About this Course

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We will introduce methods to perform systematic reviews and meta-analysis of clinical trials. We will cover how to formulate an answerable research question, define inclusion and exclusion criteria, search for the evidence, extract data, assess the risk of bias in clinical trials, and perform a meta-analysis. 
Upon successfully completing this course, participants will be able to:

- Describe the steps in conducting a systematic review
- Develop an answerable question using the “Participants Interventions Comparisons Outcomes” (PICO) framework
- Describe the process used to collect and extract data from reports of clinical trials
- Describe methods to critically assess the risk of bias of clinical trials
- Describe and interpret the results of meta-analyses

Learner Career Outcomes

26%

started a new career after completing these courses

21%

got a tangible career benefit from this course

13%

got a pay increase or promotion

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Approx. 14 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Vietnamese, Korean, German, Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.72/5 (399 Ratings)

Tianjing Li, MD, MHS, PHD

Assistant Professor, Epidemiology

Bloomberg School of Public Health

89,532 Learners

1 Course

Kay Dickersin, PhD

Professor, Epidemiology

Bloomberg School of Public Health

89,532 Learners

1 Course

Learner Career Outcomes

26%

started a new career after completing these courses

21%

got a tangible career benefit from this course

13%

got a pay increase or promotion

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Approx. 14 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Vietnamese, Korean, German, Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating97%(14,935 ratings)

Week

1

Week 1

1 hour to complete

Introduction

To get the ball rolling, we'll take a broad overview of what to expect in this course and then introduce you to the high-level concepts of systematic review and meta-analysis and take a look at who produces and uses systematic reviews.

1 hour to complete

5 videos (Total 40 min), 3 readings

5 videos

Welcome to Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis 2m

Lecture 1A : Introduction to Systematic Reviews15m

Lecture 1B: Introduction to Meta-Analysis12m

Lecture 1C: Producers and Users of Systematic Reviews8m

Hannah Rothstein, PhD1m

3 readings

Syllabus10m

Pre Course Survey10m

From the Field Videos10m

Week

2

Week 2

3 hours to complete

Framing the Question

In this module, we will discuss how to frame a question, as well as scope, elements, and refining the question.

3 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 73 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes

7 videos

Lecture 2A: Resources for How to Frame Your Question7m

Lecture 2B: Deciding the Type and Scope of Your Question17m

Lecture 2C: Elements of the Question16m

Lecture 2D: Refining the Question10m

Lecture 2E: Some Examples8m

Lecture 2F: Analytic Frameworks10m

Betsy Becker, PhD2m

1 reading

Welcome to the first Peer Assignment!10m

1 practice exercise

Module 230m

Week

3

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Searching Principles and Bias Assessment

In this module we will look at finding the evidence, as well as key sources, search strategy, and assessing the risk of bias.

3 hours to complete

11 videos (Total 119 min)

11 videos

Searching Principles and Assessing Bias 2m

Lecture 3A: Finding the Evidence: Searching Principles5m

Lecture 3B: Identifying Key Sources and Techniques for Searching17m

Lecture 3C: Building a High-Quality Search Strategy17m

Lecture 3D: Documenting Your Search and Conclusions8m

Lecture 4A: Why Bias in the Individual Study is Important to a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis7m

Lecture 4B: Selection Bias18m

Lecture 4C: Information Bias8m

Lecture 4D: Bias in the Analysis15m

Lecture 4E: Displaying Study "Quality" in Your Systematic Review16m

Byron Wallace, Phd2m

2 practice exercises

Module 330m

Module 430m

Week

4

Week 4

2 hours to complete

Minimizing Metabias, Qualitative Synthesis, and Interpreting Results

In this module, we will cover minimizing metabias, selection bias, information bias, how to report transparently, qualitative synthesis, and interpreting results.

2 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 88 min)

9 videos

Lecture 5A: Standards for Systematic Reviews6m

Lecture 5B: Selection Bias22m

Lecture 5C: Information Bias12m

Lecture 5D: Bias in the Analysis15m

Lecture 5E: Reporting Transparently6m

Lecture 6A: Qualitative Synthesis and Interpreting Results Section A7m

Lecture 6B: What is Qualitative Synthesis10m

Lecture 6C: Some Examples5m

Christopher Schmid, PhD1m

2 practice exercises

Module 530m

Module 630m

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You’ll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. Learn more.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Course?
This Course doesn't carry university credit, but some universities may choose to accept Course Certificates for credit. Check with your institution to learn more. Online Degrees and Mastertrack™ Certificates on Coursera provide the opportunity to earn university credit.

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Introduction to Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis