Recognizing the value of meta-research and making it easier to find

Abstract

Meta-research is a bourgeoning field studying topics with significant relevance to health sciences librarianship, such as research reproducibility, peer review, and open access. As a discipline that studies research itself and the practices of researchers, meta-research spans disciplines and encompasses a broad spectrum of topics and methods. The breadth of meta-research presents a significant challenge for identifying published meta-research studies. Introducing a subject heading for meta-research in the controlled vocabularies of literature databases has the potential to increase the visibility of meta-research, further advance the field, and expand its impact on research practices. Given the relatively recent designation of meta-research as a field and its expanding use as a term, now is the time to develop appropriate indexing vocabulary. We seek to call attention to the value of meta-research for health sciences librarianship, describe the challenges of identifying meta-research literature with currently available key terms, and highlight the need to establish controlled vocabulary specific to meta-research.

Enhancing the quality and efficiency of regulatory science literature reviews through innovation and collaboration with library and information science experts

“…Furthermore, gray literature sources are typically not indexed with controlled vocabulary. Librarians or those with an information science expertise can assist in search strategies to overcome the shortcomings of controlled vocabulary, as well as help advance the strategic development of new controlled vocabulary specific to regulatory research ( 35 , 36 ).…”

Identifying meta-research with researchers as study subjects: Protocol for a scoping review

“…The field of meta-research is one such area that lacks a well delimitated set of key terms [ 14 ]. As a discipline designed to study research itself and its practices, meta-research is not only multidisciplinary, but is also comparably new [ 15 , 16 ].…”