--- title: "New report: citizen science can make systematic reviews faster and more efficient" description: "New report: citizen science can make systematic reviews faster and more efficient" image: https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/hubfs/Collaboration_Red_RGB.png --- [![THIS Institute. The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute.](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/hubfs/logo-dark-this.svg) ![THIS Institute. The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute.](https://mk0thisinstitut0r1om.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/themes/this/img/logo-this.svg)](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/) - About - [About THIS](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/about/) - [Who we are](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/about/who-we-are/) - [What we do](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/about/what-we-do/) - [Vacancies](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/about/vacancies/) - [Research](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/research/) - [Our research](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/research) - [Projects](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/projects/) - [Outputs](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/outputs/) - Fellowships - [Introduction](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/fellowships/) - [Fellows](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/fellowships/meet-the-fellows/) - [Stories](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/fellowships/stories) - [Events](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/events/) - [Podcast](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/podcast/) - [Blog](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk) - [Contact](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/contact/) [![The Health Foundation.](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/hubfs/hf-logo-colour.svg) ![The Health Foundation.](https://mk0thisinstitut0r1om.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/themes/this/img/logo-hf-white.svg)](https://www.health.org.uk/) - 21st June 2018 - 2 min read # New report: citizen science can make systematic reviews faster and more efficient #### New report: citizen science can make systematic reviews faster and more efficient [![Daniel Punch](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/26e246888e499ece00835fd5f8dbb8ae)](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/about/people/daniel-punch) [Daniel Punch](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/about/people/daniel-punch) Collaboration\_Red\_RGB *If you missed the first report on this topic, you might like to read [Citizen science: Crowdsourcing for research](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/this-institute-report-highlights-potential-of-citizen-science-in-research/) first.* ---   Joining forces with diverse groups of people can help produce high-quality systematic reviews more quickly and efficiently, according to a new report from THIS Institute. *Citizen science: crowdsourcing for systematic reviews* looks at how people can contribute their expertise to scientific studies using new online platforms – even if they don’t think of themselves as researchers or scientists. Created in collaboration with [RAND Europe](https://www.rand.org/randeurope.html), the report is the second of three that THIS Institute has developed to inform its citizen science approach. It focuses on one of the cornerstones of scientific research: the systematic review. Traditional systematic reviews can take thousands of hours to complete, and the burden is growing as the base of scientific literature increases. But promising early evidence suggests that engaging large groups of people can speed up the systematic review process without sacrificing accuracy. It can also be very rewarding for participants. In one crowdsourced review showcased in the report, participants made 15,000 screening decisions in just 100 hours. And with the right control measures, crowdsourced systematic reviews can meet the ‘gold standard’ of quality. > Evidence suggests there is strength – and accuracy – in numbers. “When it comes to conducting systematic reviews, evidence suggests there is strength – and accuracy – in numbers,” says [Rebecca Simmons](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/staff/dr-rebecca-simmons/), Deputy Director of THIS Institute and co-author of the report. “And it’s not just the speed of crowdsourced reviews that’s impressive. Citizen scientists have proven to be conscientious reviewers who make accurate screening decisions.” The report highlights a number of challenges to consider when crowdsourcing systematic reviews. Recruiting and retaining participants can be resource-intensive and drop-out rates can be high. “Evidence shows that providing training, well-defined tasks, feedback and rewards can mitigate these risks and encourage participation,” says co-author [Lucy Strang](https://www.rand.org/about/people/s/strang_lucy.html), a Senior Analyst at RAND Europe. With these learning reports, THIS Institute aims to strengthen the evidence base around citizen science and how to best engage people outside of research to improve the quality and safety of patient care. The third report on generating research ideas and building consensus using citizen science is due out later this summer.   [Download the report](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/THIS-Institute-Citizen-Science-Crowdsourcing-for-systematic-reviews-978-1-9996539-1-0.pdf)       Themes - [healthcare](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/tag/healthcare) - [research](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/tag/research) - [fellowships](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/tag/fellowships) - [THIS Space](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/tag/this-space) - [citizen science](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/tag/citizen-science) - [launch](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/tag/launch) - [Elements](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/tag/elements) - [governance](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/tag/governance) - [board](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/tag/board) - [patient and public involvement](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/tag/patient-and-public-involvement) - [ppi](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/tag/ppi) - [COVID-19](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/tag/covid-19) - [consensus-building](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/tag/consensus-building) - [general practice](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/tag/general-practice) - [maternity safety](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/tag/maternity-safety) - [thiscovery](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/tag/thiscovery) ## Subscribe to our blog ![Paper_Planes](https://f.hubspotusercontent00.net/hubfs/5328759/This%20Institute/Images/group-19%20(1).png) ## Related posts #### [Using citizen science to generate ideas and build consensus explored in new report ![Daniel Punch](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/26e246888e499ece00835fd5f8dbb8ae) Daniel Punch - 16 August 2018 - 2 min read Using citizen science to generate ideas and build consensus explored in new report](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/using-citizen-science-to-generate-ideas-and-build-consensus-explored-in-new-report) #### [THIS Institute report highlights potential of citizen science in research ![Danielle Doyle](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Danielle-Doyle_3273-square-740x740.jpg) Danielle Doyle - 22 May 2018 - 2 min read THIS Institute report highlights potential of citizen science in research](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/this-institute-report-highlights-potential-of-citizen-science-in-research) #### [Robert Wachter, MD - Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University... ![Danielle Doyle](https://www.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Danielle-Doyle_3273-square-740x740.jpg) Danielle Doyle - 3 February 2020 - 2 min read Professor Robert Wachter appointed new chair of scientific advisory board](https://blog.thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk/professor-robert-wachter-appointed-new-chair-of-this-institutes-scientific-advisory-board) - - [![The Health Foundation.](https://mk0thisinstitut0r1om.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/themes/this/img/thf-tagline-white.svg)](http://www.health.org.uk/) ### Sign up to receive the latest news, reports and articles from THIS Institute. 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