Systematic Reviews

The production of systematic reviews has increased markedly over the past few years , but in a lot of cases the systemic review format is not the best methodology to use.  Systematic reviews can be inappropriate for a variety of reasons:

• The topic is too new - meaning there aren't enough relevant published papers to synthesise and analyse for a systematic review
• Your topic may have already been covered by a systematic review.  In order to check this always carry out a scoping search on the Cochrane Library, and also limit any search results you retrieve from databases to systematic reviews to see if other systematic reviews exist
• You do not have enough time to conduct a comprehensive systematic review (most systematic reviews will take between six to eighteen months on average to complete)
• You do not have any co-authors with whom to conduct the systematic review (systematic review methodology requires two authors to independently screen references to determine which fit pre-defined inclusion criteria)

If you feel your circumstances or research topic match any of the above, a systematic review may not be the best approach for you.  You could still do a literature review, and adopt elements of systematic review methodology, rather than a systematic review.

Andrea Tricco at Knowledge Synthesis has developed Right for You? (link opens in new window), an online tool 'designed to provide guidance and supporting material to reviewers on methods for the conduct and reporting of knowledge synthesis.' The tool will suggest an appropriate review type, and resources to support the review. 

Marshall Dozier, College Lead Librarian at the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at Edinburgh University, has created a presentation called Literature Reviews: Functions, Types and Methods (link opens in new window).  The presentation is approximately 12 minutes long and is well worth considering as a resource.

Marshall states: "When we think of a literature review, we often forget to consider the different types of reviews and the different roles or functions that literature reviews can have.  In this short presentation I will first discuss some functions of literature reviews, and then make some points about how the function or purpose of your review should inform the type that you choose to do, and the methods that you employ".

For any assistance/advice required please contact the Library Team at: hhsl@uhi.ac.uk