How to Write Systematic Literature Review: Step-by-Step

Understanding Systematic Literature Reviews

A systematic literature review is a methodical and comprehensive approach to examining all available literature relevant to a specific research question. Unlike traditional literature reviews, which may be guided by the researcher's preferences, a systematic review follows a strict, predefined protocol. This protocol includes clearly defined objectives, a reproducible methodology, and specific eligibility criteria for selecting studies. The primary goal is to minimise bias and provide a transparent, replicable, and comprehensive analysis of the evidence. This rigorous process ensures that the conclusions drawn from the review are reliable and based on a thorough consideration of the available research.

The distinct characteristics of systematic reviews set them apart from other types of literature reviews. Some of these key features include:

• A systematic search strategy that attempts to identify all studies that meet the eligibility criteria.
• Critical appraisal of the quality of each included study.
• Synthesis of findings from the included studies to draw evidence-based conclusions.

These steps help in understanding the scope of the research and in identifying any gaps in the current knowledge. By adhering to this structured approach, systematic literature reviews serve as a powerful tool in the arsenal of researchers, providing a solid foundation for advancing knowledge and informing future research directions.

Steps to Writing a Systematic Literature Review

Writing a systematic literature review involves several meticulous steps that ensure the review is thorough and unbiased. The first step is to assemble a diverse team that includes subject matter experts, statisticians, and librarians, who can help navigate the complex landscape of relevant literature. This team will be instrumental in formulating the research question, which should be clear and focused. It's important that the question is structured to facilitate a comprehensive exploration of the topic.

Developing a protocol is the next crucial step. This protocol acts as a blueprint for the review, detailing the methods and criteria that will be used throughout the review process. It should include:

• The inclusion and exclusion criteria for studies
• The types of databases and other sources to be searched
• The search terms and strategies to be employed

This systematic approach helps in maintaining consistency and transparency, making the findings more reliable and reproducible.

Once the protocol is set, the next steps involve conducting a detailed literature search and screening the studies based on the predefined criteria. The literature search should be exhaustive, covering published and grey literature to ensure that all relevant studies are considered. Screening then involves a careful review of the studies to ensure they meet the inclusion criteria. This phase might require several rounds of review and often involves multiple team members to mitigate bias and enhance the analytical depth of the review.

Example of a Systematic Literature Review Process

To illustrate the systematic literature review process, consider a scenario where a team is investigating the effectiveness of digital education tools in primary schools. Initially, the team would develop a protocol outlining their specific focus, such as age group, type of digital tools, and educational outcomes measured. They would then engage in a comprehensive literature search using databases like PubMed and ERIC, employing search terms like "digital education tools", "primary school learning", and "educational outcomes".

Following the literature search, the team would screen the retrieved articles to select those that strictly meet their inclusion criteria, such as studies published within the last ten years focusing on empirical research. They would use tools like the PRISMA flow diagram to document the screening process, ensuring transparency. Data extraction would involve pulling relevant information from the selected studies, using a standardized form to capture key details like study design, tools used, and main findings. This structured approach ensures that the review is comprehensive and minimizes the risk of bias, leading to reliable conclusions about the impact of digital tools on learning in primary schools.

Applications of Systematic Literature Reviews

Systematic literature reviews (SLRs) are indispensable across various domains, not just in academia but also in shaping effective policies. In the realm of academic research, these reviews consolidate existing knowledge, offering a robust foundation for further investigation and innovation. They are particularly valuable in fields like healthcare, environmental science, and education, where they help clarify the effects of interventions and guide future research directions. For instance, in healthcare, SLRs are used to assess the efficacy of new treatments or to understand disease patterns, directly influencing clinical guidelines and patient care.

Beyond academia, SLRs play a pivotal role in policy-making. They provide policymakers with a comprehensive overview of evidence, supporting informed decision-making and resource allocation. By systematically evaluating the outcomes of previous policies or interventions, SLRs help in:

• Identifying effective strategies and pinpointing areas needing improvement.
• Ensuring that policy decisions are based on sound evidence, thereby increasing the likelihood of successful outcomes.
• Highlighting research gaps that need addressing to optimize policy impacts. This comprehensive evidence synthesis is crucial in sectors like public health, education, and environmental management, where policies can have wide-reaching effects on the well-being of communities.

Types of Systematic Literature Reviews

Systematic literature reviews come in various forms, each tailored to specific research needs and questions. One common type is the meta-analysis, which pools numerical data from several studies to calculate an overall effect. This method is highly valuable in fields like medicine or psychology where quantifiable outcomes are crucial. Another important type is the meta-synthesis, which integrates findings from qualitative studies to generate new interpretations or theories about a phenomenon. This type of review is particularly useful in areas where understanding complex human behaviours and experiences is essential.

Besides these, there are other specific types of systematic reviews that cater to different academic and practical requirements:

• Scoping reviews aim to map the key concepts underpinning a research area and the main sources and types of evidence available.
• Rapid reviews speed up the systematic review process to produce timely evidence for urgent decision-making.
• Integrative reviews, which combine data from theoretical and empirical literature, are used extensively in nursing and health sciences to inform practice and policy. Each type of review is chosen based on the precise goals of the research, ensuring that the methodology aligns perfectly with the questions posed by the researchers.

Registering Your Systematic Literature Review

Registering your systematic literature review is a crucial step that significantly enhances the credibility and accessibility of your research. By registering, you make a public declaration of your research intentions, which helps in preventing duplication and promotes transparency. This process involves documenting the review protocol in a publicly accessible registry before you begin the actual review. Key components to include in the registration are the research question, methodology, and inclusion criteria. This proactive approach not only safeguards against potential biases but also allows other researchers to understand the scope and direction of your work, facilitating further studies and collaborations.

The act of registering a systematic literature review also serves as a commitment to follow through with the defined methodology, which can be crucial for maintaining consistency throughout the research process. Most importantly, it provides a reference point that can be used to compare the final published review against the initial intentions, ensuring that any deviations are well-documented and justified. Benefits of registering include:

• Enhancing the trustworthiness of the research
• Making it easier for future researchers to build upon your work
• Increasing the potential for collaboration and funding

Once registered, your review gains a layer of formal recognition and becomes part of a global research community's efforts to create a more structured and reliable knowledge base.

Systematic vs. Other Types of Literature Reviews

Systematic literature reviews (SLRs) are distinguished by their methodical and structured approach, which is fundamentally different from other types of literature reviews such as narrative reviews. While SLRs focus on addressing specific research questions through a well-defined and reproducible protocol, narrative reviews offer a broader, more interpretative overview of a subject area, often without strict methodological constraints. This contrast primarily lies in the purpose and execution of the review. Systematic reviews aim to minimize bias and provide a clear, evidence-based answer to a research question, making them ideal for fields requiring rigorous analysis like medicine and science. On the other hand, narrative reviews, with their less structured approach, are more suited to fields where a comprehensive synthesis of ideas and theories is needed, such as in humanities or theoretical sciences.

The choice between conducting a systematic review or another type of literature review like a narrative review depends on several factors:

• The nature of the research question: Systematic reviews are preferable when a clear, focused question needs evidence-based answers.
• Available resources: Systematic reviews require more time and resources due to their comprehensive and detailed processes.
• Research goals: If the goal is to explore a topic broadly without a specific question in mind, a narrative review might be more appropriate. Each type of review has its unique advantages and is chosen based on the specific needs of the research project. Understanding these differences helps researchers select the most appropriate method to meet their objectives, ensuring that the review process is not only effective but also efficient in contributing to the body of knowledge in their respective fields.

When to Conduct a Systematic Literature Review

Deciding when to conduct a systematic literature review is crucial for its success and relevance. Ideally, a systematic review should be initiated when there is sufficient preliminary evidence to warrant a comprehensive analysis, but before the research question has been exhaustively answered by existing studies. This timing ensures that the review can provide valuable insights and potentially influence ongoing research or policy decisions. Key moments to consider starting a systematic review include: when a new, significant study is published that could change the understanding of a topic; when funding bodies require a solid evidence base to support new initiatives; or when there is a noticeable increase in research activity around a particular issue.

Additionally, systematic reviews should be aligned with the broader research agenda and the availability of resources. Conducting a review during a period of active research can provide immediate benefits by clarifying key questions and guiding future studies. It's also important to consider the research lifecycle—for instance, before the development of new guidelines or at the start of a grant funding cycle, to maximise the impact of the findings. Ultimately, the decision on timing should balance the need for up-to-date information with the practicalities of research and publication processes, ensuring that the review is both timely and well-resourced.

Advantages and Challenges of Systematic Reviews

Systematic reviews offer a host of advantages that make them a preferred method for examining extensive bodies of research. One of the most significant benefits is their ability to minimize bias through well-defined protocols and comprehensive literature searches, which include both published and unpublished studies. This meticulous approach ensures that the findings are as accurate and reliable as possible. Furthermore, systematic reviews are highly replicable due to their explicit methodologies, which means that other researchers can easily follow the same steps to verify or build upon the findings. The advantages include:

• Reduced risk of bias by using predefined criteria for study selection.
• Replicability which allows other researchers to validate the findings.
• Comprehensive coverage of literature, which ensures that all relevant studies are considered.

However, conducting systematic reviews is not without its challenges. One of the primary drawbacks is the time-consuming nature of the process, which requires extensive searches across multiple databases and meticulous screening of potentially thousands of studies. This can be resource-intensive, demanding significant amounts of both time and manpower. Additionally, there's the risk of publication bias, where studies with positive outcomes are more likely to be published, and thus more likely to be included in the review, potentially skewing the results. Challenges faced during systematic reviews include:

• Resource intensity, which can limit the scope of the review if not enough resources are available.
• Potential for publication bias, which can affect the overall conclusions of the review.
• Complexity in managing vast amounts of data, which requires sophisticated tools and skilled personnel.

Despite these challenges, the strengths of systematic reviews often outweigh the difficulties, making them invaluable in fields requiring rigorous analysis and comprehensive synthesis of existing literature.

Enhance Your Review with Samwell.ai's Tools

In the realm of systematic literature reviews, the integration of advanced tools can significantly enhance the quality and efficiency of your research. Samwell.ai offers a suite of AI-powered tools designed to streamline the process of conducting comprehensive reviews. With features tailored for academic writing, Samwell.ai not only assists in crafting well-structured essays and papers but also ensures they adhere to the highest standards of academic integrity. Key benefits include:

• AI-driven writing assistance that helps in structuring your review, ensuring that all relevant information is covered systematically.
• Advanced plagiarism checks to guarantee the originality of your work, crucial for maintaining the credibility of any systematic review.
• Access to a vast database of sources, which provides accurate in-text citations and references, formatted to meet various academic standards.

Utilising Samwell.ai can transform the daunting task of a systematic literature review into a more manageable and efficient process. The tool’s ability to suggest relevant sources and integrate multimedia elements like video references enhances the depth and breadth of your review. This not only saves time but also enriches the content, making your review more comprehensive and informative. By leveraging Samwell.ai’s capabilities, researchers can focus more on analysis and less on the mechanics of writing and citation, which are:

• Handled with precision by the AI, ensuring that all citation formats are adhered to, from MLA to Harvard styles.
• Enhanced through the inclusion of multimedia elements, which can provide additional insights and context to the literature being reviewed, making your systematic review not only thorough but also engaging.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 5 steps of systematic literature review?

The five key steps of a systematic literature review include assembling a diverse team, developing a protocol, conducting a detailed literature search, screening studies based on predefined criteria, and synthesising the findings from the included studies. These steps ensure that the review is thorough, unbiased, and replicable.

What is a systematic literature review with an example?

A systematic literature review is a methodical and comprehensive approach to examining all available literature relevant to a specific research question. It follows a strict, predefined protocol to minimise bias and provide a transparent analysis. For example, a team might investigate the effectiveness of digital education tools in primary schools, developing a protocol to focus on specific age groups and educational outcomes, and then conducting a comprehensive search and review of relevant studies.