Systematic Reviews have become an increasingly popular and desirable type of study to produce in recent years. However, there are many misconceptions about what exactly a Systematic Review is and what the process is for producing one.
For starters, a Systematic Review is not a literature review. It is a complex and time consuming systematic way of locating all literature on a research question.
In short, it is a rigorous, complex multi-step process that requires a team to dedicate a great deal of time and expertise.
The reason for Systematic Reviews arose many years ago due to the need to resolve conflicting clinical trials that produced different results. In the years since, the quantity of Systematic Reviews has grown exponentially, while the quality has greatly declined. Unfortunately, many Systematic Reviews published in scholarly journals of late are methodologically flawed, inaccurate, biased, redundant, or uninformative because the authors do not follow Systematic Review guidance and protocols.
This guide serves as a starting point for better understanding what it takes to conduct a true Systematic Review.
Keep in mind that there are other types of Reviews that may be more appropriate depending on your research question such as a Scoping Review or Narrative Review.
So ask yourself:
