HSLS Systematic Review Program

Ask yourself:

• What specific research questions do I want to address?

• How much time do I have to work on the review?

• Do I have a team to assist me?

• How much of the published literature do I need to review?

• Does my lit search need to be reproducible?

Provides an overview of a topic, highlights important or critical aspects of a topic, or traces the historical development of a topic or concept

• Methodology is not standardized

• Journals have varying requirements for formatting and documentation (check before submitting)

• Collins JA, Fauser BC. Balancing the strengths of systematic and narrative reviews. Hum Reprod Update. 2005 Mar-Apr; 11(2): 103-4.

Systematically examines the range, extent or nature of literature on a topic or question

• Identifies gaps in existing literature or the value of undertaking a systematic review

• Typically does not include critical appraisal of included studies, but otherwise time and effort requirements are similar to a systematic review

• Peters, M.D.J., Marnie, C., Colquhoun, H., et al. Scoping reviews: reinforcing and advancing the methodology and application. Systematic Reviews 10, 263 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-021-01821-3

• Munn, Z., Peters, M.D.J., Stern, C. et al. Systematic review or scoping review? Guidance for authors when choosing between a systematic or scoping review approach. BMC Med Res Methodol 18, 143 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-018-0611-x

• Pham, M., Rajić, A., Greig, J., et al. A scoping review of scoping reviews: advancing the approach and enhancing the consistency. Research Synthesis Methods 5(4), 371–385 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1002/jrsm.1123

Synthesizes the results of existing systematic reviews on a topic or question

• Pollock M, Fernandes RM, Becker LA, Pieper D, Hartling L. Chapter V: Overviews of Reviews. In: Higgins JPT, Thomas J, Chandler J, Cumpston M, Li T, Page MJ, Welch VA (editors). Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions version 6.3 (updated February 2022). Cochrane, 2022.

• Smith V, Devane D, Begley CM, Clarke M. Methodology in conducting a systematic review of systematic reviews of healthcare interventions. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2011 Feb 3; 11(1):15.

Appropriate for emerging questions requiring quick answers

• Systematic review methods are used, but in an abbreviated or simplified format

• Methodological shortcuts must be noted in final manuscript

• Garrity C, et al. Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Group offers evidence-informed guidance to conduct rapid reviews. J Clin Epidemiol. 2021; 130:13.

• Tricco AC, et al. A scoping review of rapid review methods. BMC Med. 2015 Sep 16; 13:224.