If you're someone who frequently delves into the world of academic research, then you must be familiar with systematic review versus literature review. When it comes to decision-making about which study to undertake, published scientific studies are a gold mine of information. Although there is a significant difference between systematic reviews and traditional literature reviews, it is essential to comprehend the distinction. In this blog, we will explore these two forms of review and provide insight into their relevance in the scientific community. Our ultimate goal is to clarify the contrast between the two and help you select the most appropriate literature review tools and method for your study.
What Is Systematic Review?
The systematic review is a comprehensive and unbiased type of literature review that systematically searches, identifies, selects, appraises, and synthesizes research evidence relevant to the research question.
The systematic review process consists of several steps:
Protocol development
Study selection
Data extraction
Quality assessment.
This rigorous process aims to minimize bias and provide a transparent and reliable summary of existing evidence on a specific research topic.
How is a Systematic Review Different from a Literature Review?
A literature review is a general overview of existing knowledge on a specific research topic, which may or may not involve a systematic approach. In contrast, a systematic review is a specific type of literature review that follows a well-defined methodology to collect, evaluate, and synthesize evidence from multiple studies.
While a literature review aims to provide a broad understanding of a research area, a systematic review focuses on answering a specific research question by analyzing high-quality evidence. The systematic review process is more structured, rigorous, and transparent than a traditional literature review.
Literature reviews are a type of academic writing that synthesizes and analyzes existing research, theories, and concepts related to a specific topic. They evaluate the material instead of merely restating it. The methods utilized for literature reviews are not usually prespecified and are not detailed within the review. While the search might be comprehensive, it does not aim to be exhaustive. Literature reviews are also known as narrative reviews.
Systematic Review vs Literature Review Comparison
Not all reviews are created equal. There is a particular difference between a systematic review and a literature review, and the goals associated with them are different. Systematic reviews aim to eliminate biases and answer a focused clinical or research question. A systematic review involves a detailed protocol, often developed using the PICO framework, which includes pre-specified eligibility criteria and a systematic search strategy.
Eliminating Bias Through Comprehensive Study
The goal is to bring together the results of multiple studies to answer a specific question effectively eliminating biases. This process usually involves three or more people and can take months or even years to produce. In contrast, a literature review is a subjective summary of research and provides a summary or overview of a topic. It aims to bring together the results of multiple studies to answer a specific question effectively eliminating biases.
Summarizing Research for Informed Insights
This process usually involves three or more people and can take months or even years to produce. The search for literature reviews is thorough and covers published literature, and the review includes a detailed search strategy.
Systematic Review Components
Pre-specified eligibility criteria
Systematic search strategy
Assessment of the validity of findings
Interpretation and presentation of results
Reference list
Literature Review Components
Introduction
Methods
Discussion
Conclusion
Reference list
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When To Use Systematic Review vs Literature Review
Systematic Review
I would use a systematic review to answer a clinical question about the effectiveness of a particular treatment or treatments. Systematic reviews in clinical medicine often follow the PICO framework, which stands for:
Population (or patients)
Intervention
Comparison
Outcome
Literature Review
I would use a literature review to provide context. Literature reviews often form the introduction to a piece of writing, to provide the context. They can also be used to identify gaps in the literature and the need to fill them with new research.
What Are The Key Characteristics Of A Systematic Review vs Literature Review
Systematic reviews critically analyze multiple studies on a specific topic. These reviews follow pre-specified methods that are explicit and replicable. The review team evaluates the quality of the evidence to minimize bias and ensure accuracy. The results and conclusions of a systematic review are based solely on the evidence found in the selected studies. This format provides a reliable and evidence-based summary of the available information on a particular topic.
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Efficient Literature Review
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Streamlining Literature Reviews
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