Systematic review as dissertation training: A five-session embedded workshop model for doctoral students in education [Poster]
Keywords
systematic reviews, doctoral education, embedded librarianship, dissertation support
Description of Proposal
Systematic reviews and scoping reviews have become increasingly central to graduate education in the social sciences, particularly in education. At the University of Arkansas, many of the doctoral programs in education, specifically Curriculum & Instruction, now encourage or require their student to ground their dissertation proposals with systematized literature reviews. This shift reflects both the growing popularity of evidence synthesis in education research and the cautious turn some scholars have made toward systematic reviews as a "safe" form of scholarship under heightened governmental scrutiny.
In Fall 2025, I was invited by a faculty member to partner to design and deliver a five-session workshop series embedded within CIED 66203: Methods and Scholarship in Curriculum & Instruction and its cross-listed counterpart CIED 52703: Research in Curriculum & Instruction. These courses prepare students to write thesis or dissertation proposals and engage deeply with research design. The workshop series introduced both doctoral and master's students to systematic review methodology, scaffolding the process step by step:
Session 1: What Are Systematic Reviews?
Session 2: Developing a Focused Research Question
Session 3: Building a Transparent, Reproducible Search Strategy
Session 4: Screening & Applying Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria
Session 5: Data Extraction & Synthesis Basics
Some students had previously worked with me individually on scoping or systematic reviews, while others were encountering this process for the first time. Embedding the workshops within a required research methods class created a shared foundation: experienced students could deepen their practice while newcomers were introduced to structured, reproducible techniques that positioned them for dissertation work.
The poster will visually map this workshop model, connecting each session to dissertation milestones and showing how librarian-faculty collaboration can normalize advanced research practices at the doctoral level. It will also highlight student reflections, sample outputs (e.g., PRISMA diagrams, search documentation), and lessons learned about tailoring systematic review pedagogy for education doctoral students.
By embedding evidence synthesis training directly into doctoral coursework, librarians can transform “Chapter 2” from a daunting hurdle into a scaffolded process that builds research confidence, transparency, and scholarly rigor.
Systematic review as dissertation training: A five-session embedded workshop model for doctoral students in education [Poster]
Systematic reviews and scoping reviews have become increasingly central to graduate education in the social sciences, particularly in education. At the University of Arkansas, many of the doctoral programs in education, specifically Curriculum & Instruction, now encourage or require their student to ground their dissertation proposals with systematized literature reviews. This shift reflects both the growing popularity of evidence synthesis in education research and the cautious turn some scholars have made toward systematic reviews as a "safe" form of scholarship under heightened governmental scrutiny.
In Fall 2025, I was invited by a faculty member to partner to design and deliver a five-session workshop series embedded within CIED 66203: Methods and Scholarship in Curriculum & Instruction and its cross-listed counterpart CIED 52703: Research in Curriculum & Instruction. These courses prepare students to write thesis or dissertation proposals and engage deeply with research design. The workshop series introduced both doctoral and master's students to systematic review methodology, scaffolding the process step by step:
Session 1: What Are Systematic Reviews?
Session 2: Developing a Focused Research Question
Session 3: Building a Transparent, Reproducible Search Strategy
Session 4: Screening & Applying Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria
Session 5: Data Extraction & Synthesis Basics
Some students had previously worked with me individually on scoping or systematic reviews, while others were encountering this process for the first time. Embedding the workshops within a required research methods class created a shared foundation: experienced students could deepen their practice while newcomers were introduced to structured, reproducible techniques that positioned them for dissertation work.
The poster will visually map this workshop model, connecting each session to dissertation milestones and showing how librarian-faculty collaboration can normalize advanced research practices at the doctoral level. It will also highlight student reflections, sample outputs (e.g., PRISMA diagrams, search documentation), and lessons learned about tailoring systematic review pedagogy for education doctoral students.
By embedding evidence synthesis training directly into doctoral coursework, librarians can transform “Chapter 2” from a daunting hurdle into a scaffolded process that builds research confidence, transparency, and scholarly rigor.
What takeaways will attendees learn from your session?
1. Describe a five-session embedded workshop model for teaching systematic review methods within doctoral coursework.
2. Recognize how evidence synthesis skills can strengthen dissertation preparation and serve as a training ground for original research.
3. Identify adaptable strategies for embedding librarians into graduate research methods courses.