How is a Systematic Review different from a Literature Review?
"This type of review is a specific methodology that aims to comprehensively identify all relevant studies on a specific topic, and to select appropriate studies based on explicit criteria. In addition, the methodological quality of the studies included is assessed by on the basis of explicit criteria, such as the presence of a pre-test or a control group. In contrast to a conventional literature review, a systematic review (SR) is transparent, verifiable, and reproducible, and, as a result, the likelihood of bias is considerably smaller." Center for Evidence Based Management, https://www.cebma.org/faq/what-is-a-systematic-review/
For information on how to write a literature review:
Efron, S. E., & Ravid, R. (2019). Writing the literature review : a practical guide . The Guilford Press.
|
Systematic review |
Literature review |
Question |
Focused on a single question |
Not necessarily focused on a single question, but may describe an overview |
Protocol |
A peer review protocol or plan is included |
No protocol is included |
Background |
Both provide summaries of the available literature on a topic |
|
Objectives |
Clear objectives are identified |
Objectives may or may not be identified |
Inclusion and exclusion criteria |
Criteria stated before the review is conducted |
Criteria not specified |
Search strategy |
Comprehensive search conducted in a systematic way |
Strategy not explicitly stated |
Process of selecting articles |
Usually clear and explicit |
Not described in a literature review |
Process of evaluating articles |
Comprehensive evaluation of study quality |
Evaluation of study quality may or may not be included |
Process of extracting relevant information |
Usually clear and specific |
Not clear or explicit |
Results and data synthesis |
Clear summaries of studies based on high quality evidence |
Summary based on studies where the quality of the articles may not be expected. May also be influenced by the reviewer's theories, needs and beliefs |
Discussion |
Written by an expert or group of experts with a detailed and well grounded knowledge of the issues |
Scoping reviews follow the same procedures of a systematic review, except:
Scoping review | Systematic review | |
---|---|---|
Research question | Broadly defined | Highly focused |
Inclusion/Exclusion criteria | Developed post hoc at study selection stage | Developed at protocol stage |
Study selection | All study types | Defined study types |
Data extraction | “Charts” data according to key issues, themes, etc. |
Synthesizes & aggregates findings |
From https://guides.library.utoronto.ca/systematicreviews
The Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewers' Manual 2015: Methodology for JBI Scoping Reviews
"Rapid reviews are a form of knowledge synthesis in which components of the systematic review process are simplified or omitted to produce information in a timely manner. " https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4574114/
From https://guides.mclibrary.duke.edu/sysreview
Rapid review |
Assessment of what is already known about a policy or practice issue, by using systematic review methods to search and critically appraise existing research. |
Completeness of searching determined by time constraints. |
Time-limited formal quality assessment. |
Typically narrative and tabular. |
Quantities of literature and overall quality/direction of effect of literature. |
"Meta-analysis is the quantitative, scientific synthesis of research results." Gurevitch, J., Koricheva, J., Nakagawa, S., & Stewart, G. (2018). Meta-analysis and the science of research synthesis. Nature, 555(7695), 175–182. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature25753
From https://guides.mclibrary.duke.edu/sysreview
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. |
Shorten A., Shorten B. What is meta-analysis? Evidence-Based Nursing 2013;16:3-4.
Meta-synthesis is a systematic approach to the analysis of data across qualitative studies. -- EJ Erwin, MJ Brotherson, JA Summers. Understanding Qualitative Meta-synthesis. Issues and Opportunities in Early Childhood Intervention Research, 33(3) 186-200.
Why use a meta-synthesis?
Qualitative data is useful for providing a snapshot at one person’s interpretation of an event or phenomenon. By bringing together many different interpretations you are strengthening the evidence for an interpretation by discovering common themes and differences & building new interpretations of the topic of interest. https://abbarker.wordpress.com/2013/04/25/meta-synthesis/
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