different review type or a systematic review outside of the health sciences.
Search filters are standardized strategies that help identify literature within specific databases.
The InterTASC Information Specialists' Sub-Group Search Filter Resource is a collaborative venture to identify, assess and test search filters designed to retrieve research by study design or focus.
Health Sciences Search Filters (University of Alberta)
This guide includes search filters by topic, study design and more.
The purpose of screening is to eliminate studies that do not meet your inclusion criteria. Screening typically takes place in two phases: title and abstract screening, then full-text screening.
Abstrackr (Free)
Abstrackr is open source screening software created by Brown University.
Quality assessment tools are questionnaires created to help you assess the quality of a variety of study designs. Depending on the types of studies you are analyzing, the questionnaire will be tailored to ask specific questions about the methodology of the study. A few examples are provided below.
A protocol is a detailed work plan that describes how and why you are doing a systematic review. It is best practice to develop a protocol and make it publicly available before starting a systematic or scoping review.
PRIMSA-P includes guidelines for the development and reporting of systematic review protocols.
Scoping Review Protocol Guidance
This document provides information for each core protocol component (see color-coded headings) consisting of overarching goals, core requirements, helpful tips, and published protocol examples.
PROSPERO is an international database of prospectively registered systematic reviews on health-related topics.
OSF is a free and open repository for scientific research. This is a good option if you are doing a different review type or a systematic review outside of the health sciences.
When preparing to conduct research, it is good practice for researchers to write a data management plan (aka DMP) as part of their planning. These plans will outline numerous elements related to the data that will be collected and analyzed, including, but not limited to:
This policy requires researchers to write prospective data management and sharing plans when submitting their grant applications. It also sets an expectation that researchers will maximize data sharing through the course of their projects.
In addition to the 2023 NIH Data Management & Sharing Policy, those NIH-funded researchers who work with genomic data, must also comply with the NIH Genomic Data Sharing Policy. This policy sets more specific requirements on how genomic data will be handled and shared.
This policy goes into effect on July 1, 2025 and requires that NIH-funded researchers make copies of their manuscripts publicly available in PubMed Central immediately upon publication. This new policy builds on the established 2008 Policy, but removes the ability to embargo publications for 12 months.
