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What is a systematic review? A "high-level overview of primary research on a focused question" utilizing high-quality research evidence through:
Source: Kysh, Lynn (2013): Difference between a systematic review and a literature review. [figshare]. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.766364
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Depending on your learning style, please explore the resources in various formats on the tabs above.
For additional tutorials, visit the SR Workshop Videos from UNC at Chapel Hill outlining each stage of the systematic review process.
Know the difference! Systematic review vs. literature review
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It is common to confuse systematic and literature reviews as both are used to provide a summary of the existent literature or research on a specific topic. Even with this common ground, both types vary significantly. Please review the following chart (and its corresponding poster linked below) for a detailed explanation of each as well as the differences between each type of review. Source: Kysh, L. (2013). What’s in a name? The difference between a systematic review and a literature review and why it matters. [Poster]. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.766364. Questions? Check the website from UNC at Chapel Hill, What Type of Review is Right for you? |
Types of literature reviews along with associated methodologies
JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis. Find definitions and methodological guidance.
- Systematic Reviews - Chapters 1-7
- Mixed Methods Systematic Reviews - Chapter 8
- Diagnostic Test Accuracy Systematic Reviews - Chapter 9
- Umbrella Reviews - Chapter 10
- Scoping Reviews - Chapter 11
- Systematic Reviews of Measurement Properties - Chapter 12
Systematic reviews vs scoping reviews -
Grant, M. J., & Booth, A. (2009). A typology of reviews: an analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 26(2), 91–108. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x
Gough, D., Thomas, J., & Oliver, S. (2012). Clarifying differences between review designs and methods. Systematic Reviews, 1(28). https://doi.org/10.1186/2046-4053-1-28
Munn, Z., Peters, M., Stern, C., Tufanaru, C., McArthur, A., & Aromataris, E. (2018). Systematic review or scoping review? Guidance for authors when choosing between a systematic or scoping review approach. BMC medical research methodology, 18(1), 143. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-018-0611-x. Also, check out the Libguide from Weill Cornell Medicine for the differences between a systematic review and a scoping review and when to embark on either one of them.
Sutton, A., Clowes, M., Preston, L., & Booth, A. (2019). Meeting the review family: Exploring review types and associated information retrieval requirements. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 36(3), 202–222. https://doi.org/10.1111/hir.12276
Temple University. Review Types. - This guide provides useful descriptions of some of the types of reviews listed in the above article.
UMD Health Sciences and Human Services Library. Review Types. - Guide describing Literature Reviews, Scoping Reviews, and Rapid Reviews.
Whittemore, R., Chao, A., Jang, M., Minges, K. E., & Park, C. (2014). Methods for knowledge synthesis: An overview. Heart & Lung: The Journal of Acute and Critical Care, 43(5), 453–461. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrtlng.2014.05.014
Differences between a systematic review and other types of reviews
Armstrong, R., Hall, B. J., Doyle, J., & Waters, E. (2011). ‘Scoping the scope’ of a cochrane review. Journal of Public Health, 33(1), 147–150. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdr015
Kowalczyk, N., & Truluck, C. (2013). Literature reviews and systematic reviews: What is the difference? Radiologic Technology, 85(2), 219–222.
White, H., Albers, B., Gaarder, M., Kornør, H., Littell, J., Marshall, Z., Matthew, C., Pigott, T., Snilstveit, B., Waddington, H., & Welch, V. (2020). Guidance for producing a Campbell evidence and gap map. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 16(4), e1125. https://doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1125. Check also this comparison between evidence and gaps maps and systematic reviews.
Rapid Reviews Tutorials
Rapid Review Guidebook by the National Collaborating Centre of Methods and Tools (NCCMT)
Hamel, C., Michaud, A., Thuku, M., Skidmore, B., Stevens, A., Nussbaumer-Streit, B., & Garritty, C. (2021). Defining Rapid Reviews: a systematic scoping review and thematic analysis of definitions and defining characteristics of rapid reviews. Journal of clinical epidemiology, 129, 74–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2020.09.041
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Find Existing Systematic Reviews under the Searching the Literature tab on the left side menu. |
Videos on systematic reviews
| This video lecture explains in detail the steps necessary to conduct a systematic review (44 min.) | Here's a brief introduction to how to evaluate systematic reviews (16 min.) |
Systematic Reviews: What are they? Are they right for my research? - 47 min. video recording with a closed caption option.
More training videos on systematic reviews:
Books on Systematic Reviews
Systematic searching : practical ideas for improving results by
Foreword / Carol Lefebvre -- Introduction: where are we now? / Paul Levay, Jenny Craven -- Innovative approaches to systematic reviewing / Andrew Booth -- Searching for broad-based topics / Claire Stansfield -- Choosing the right databases and search techniques / Alison Bethel, Morwenna Rogers -- Gathering evidence from grey literature and unpublished data / Shannon Kugley, Richard Epstein -- Social media as a source of evidence / Su Golder -- Text mining for information specialists / Julie Glanville -- Using linked data for evidence synthesis / Andy Mitchell, Chris Mavergames -- Evidence surveillance to keep up to date with new research / James Thomas, Anna Noel-Storr, Steve McDonald -- Training the next generation of information specialists / Michelle Maden, Gil Young -- Collaborative working to improve searching / Siw Waffenschmidt, Elke Hauser -- Communication for information specialists / Margaret Sampson -- The information specialist as an expert searcher / Alison Brettle -- Conclusion: where do we go from here? / Paul Levay, Jenny Craven
Doing a systematic literature review in legal scholarship by
"This book is indispensable for any beginning legal academic, and a useful guide for even the most experienced researcher. With the rapid proliferation of legal literature, and its increasing globalization, neither memory nor intuition is sufficient to inform legal scholars of the published sources likely to be relevant for their own work. The authors provide a step-by-step solution that is clear, succinct and eminently practical, something that should be read before one embarks on legal research and consulted regularly as one proceeds."--Professor Ed Rubin *** In short, a literature review is the comprehensive study and interpretation of literature that relates to a particular topic. While legal scholars have increasingly started to emphasize the importance of conducting a systematic literature review prior to embarking on a larger academic research venture, discipline-specific guidelines have been absent until now. This book fills this gap by offering a step-by-step guide to doing a systematic literature review in legal scholarship. It first discusses what a systematic literature review is and why it is so important. It then moves consecutively through the process of delineating your topic and determining what information to search for, designing and carrying out a systematic search for relevant literature, critically appraising the literature, and synthesizing, discussing and presenting your findings. This will be vital reading for all those undertaking their undergraduate thesis, PhD dissertation, or any other research module that involves conducting academic research. [Subject: Legal Research, Legal Methodology]
An Introduction to Systematic Reviews by
Focused on actively using systematic review as method, An Introduction to Systematic Reviews provides clear, step-by-step advice on the logic and processes of systematic reviewing. Stressing the importance of precision and accuracy, this practical text carefully balances a need for insightful theory with real-world pragmatism. The Second Edition features a new chapter on statistical synthesis and introduces a wide range of cutting-edge approaches to research synthesis, including text mining, living reviews, and new ideas in mixed methods reviews, such as qualitative comparative analysis. Packed with examples from across the social sciences, this book helps students and researchers alike in turning systematic reviews into recommendations for policy and practice. Available with Perusall--an eBook that makes it easier to prepare for class Perusall is an award-winning eBook platform featuring social annotation tools that allow students and instructors to collaboratively mark up and discuss their SAGE textbook. Backed by research and supported by technological innovations developed at Harvard University, this process of learning through collaborative annotation keeps your students engaged and makes teaching easier and more effective. Learn more.
Assembling the Pieces of a Systematic Review by
Assembling the Pieces of a Systematic Review: A Guide for Librarians is a complete guide for librarians seeking to launch or refine their systematic review services. After a brief introduction to systematic reviews, this book guides librarians in defining and marketing their services. Next, it addresses developing documentation and conducting the reference interview. Standards specific to systematic reviews, including PRISMA; National Academics of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicinal; and Cochrane Collaboration, are discussed. Search strategy techniques are detailed. Data management and critical appraisal are covered in detail. Finally, the best practices for reporting the findings of systematic reviews are highlighted. This book is for any librarian interested in conducting reviews or assisting others with reviews. It has several applications for training librarians who are new to systematic reviews as well as developing a new systematic review service, wanting to establish protocols for a current service, and concluding reviews or running a service. Book jacket.
Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review by
Showing you how to take a structured and organized approach to a wide range of literature review types, this book helps you to choose which approach is right for your research. Packed with constructive tools, examples, case studies and hands-on exercises, the book covers the full range of literature review techniques.New to This Edition: Full re-organization takes you step-by-step through the process from beginning to end New chapter showing you how to choose the right method for your project Practical guidance on integrating qualitative and quantitative data New coverage of rapid reviews Comprehensive inclusion of literature review tools, including concept analysis, scoping and mapping With an emphasis on the practical skills, this guide is essential for any student or researcher needing to get from first steps to a successful literature review.
Systematic Reviews to Answer Health Care Questions by
Systematic Evidence Reviews to Answer Health Care Questions is your most effective, A-to-Z guide to conducting thorough, comprehensive systematic reviews. By breaking down topics and essential steps, this volume teaches you how to form key questions, select evidence, and perform illuminating review not just in predictable circumstances, but when basic rules don,,t apply%honing your ability to think critically and solve problems. You,,ll learn how to define a review,,s purpose and scope, develop research questions, build a team, and even manage your project to maximize efficacy. If you,,re looking to refine your approach to systematic reviews, don,,t just catalog and collect; use this powerful text to evaluate, synthesize, and deliver results that will help shape the health care industry. FEATURES Presented in standard format throughout to allow for more practical, easy to read approach Provides useful instruction on how to conduct a high-quality systematic review that meets the recent standards of the Institute of Medicine Accessible, concise information about the state-of-the-art methods of systematic review, from key question formulation to assessing the quality of included studies and reporting results Illustrated throughout with real-world examples from systematic reviews that have been used to inform practice guidelines and health policy Now with the print edition, enjoy the bundled interactive eBook edition, offering tablet, smartphone, or online access to: Complete content with enhanced navigation A powerful search that pulls results from content in the book, your notes, and even the web Cross-linked pages, references, and more for easy navigation Highlighting tool for easier reference of key content throughout the text Ability to take and share notes with friends and colleagues Quick reference tabbing to save your favorite content for future
Doing a Systematic Review by
If you are a Masters or a PhD student conducting a systematic review for your dissertation or thesis, then this is the book for you! Written by an expert team of authors with years of experience in conducting systematic reviews and supervising students doing systematic reviews, the book provides a roadmap to guide you through the process. The book addresses the following questions: - What′s the best way to manage my review? - How do I formulate an appropriate review question? - How do I develop my search strategy? - How do I get started on data extraction? - How do I assess the quality of the studies I′m using? - How can I analyse and synthesise my data? - How should I write up the discussion and conclusion sections of my dissertation or thesis? - Where should I publish my data? Throughout the book, the authors make extensive use of questions posed by real students when carrying out reviews to help you through some of the challenges you may face. Like a team of supervisors in your pocket, this book will provide you with the tips and tools for a successful dissertation.
An Introduction to Systematic Reviews by
This timely, engaging book provides an overview of the nature, logic, diversity and process of undertaking systematic reviews as part of evidence informed decision making. A focused, accessible and technically up-to-date book, it covers the full breadth of approaches to reviews from statistical meta analysis to meta ethnography. It is ideal for anyone undertaking their own systematic review - providing all the necessary conceptual and technical background needed to make a good start on the process. The content is divided into five clear sections: * Approaches to reviewing * Getting started * Gathering and describing research * Appraising and synthesising data * Making use of reviews/models of research use. Easy to read and logically structured, this book is essential reading for anyone doing systematic reviews. David Gough is Professor of Evidence Informed Policy and Practice and Director of SSRU and its EPPI-Centre and Co-Editor of the journal Evidence & Policy. Sandy Oliver is Professor of Public Policy and Deputy Director of SSRU and its EPPI-Centre. James Thomas is Reader in Social Policy, Assistant Director of SSRU and Associate Direcctor of the EPPI-Centre.
How to do a systematic literature review in nursing : a step-by-step guide by
What is a systematic review? -- Asking an answerable and focused review question -- Writing the plan and background to your review -- Specifying your objectives and inclusion and exclusion criteria -- Conducting a comprehensive and systematic literature search -- Working with your primary papers: selecting, appraising and extracting data -- Synthesizing, summarizing and presenting your findings -- Writing up your discussion and completing your review -- Sharing, disseminating and using systematic reviews to inform and improve nursing practice.
Finding What Works in Health Care by
Healthcare decision makers in search of reliable information that compares health interventions increasingly turn to systematic reviews for the best summary of the evidence. Systematic reviews identify, select, assess, and synthesize the findings of similar but separate studies, and can help clarify what is known and not known about the potential benefits and harms of drugs, devices, and other healthcare services. Systematic reviews can be helpful for clinicians who want to integrate research findings into their daily practices, for patients to make well-informed choices about their own care, for professional medical societies and other organizations that develop clinical practice guidelines. Too often systematic reviews are of uncertain or poor quality. There are no universally accepted standards for developing systematic reviews leading to variability in how conflicts of interest and biases are handled, how evidence is appraised, and the overall scientific rigor of the process. In Finding What Works in Health Care the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends 21 standards for developing high-quality systematic reviews of comparative effectiveness research. The standards address the entire systematic review process from the initial steps of formulating the topic and building the review team to producing a detailed final report that synthesizes what the evidence shows and where knowledge gaps remain. Finding What Works in Health Care also proposes a framework for improving the quality of the science underpinning systematic reviews. This book will serve as a vital resource for both sponsors and producers of systematic reviews of comparative effectiveness research.
Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions by
Healthcare providers, consumers, researchers and policy makers are inundated with unmanageable amounts of information, including evidence from healthcare research. It has become impossible for all to have the time and resources to find, appraise and interpret this evidence and incorporate it into healthcare decisions. Cochrane Reviews respond to this challenge by identifying, appraising and synthesizing research-based evidence and presenting it in a standardized format, published in The Cochrane Library (www.thecochranelibrary.com). The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions contains methodological guidance for the preparation and maintenance of Cochrane intervention reviews. Written in a clear and accessible format, it is the essential manual for all those preparing, maintaining and reading Cochrane reviews. Many of the principles and methods described here are appropriate for systematic reviews applied to other types of research and to systematic reviews of interventions undertaken by others. It is hoped therefore that this book will be invaluable to all those who want to understand the role of systematic reviews, critically appraise published reviews or perform reviews themselves. This title is also available as a mobile App from MedHand Mobile Libraries. Buy it now from Google Play or the MedHand Store.
Systematic Reviews in the Social Sciences by
Such diverse thinkers as Lao-Tze, Confucius, and U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld have all pointed out that we need to be able to tell the difference between real and assumed knowledge. The systematic review is a scientific tool that can help with this difficult task. It can help, for example, with appraising, summarising, and communicating the results and implications of otherwise unmanageable quantities of data. This book, written by two highly-respected social scientists, provides an overview of systematic literature review methods: Outlining the rationale and methods of systematic reviews; Giving worked examples from social science and other fields; Applying the practice to all social science disciplines; It requires no previous knowledge, but takes the reader through the process stage by stage; Drawing on examples from such diverse fields as psychology, criminology, education, transport, social welfare, public health, and housing and urban policy, among others. Including detailed sections on assessing the quality of both quantitative, and qualitative research; searching for evidence in the social sciences; meta-analytic and other methods of evidence synthesis; publication bias; heterogeneity; and approaches to dissemination.
Systematic Reviews to Support Evidence-Based Medicine by
For many healthcare professionals there is a mystery surrounding systematic reviews of healthcare literature. How did they select certain studies and reject others? What did they do to pool results? How did a bunch of insignificant findings suddenly become significant? With this book you will embark on a journey that will provide the key information required to demystify these intrigues. By understanding the principles behind reviews of healthcare literature, you will be able to assess the credibility of the recommendations handed down to you in published reviews and practice guidelines. Systematic Reviews to Support Evidence-Based Medicinesimplifies and explains the key steps involved in reviewing literature, directing its deliberations at a readership of nurses, doctors, allied health professionals, public health personnel, new reviewers and students of epidemiology and health technology assessment. The authors are veterans of over 150 systematic reviews. Over the years they have worked with healthcare commissioners, clinicians and other decision-makers, producing reviews to inform policy and practice. They have collaborated with other epidemiologists and statisticians to advance methods for undertaking systematic reviews and between them; they have a wide and appropriate range of experience of reviewing and applying findings of healthcare research.
Systematic Reviews in Health Care by
What do we do if different studies appear to give different answers? When applying research to questions for individual patients or for health policy, one of the challenges is interpreting such apparently conflicting research. A systematic review is a method to systematically identify relevant research, appraise its quality, and synthesize the results. The last two decades have seen increasing interest and developments in methods for doing high quality systematic reviews. Part I of this book provides a clear introduction to the concepts of reviewing, and lucidly describes the difficulties and traps to avoid. A unique feature of the book is its description, in Part II, of the different methods needed for different types of health care questions: frequency of disease, prognosis, diagnosis, risk, and management. As well as illustrative examples, there are exercises for each of the sections. This is essential reading for those interested in synthesizing health care research.
Systematic Reviews: Synthesis of Best Evidence for Health Care Decisions by
With more than 2 million articles published annually in over 20,000 biomedical journals, Systematic Reviews is a valuable guide to assembling and using the best available medical research evidence. Systematic reviews are a vital link in the great chain of evidence that stretches from the laboratory bench to the bedside. This book will increase understanding of the important role that systematic reviews play in advancing knowledge
Books on Meta-analysis
Introduction to Meta-Analysis by
This book provides a clear and thorough introduction to meta-analysis, the process of synthesizing data from a series of separate studies. Meta-analysis has become a critically important tool in fields as diverse as medicine, pharmacology, epidemiology, education, psychology, business, and ecology. Introduction to Meta-Analysis: Outlines the role of meta-analysis in the research process Shows how to compute effects sizes and treatment effects Explains the fixed-effect and random-effects models for synthesizing data Demonstrates how to assess and interpret variation in effect size across studies Clarifies concepts using text and figures, followed by formulas and examples Explains how to avoid common mistakes in meta-analysis Discusses controversies in meta-analysis Features a web site with additional material and exercises A superb combination of lucid prose and informative graphics, written by four of the world's leading experts on all aspects of meta-analysis. Borenstein, Hedges, Higgins, and Rothstein provide a refreshing departure from cookbook approaches with their clear explanations of the what and why of meta-analysis. The book is ideal as a course textbook or for self-study. My students, who used pre-publication versions of some of the chapters, raved about the clarity of the explanations and examples. David Rindskopf, Distinguished Professor of Educational Psychology, City University of New York, Graduate School and University Center, & Editor of the Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics. The approach taken by Introduction to Meta-analysis is intended to be primarily conceptual, and it is amazingly successful at achieving that goal. The reader can comfortably skip the formulas and still understand their application and underlying motivation. For the more statistically sophisticated reader, the relevant formulas and worked examples provide a superb practical guide to performing a meta-analysis. The book provides an eclectic mix of examples from education, social science, biomedical studies, and even ecology. For anyone considering leading a course in meta-analysis, or pursuing self-directed study, Introduction to Meta-analysis would be a clear first choice. Jesse A. Berlin, ScD Introduction to Meta-Analysis is an excellent resource for novices and experts alike. The book provides a clear and comprehensive presentation of all basic and most advanced approaches to meta-analysis. This book will be referenced for decades. Michael A. McDaniel, Professor of Human Resources and Organizational Behavior, Virginia Commonwealth University
Publication Bias in Meta-Analysis by
Publication bias is the tendency to decide to publish a study based on the results of the study, rather than on the basis of its theoretical or methodological quality. It can arise from selective publication of favorable results, or of statistically significant results. This threatens the validity of conclusions drawn from reviews of published scientific research. Meta-analysis is now used in numerous scientific disciplines, summarizing quantitative evidence from multiple studies. If the literature being synthesised has been affected by publication bias, this in turn biases the meta-analytic results, potentially producing overstated conclusions. Publication Bias in Meta-Analysis examines the different types of publication bias, and presents the methods for estimating and reducing publication bias, or eliminating it altogether. Written by leading experts, adopting a practical and multidisciplinary approach. Provides comprehensive coverage of the topic including: Different types of publication bias, Mechanisms that may induce them, Empirical evidence for their existence, Statistical methods to address them, Ways in which they can be avoided. Features worked examples and common data sets throughout. Explains and compares all available software used for analysing and reducing publication bias. Accompanied by a website featuring software, data sets and further material. Publication Bias in Meta-Analysis adopts an inter-disciplinary approach and will make an excellent reference volume for any researchers and graduate students who conduct systematic reviews or meta-analyses. University and medical libraries, as well as pharmaceutical companies and government regulatory agencies, will also find this invaluable.
Meta-Analysis of Controlled Clinical Trials by
Over the last twenty years there has been a dramatic upsurge in the application of meta-analysis to medical research. This has mainly been due to greater emphasis on evidence-based medicine and the need for reliable summaries of the vast and expanding volume of clinical research. At the same time there have been great strides in the development and refinement of the associated statistical methodology. This book describes the planning, conduct and reporting of a meta-analysis as applied to a series of randomized controlled clinical trials. ∗ The various approaches are presented within a general unified framework. ∗ Meta-analysis techniques are described in detail, from their theoretical development through to practical implementation. ∗ Each topic discussed is supported by detailed worked examples. ∗ A comparison of fixed and random effects approaches is included, as well as a discussion of Bayesian methods and cumulative meta-analysis. ∗ Fully documented programs using standard statistical procedures in SAS are available on the Web. Ideally suited for practising statisticians and statistically-minded medical professionals, the book will also be of use to graduate students of medical statistics. The book is a self-contained and comprehensive account of the subject and an essential purchase for anyone involved in clinical trials.
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Research Tutorials from Other Libraries |
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"How to" Readings |
Bioinformatics
Environmental Sciences
Collaboration for Environmental Evidence. 2018. Guidelines and Standards for Evidence synthesis in Environmental Management. Version 5.0 (AS Pullin, GK Frampton, B Livoreil & G Petrokofsky, Eds) www.environmentalevidence.org/information-for-authors.
Pullin, A. S., & Stewart, G. B. (2006). Guidelines for systematic review in conservation and environmental management. Conservation Biology, 20(6), 1647–1656. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2006.00485.x
Engineering Education
Public Health
Social Sciences
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