Shona Kirtley

Since 2011, I have been based at the Centre for Statistics in Medicine, University of Oxford where I am the Knowledge and Information Manager and Senior Research Information Specialist for the EQUATOR Network. I am responsible for the EQUATOR website, including the development and updating of the Library for Health Research Reporting and the database of reporting guidelines, and for the provision of information management and literature search support for the research and educational activities of the network. I have wide-ranging experience in the provision of evidence-based health information, in literature searching to support systematic reviews and other research studies and in research reporting standards and guidelines.

I have a keen interest in accurate and transparent reporting of biomedical research studies, global health issues and health information provision and access in low and middle income countries. I am an associate member of the BJOG Editorial Board with a focus on systematic reviews, a Council Member for the European Association of Health Information and Libraries (EAHIL) and Co-Secretary for the EAHIL Special Interest Group for Evidence-based Information.

One of my main interests centres on the role of biomedical librarians and that they could and should be recognised as essential contributors to global efforts to reduce biomedical research waste. This includes librarian-led collaborations to improve the conduct and reporting of biomedical research, ensure research reproducibility and improve journal publication practices.

I am currently Principle Investigator for a study investigating whether peer reviewers or editors address literature search methods and strategies underpinning systematic reviews submitted to the BMJ and BMJ Open between 2020-2021.

I was also Co-Principle Investigator involved in developing PRISMA-Search, an extension to the PRISMA Statement for reporting systematic review literature searches. 

Before joining EQUATOR, I spent seven years as the Project Coordinator and Information Specialist for the NHS Evidence Women’s Health Specialist Collection based in the Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Oxford. I graduated in 1999 with an MA (Hons) in Modern History from the University of St Andrews in Scotland and in 2001 obtained an MSc in Information and Library Studies from the University of Strathclyde.