Here’s how Subject Librarians can help with your systematic review:
Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions by 
Doing a literature review in health and social care by 
Doing a Systematic Review by 
Introduction to Meta-Analysis by 
An Introduction to Systematic Reviews by 
Systematic reviews in health care: Meta-analysis in context by 
Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review by Systematic reviews aim to find and evaluate all studies, published and unpublished, relevant to a research question, see this helpful video for an overview. Systematic and transparent methods are used to minimise bias and allow for replication and verification.
Key characteristics
A meta-analysis is an optional component of a systematic review, which uses statistical methods to quantitatively evaluate pooled data from single studies.
If you are writing a systematic review, you need to decide whether it makes sense to include a meta analysis. This can be a difficult decision, see the books listed on this page for guidance.
For a description of commonly used review types in Health Sciences:
Pooley, N., Olariu, E., & Floyd, D. (2016). When is the use of a systematic literature review appropriate? A comparison of systematic, rapid, and scoping reviews and their application to the HTa process. Value in Health, 19(7), A396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jval.2016.09.285
Grant, M. J., & Booth, A. (2009). A typology of reviews: An analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 26(2), 91–108. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x
Sutton, A., Clowes, M., Preston, L., & Booth, A. (2019). Meeting the review family: Exploring review types and associated information retrieval requirements. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 36(3), 202–222. https://doi.org/10.1111/hir.12276
The table below is adapted from this article.
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|
Systematic review | Traditional literature review | ||
| Description |
Seeks to systematically search for, appraise and synthesise research evidence, often adhering to guidelines on the conduct of a review |
Generic term: published materials that provide an examination of recent or current literature. Can cover wide range of subjects at various levels of comprehensiveness. May include research findings |
||
| Search |
Aims for exhaustive, comprehensive searching |
May or may not include comprehensive searching |
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| Appraisal |
Quality assessment may determine inclusion/exclusion |
May or may not include quality assessment. Relies on author's judgment |
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| Synthesis |
|
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| Analysis |
What is known; recommendations for practice. What remains unknown; uncertainty around findings, recommendations for future research May include meta analysis |
Analysis may be chronological, conceptual, thematic, etc |
Cochrane Collaboration
A not-for-profit organisation created to encourage the synthesis of health research findings. The aim is to make it easier for health professionals, patients and policymakers to make evidence-based choices about health interventions. The group publishes systematic reviews which are available free of charge to anyone in New Zealand from the Cochrane Library.
Campbell Collaboration
A not-for-profit organisation promoting evidence-based policy through the creation of open access systematic reviews. Areas of interest include ageing, crime and justice, disability, education, international development, social welfare.
NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD). (2008). Systematic reviews: CRD's guidance for undertaking reviews in health care.
