A systematic review is a thorough compilation and analysis of all known evidence on a given subject. Systematic reviews are great sources of information about current best practices, results of clinical trials, and much more.
In order to be formally recognized by publishers and repositories, a systematic review must include the following elements:
Ask your instructor if you're not sure what elements you need to include in your systematic review.
There are multiple kinds of systematic reviews to choose from, depending on the size of the team, the scope of the research question, and the type of methodology used.
Type | Description | Searching | Appraisal | Synthesis | Analysis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Literature Review | Generic term. Includes published materials that provide an examination of current literature. Can cover a wide range of subjects at various levels of completeness and comprehensiveness. May include research findings. | May or may not include comprehensive searching | May or may not include quality assessment | Typically narrative | Chronological, conceptual, thematic, etc. |
Systematic Review | Seeks to systematically search for, appraise and synthesize research evidence, often adhering to guidelines on the conduct of a review. | Aims for exhaustive, comprehensive searching | Quality assessment may determine inclusion/exclusion | Typically narrative with tabular accompaniment | What is known, recommendations for practice, what remains unknown, uncertainty around findings, recommendations for future research |
Meta-analysis | Technique that statistically combines the results of quantitative studies to provide a more precise effect of the results. | Aims for exhaustive searching. May use funnel plot to assess completeness. | Quality assessment may determine inclusion/exclusion and/or sensitivity analyses. | Graphical and tabular with narrative commentary | Numerical analysis of measures of effect assuming absence of heterogeneity |
Scoping Review | Preliminary assessment of potential size and scope of available research literature. Aims to identify the nature and extent of research evidence (usually including ongoing research). | Completeness of searching determined by time/scope constraints. May include research in progress. | No formal quality assessment. | Typically tabular with some narrative commentary. | Characterizes quantity and quality of literature, perhaps by study design and other key features. Attempts to specify a viable review. |
Adapted from Grant, M. J., & Booth, A. (2009). A typology of reviews: An analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 26(2), 91-108. DOI: 10.1111/J.1471-1842.2009.00848.X
Systematic reviews can often take months to a full year to complete but the basic process involves:
Image source: https://mcw.libguides.com/systematic-reviews/process