Rapid Review (online)

This  Rapid Review training course, delivered over three half days online, is designed to address the growing need for timely, high-quality evidence synthesis that meets decision-makers' requirements.

Traditional systematic reviews, though rigorous, can be too time and resource-intensive for rapid decision-making environments. This course equips you with the skills to  conduct rapid reviews that maintain methodological rigour, transparency, and reliability, even within limited timeframes and budgets.

Who it’s for

This workshop is ideal for anyone interested in conducting rapid reviews. Whether you are a research student, an academic, a public health professional, or a clinician keen to engage in research, this workshop will guide you in effectively planning, conducting, and reporting a high-quality rapid review.

To make the most of this course, we advise you to familiarise yourself with a basic understanding of evidence synthesis, for example how systematic reviews and scoping reviews are conducted.

PhD students studying at Cardiff University

You are eligible for a partially funded place. The fee to pay is £164. Please contact WCEBC for more information before booking.

Cardiff University staff

You are eligible for a discounted place on this course. The fee to pay is £246. Please contact WCEBC for more information before booking.

What you’ll learn

Day One (09:30 to 13:30)

• Session 1: Introduction to Rapid Reviews and their purpose
• Session 2: Formulating a research question for a Rapid Review, including conducting preliminary searches and protocol drafting
• Session 3: Practical exercises

Day Two (09:30 to 13:30)

• Session 4: Search techniques and reference management
• Session 5: Screening studies for relevance
• Session 6: Practical exercises

Day Three (09:30 to 13:30)

• Session 7: Extracting data and assessing study quality
• Session 8: Data synthesis and analysis
• Session 9: Writing the final report

Throughout the various sessions, this Rapid Review training course will also demonstrate how  automation tools and AI can be integrated at different stages of a rapid review project to streamline processes. You will learn how to efficiently develop research questions, manage references, screen studies, and perform data extraction using these tools.

Benefits

By the end of this training, you will have:

• a clear understanding of rapid reviews including their purpose, scope, and how they differ from systematic reviews
• an understanding of search techniques tailored for rapid reviews
• knowledge and hands-on experience with AI and automation tools across different stages of the rapid review process
• insight into how  to compile and write concise, high-quality reports that meet rapid review standards, ready for publication

Teaching and useful information

This course will be delivered online, using Microsoft Teams, over three half-days (09:30–13:30 each day).

Course details, learning materials, and any additional information will be provided two weeks before the start date. This course will be conducted online. You’ll need a computer with a stable internet connection, a camera, and the ability to access Microsoft Teams.