Systematic Reviews

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 and exclusion criteria;
• a rigorous and systematic search of the literature;
• two phases of screening (blinded, at least two independent screeners);
• data extraction and management;
• analysis and interpretation of results;
• risk of bias assessment of included studies;
• and report for publication.

Planning for your Systematic Review

• Time: 9-12 months
• Team: At least 3 people recommended
• Focus of research: Are there enough research articles written on the topic to do a systematic review? Is your question too broad or narrow? Within what time frame are you searching?
• Check to see if a systematic review has already been done on the topic. (Our medical librarians can help with this!

If you find that you do not have time time or team for a systematic review, you can look into other review types such as a scoping review or a narrative review.