Skip to Main Content
 

ATSU Library Research Hub

This hub page pulls together information about research support services provided by the Library and other departments of ATSU

Types of Reviews

Review Type Definition Search methods Appraisal Synthesis Analysis

Literature or Narrative Review

(May be completed by a single author)

Generic term: A synthesis of current literature surrounding a specific topic. The purpose of a narrative review is to provide background information on the topic, support the proposed research and/or answer a research question. Non-specific; Author chooses relevant articles based on research question.  Determined by the author Narrative Chronological, conceptual, thematic, etc.

Scoping/Mapping Review

(Requires a minimum of 2 authors)

Preliminary assessment of potential size and scope of available research literature on a broad topic. Aims to identify nature and extent of research evidence. Includes grey literature, preprints and ongoing studies. Scoping reviews are conducted based upon the JBI manual of evidence synthesis. Broad scope of literature available. Search methods must be transparent and reproducible. Search strategies are peer reviewed & documented in full.  All evidence is independently screened by 2 reviewers to ensure evidence meets the  inclusion criteria. The critical appraisal process is optional but recommended Narrative Characterizes quantity and quality of literature based upon the elements of the PCC research question and the inclusion/exclusion criteria

Systematic Review

(Requires a minimum of 2 authors)

Seeks to systematically search for, appraise and synthesize all available research evidence on the topic. SRs answer a specific research question and are conducted based upon the JBI manual of evidence synthesis. Exhaustive, comprehensive, & systematic search. Search methods must be transparent & reproducible. Search strategies are peer reviewed & well documented.  All evidence is independently screened by 2 reviewers to meet inclusion criteria and critically appraised using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklists Narrative Synthesizes what is known within the existing literature. Highlights what is unknown, and recommends future research. 
Meta-analysis

Statistical analysis of  quantitative evidence provided within a Systematic Review.

Meta-analysis are conducted according to the JBI manual of evidence synthesis

Exhaustive, comprehensive & systematic search of reviews. Does not include primary studies. Search methods must be transparent, reproducible and documented.  All evidence has been critically appraised in the systematic review Graphical representation in a Forest plot.  Numerical analysis of measures of effect assuming absence of heterogeneity

Reproduced from Grant, M. J. and Booth, A. (2009), A typology of reviews: an analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 26: 91–108. doi:10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x

Which Review is Right For You?

 

A map representation of how to determine the type of literature review

 

Scoping Review v. Systematic Review

Systematic and scoping reviews share similar characteristics, including:

  • Protocol registration
  • Adherence to accepted guidelines
  • Adherence to PRISMA for reporting
  • Use of complex, systematic search techniques
  • Use of standardized data extraction techniques
  • Requiring at least 2 team members for independent screening and data extraction

That being said, scoping reviews differ from systematic reviews in key ways:

  • Scoping reviews focus on broad questions without defined answers, such as analyzing the state of the literature on a given topic, seeking to define the boundaries or definitions of a topic, identifying research gaps, or identifying the value and need for a systematic review
  • Scoping reviews do NOT require critical appraisal of their included studies
  • Clinical questions, such as those related to clinical practice or the feasibility, safety or effectiveness of treatments, are not appropriate for a scoping review

If you are in doubt about which type of review suits your research question, reach out to your liaison librarian.

Library Support

Your liaison librarian can assist you in conducting a literature review by

  • Conducting literature searches on your behalf
  • Evaluating and improving your search strategy
  • Helping with citation management tools
  • Helping you refine your research question and choose the best type of review