Review Types

A systematic review seeks to systematically search for, appraise, and synthesize research evidence while adhering to guidelines from organizations such as the Cochrane Collaboration or the NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination for conducting a review (Grant 2009).  Beginning with a clearly formulated question, the researcher then utilizes systematic and explicit methods to identify, select, and critically appraise any and all relevant primary research before extracting and analyzing data from the included studies. The methods used by the research team must be reproducible and transparent. 

What is a Systematic Review used for?

• Collates all that is known on a given topic and identifies the basis of said knowledge 
• Used to identify, appraise, and synthesize all available research/literature that is relevant to the review's question.
• Designed with the intention of future researchers replicating and updating the review's findings as time goes on -- Authors rationale, assumptions, and methods are open to scrutiny from external parties

Adapted from Temple University Libraries. Systematic Reviews & Other Review Types.

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