Nurses of USC

Research guides for three different evidence review methodologies are listed below. You will choose one according to your research aims, and question.

• Literature Reviews (in the Health Sciences) are a comprehensive overview and critical evaluation of existing evidence on a specific topic.
• Scoping Reviews employ a systematic methodology to answer broad research questions, identify and map the breadth of evidence into categories, and may preceed a more focused systematic review question.
• Systematic Reviews (in the Health Sciences) aim to synthesize all available evidence toward answering a specific clinical question

Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis is a 30-minute video overview of the methodology. See the Systematic Reviews research guide above for supporting materials and guidance.

Two article sthat compare review methodologies are below.

Below are books found in the Norris Medical Library catalogue.

Ch. 3: Reviewing the Literature for Research and Practice. In, Hissong AN, Lape JE, Bailey DM. (eds.) Bailey’s Research for the Health Professional. 3rd ed. F.A. Davis Company; 2015.

Booth A. & Sutton A. Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review. Print. Sage Publications; 2016.

Garrard J. Health Sciences Literature Review Made Easy : The Matrix Method. Sixth edition. Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2022.

Galvan JL. Writing Literature Reviews : A Guide for Students of the Social and Behavioral Sciences. 6th edition. Routledge; 2017. 

If you wish to apply your clinical question toward performing a literature review, see the algorithm and resources below for guidance.