What is a Systematic Review?
"A systematic review attempts to collate all empirical evidence that fits pre-specified eligibility criteria in order to answer a specific research question. The key characteristics of a systematic review are: a clearly defined question with inclusion & exclusion criteria; rigorous & systematic search of the literature; critical appraisal of included studies; data extraction and management; analysis & interpretation of results; and report for publication." -- Duke University Medical Center Library & Archives
A systematic review differs from a traditional literature review or narrative review, in that it aims to be as thorough and unbiased as possible, and also provides detailed information about how the studies were identified and why they were included.
Prior to starting your own research, you will want to look at existing systematic reviews - this is especially important so that you don't duplicate existing work. It can also be helpful to look at the approaches taken for systematic reviews similar to your own topic or discipline. You can find existing systematic reviews a number of ways:
- They can published as journal articles – to identify them, add "systematic review" as an additional search term in databases, or look for limits if available. Here’s an example of a "systematic review" published as a journal article
- Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: includes the full text of the regularly updated systematic reviews of the effects of healthcare prepared by The Cochrane Collaboration.
- PROSPERO is an international database of prospectively registered systematic reviews (in progress or completed) in health and social care, welfare, public health, education, crime, justice, and international development, where there is a health related outcome. PROSPERO aims to provide a comprehensive listing of systematic reviews registered at inception to help avoid duplication and reduce opportunity for reporting bias by enabling comparison completed review with what was planned in the protocol.
- The Campbell Collaboration is an international network which publishes high quality systematic reviews of social and economic interventions around the world
Below are some books available at the Toronto Metropolitan University Library & Archives discussing systematic reviews:
Online E Book
Systematic Reviews in the Social Sciences by Call Number: E-BookISBN: 9780470754887Publication Date: 2008-01-11Such 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.
Print Books
Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review by Call Number: LB1047.3 .B66 2016ISBN: 9781529711844Publication Date: 2022-04-20Whether you are new to literature reviews or working with new types of data, this book takes the guesswork out of writing your literature review. From deciding how much literature to include to managing your data, assessing your sources, and writing results, it outlines a step-by-step process that works with any data. To help you choose best approach for your research, this book includes: · Worksheets and decision aids to help you plan and organise your literature review · Worked examples and case studies to show you what - and what not - to do in practice · Troubleshooting tips and answers to all your frequently asked questions · Online access to a literature review starter template, an exercise workbook, project diary template, and a source credibility checklist. The perfect project support for any social sciences student, this edition also includes a new chapter on analysing mixed methods research.
An Introduction to Systematic Reviews by Call Number: Q180.A1 I58 2017ISBN: 9781473929432Publication Date: 2017-05-05Focused 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.
Doing a Systematic Review by Call Number: R853.S94 D65 2014ISBN: 9781473967014Publication Date: 2017-11-23Written in a friendly, accessible style by an expert team of authors with years of experience in both conducting and supervising systematic reviews, this is the perfect guide to using systematic review methodology in a research project. It provides clear answers to all review-related questions, including: How do I formulate an appropriate review question? What's the best way to manage my review? How do I develop my search strategy? How do I get started with data extraction? How do I assess the quality of a study? How can I analyse and synthesize my data? How should I write up the discussion and conclusion sections of my dissertation or thesis?
