What is a Systematic Review?
“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:
Some systematic reviews will involve meta-analysis which is a quantitative method used to synthesize and summarize results.
Time: a systematic review takes commitment as the process can take several months to years.
Creating a GANTT Chart can assist in meeting timeframes.
A supportive team: systematic reviews cannot be done alone. You need to work alongside:
Systematic reviews are the “Gold Standard” in research.
It is important to understand the hierarchy of evidence when undertaking research as this indicates the quality or strength of evidence.
Systematic Reviews |
|
Randomized Control Trials (RCT) |
|
Cohort Studies |
|
Case Control Studies |
|
Case Series, Case Reports |
|
Editorials, Expert opinions |
|
Glossary CEBM - Centre of Evidence-Based Medicine. University of Oxford
Before committing to a systematic review, the recommendation is for researchers to undertake a scoping review, rapid review or literature review, if they have not already done so. This will assist in identifying if there is gap in the literature, whether the literature already available is able to assist in answering the question, or that a systematic review has not already been undertaken on the topic of interest.
Undertaking this process will also provide researchers with a snap shot of the volume of current literature and the evidence available on the research topic. The searches undertaken in the planning phase do not have to be as comprehensive.
Another important step to undertake at this point is to check registers for systematic reviews to identify research currently being explored or recently been completed.
The list below is just some examples of where you can locate current and completed systematic reviews.