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HBLS Evidence Synthesis Service

Step One: Prepare to Submit the Intake Form

Planning is an essential step in the evidence synthesis process, and the more planning you do before reaching out to the ESS, the more effective your initial consultation will be. We ask that you complete the following steps prior to requesting support from the ESS:

  1. Determine your team members and timeframe.
  2. Read about the types of reviews and identify the most likely type/s that fit your goals.
  3. Define your research question; using a standard question framework can help, and may ultimately mean you select a different review type than you did initially.
  4. Search for existing reviews or protocols to ensure there isn't already a recent review with the same research question.

Our guide to planning your project will walk you through all of these steps, if any are unfamiliar to you.

Step Two: Submit Your Intake Form

Complete our intake form. Questions on the form include:

  • Items described in Step One above, including your planned review type and research question
  • A tentative decision of which tier of support you are seeking
  • 3-5 seed articles that meet the inclusion criteria for your planned review
  • A project plan (or draft protocol, if you have one)

You should hear back within two weeks to schedule an initial consultation, after which a timeline for next steps will be determined.

Tier 3 support is the most labor and time intensive for librarians on the ESS team. There is typically a wait list for this service, but you will have an opportunity to schedule an initial consultation within the same time frame as Tier 1 or 2. This ensures that, once your project is next in line, work can begin as quickly as possible.

At this time, the ESS is operating at capacity.

Tier 1 and Tier 2 projects should anticipate a wait time of approximately 1-3 weeks after the initial consultation with the ESS Team Lead.

We anticipate taking on new Tier 3 projects in February 2026. Until that time, intake forms may still be submitted and initial consults will continue.

At all tiers, projects are drawn from the wait list on a first-come, first-served basis.

Submit your intake form using the link below:

Step Three: Prepare for Your Initial Meeting

During your initial consultation for any tier of service, topics of discussion may include:

  • Your research question
  • The methodology for the type of review best suited to your question
  • Which tier of service best meets your needs
  • Next steps and anticipated timeline

Prior to your initial consultation, we ask that you:

  • Review the methodological guidance for the review type you've selected; you can find links to recommended guidance in the relevant tab of the Choose Your Review Type box on our planning page.
  • Compile a list of any questions you have about the process.

A project plan or draft protocol, if you have one, will help guide the discussion. We encourage you to, at minimum, read over the protocol template for your review type. Information about protocols can be found on our methodological guide.