How To Do A Systematic Literature Review In 9 Simple Steps

Do not index

Are you drowning in the sea of articles, unsure of where to start with your systematic literature review? Perhaps you're struggling to stay organized, or you're spending countless hours on research. This blog will take you through the systematic literature review process step by step – after this, you'll have all the literature review tools you need to master this essential research skill.

What Is A Systematic Literature Review?

How To Do a Systematic Literature Review

I have conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) to identify, select, and critically appraise research to answer a clearly formulated question. I followed a clearly defined protocol or plan where the criteria were clearly stated before I commenced the review. The SLR is a comprehensive, transparent search conducted across multiple databases and gray literature that can be replicated and reproduced by other researchers.

I planned a well-thought-out search strategy with a specific focus on answering a defined question. My review identifies the type of information searched, critiqued, and reported within known timeframes. I included the search terms, search strategies (including database names, platforms, and dates of search), and limits in my review.

How Do You Format A Systematic Literature Review?

Title

The title should accurately reflect the topic under review. Typically, the words “a systematic review” are a part of the title to make the nature of the study clear.

Abstract

A systematic review usually has a structured Abstract, with a short paragraph devoted to each of the following: background, methods, results, and conclusion.

Introduction

The Introduction summarizes the topic and explains why the systematic review was conducted. There might have been gaps in the existing knowledge or a disagreement in the literature that necessitated a review. The introduction should also state the purpose and aims of the review.

Methods

The Methods section is the most crucial part of a systematic review article. The methodology followed should be explained clearly and logically. The following components should be discussed in detail:

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Identification of studies

Study selection

Data extraction

Quality assessment

Data analysis

Results

The Results section should also be explained logically. You can begin by describing the search results, and then move on to the study range and characteristics, study quality, and finally discuss the effect of the intervention on the outcome.

Discussion

The Discussion should summarize the main findings from the review and then move on to discuss the limitations of the study and the reliability of the results. The strengths and weaknesses of the review should be discussed, and implications for current practice suggested.

References

The References section of a systematic review article usually contains an extensive number of references. You have to be very careful and ensure that you do not miss out on a single one. You can consider using reference management software to help you tackle the references effectively.

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How To Write A Literature Review

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How To Do A Systematic Literature Review In 9 Simple Steps

1. Decide on your team

When carrying out a systematic literature review, you should employ multiple reviewers in order to minimize bias and strengthen analysis. A minimum of two is a good rule of thumb, with a third to serve as a tiebreaker if needed.

2. Formulate your question

Define your answerable question. Then ask yourself, “has someone written a systematic literature review on my question already?” If so, yours may not be needed. A librarian can help you answer this.

You should formulate a “well-built clinical question.” This is the process of generating a good search question. To do this, run through PICO:

Patient or Population or Problem/Disease

Who or what is the question about? Are there factors about them (e.g. age, race) that could be relevant to the question you’re trying to answer?

Intervention

Which main intervention or treatment are you considering for assessment?

Comparison(s) or Control

Is there an alternative intervention or treatment you’re considering? Your systematic literature review doesn’t have to contain a comparison, but you’ll want to stipulate at this stage, either way.

Outcome(s)

What are you trying to measure or achieve? What’s the wider goal for the work you’ll be doing?

3. Plan your research protocol

Now you need a detailed strategy for how you’re going to search for and evaluate the studies relating to your question.

The protocol for your systematic literature review should include:

The objectives of your project

The specific methods and processes that you’ll use

The eligibility criteria of the individual studies

How you plan to extract data from individual studies

Which analysis you’re going to carry out

4. Search for the literature

When writing a systematic literature review, your goal is to find all of the relevant studies relating to your question, so you need to search thoroughly. This is where your librarian will come in handy again. They should be able to help you formulate a detailed search strategy, and point you to all of the best databases for your topic.

5. Screen the literature

This should be performed by your two reviewers, using the criteria documented in your research protocol. The screening is done in two phases:

Pre-screening of all titles and abstracts, and selecting those appropriate

Screening of the full-text articles of the selected studies

6. Assess the quality of the studies

Your reviewers should evaluate the methodological quality of your chosen full-text articles. Make an assessment checklist that closely aligns with your research protocol, including a consistent scoring system, calculations of the quality of each study, and sensitivity analysis.

The kinds of questions you'll come up with are:

Were the participants really randomly allocated to their groups?

Were the groups similar in terms of prognostic factors?

Could the conclusions of the study have been influenced by bias?

7. Extract the data

Every step of the data extraction must be documented for transparency and replicability. Create a data extraction form and set your reviewers to work extracting data from the qualified studies.

8. Analyze the results

Establish a standard measure of outcome that can be applied to each study on the basis of its effect size.

Measures of outcome for studies with:

Binary outcomes (e.g. cured/not cured) are odds ratio and risk ratio

Continuous outcomes (e.g. blood pressure) are means, difference in means, and standardized difference in means

Survival or time-to-event data are hazard ratios

9. Interpret and present the results

Consider different factors when interpreting your results. These include limitations, strength of evidence, biases, applicability, economic effects, and implications for future practice or research.

Apply appropriate grading of your evidence and consider the strength of your recommendations.

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Systematic Literature Review Example

1. Vibration and Bubbles: A systematic review of the effects of helicopter retrieval on injured divers. (2018)

The systematic literature review on the effects of helicopter retrieval on injured divers provides a comprehensive analysis of the impact of vibration and bubbles on divers. This review meticulously examines the results of a variety of studies to understand how helicopter retrieval can affect injured divers. The authors use a systematic approach to gather and analyze data, making it an authoritative source of information on the topic.

2. Determinants of Happiness Among Healthcare Professionals Between 2009 and 2019: A systematic review. (2020)

In this systematic literature review, the authors investigate the factors that influence happiness among healthcare professionals within a specific timeframe. By systematically analyzing existing research, this study provides valuable insights into the determinants of happiness among healthcare professionals, contributing to a deeper understanding of well-being in the healthcare industry.

This systematic review explores the relationship between social media usage and mental health outcomes. By examining a variety of studies, the authors aim to provide an overview of the current state of research on this topic. The structured approach of a systematic literature review ensures that the findings are based on a comprehensive analysis of the existing literature, offering valuable insights into the impact of social media on mental health.

4. Innovative Teaching Methods in Higher Education: A systematic review of the literature. (2017)

This systematic literature review focuses on innovative teaching methods in higher education to provide educators with evidence-based strategies to enhance student learning. By synthesizing the findings of various studies, the authors present a comprehensive overview of effective teaching practices that can be implemented in higher education settings. The systematic approach ensures that the review is based on a rigorous analysis of the existing literature, making it a reliable resource for educators.

5. The Effectiveness of mMindfulness-based Interventions for Anxiety and Stress: A systematic review. (2019)

This systematic review examines the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions in reducing anxiety and stress levels. By analyzing a range of studies, the authors aim to provide an evidence-based overview of the effectiveness of mindfulness practices in managing anxiety and stress. The systematic approach ensures that the findings are based on a thorough examination of the existing literature, offering valuable insights into the potential benefits of mindfulness-based interventions.

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Enhanced Citations and Linking

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Streamlined Literature Review Process

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