A high level overview of primary research on a focused question that identifies, selects, synthesizes, and appraises all high quality research evidence relevant to that question.
Because of the research methodoligies to combine data and remove bias, systematic reviews have the potential to be used in clinical practice and inform evidence-based guidelines.
For questions, contact Jade Winn, Systematic Review Librarian, at jadewinn@usc.edu.
Interested in consulting with a Social Sciences Librarian regarding your systematic review? Fill out our online consultation request form!
Systematic Review |
Literature Review |
Scoping Review |
|
Definition |
High-level overview of primary research on a focused question that identifies, selects, synthesizes, and appraises all high quality research evidence relevant to that question. |
Qualitatively summarizes evidence on a topic using informal or subjective methods to collect and interpret studies |
A type of research synthesis that aims to ‘map the literature on a particular topic or research area and provide an opportunity to identify key concepts; gaps in the research; and types and sources of evidence to inform practice, policymaking, and research |
Goals |
Answer a focused clinical question. Eliminate bias.. |
Provide summary or overview of topic |
Aims to identify the nature and extent of research on chosen topic. |
Question |
Clearly defined and answerable clinical question. Recommend using PICO as a guide. |
Can be a general topic or a specific question |
Answers broader and topic focused questions beyond those related to the effectiveness of treatments or interventions. |
Components |
Pre-specified eligibility criteria |
Introduction |
Abstract |
Number of Authors |
Three or more |
One or more |
Three or more (may require larger teams because of the larger volume of literature) |
Timeline |
Months to years |
Weeks to months |
12+ months |
Requirements |
Thorough knowledge of topic |
Understanding of topic |
Thorough knowledge of topic |
Value |
Connects practicing clinicians to high quality evidence |
Provides summary of literature on a topic |
Preliminary assessment of the size and scope of a potential research topic. |
View the video on YouTube (12:36)
Video includes:
Note: this video was originally created for Evidence-Based Medicine curriculum for students enrolled in the MD program at Keck School of Medicine in Spring of 2014
This guide was largely adapted from the Norris Library's Systematic Review Guide.