Ellysa Stern Cahoy, Education Librarian
Ellysa Cahoy
she, her, hers
Contact:
502-A Paterno Library
University Park, 16802
University Park, 16802
814-865-9696
Subjects: Adult Education and Workforce Education, Campus: University Park, Counselor Education, Education, Education: Organization, Development, and Change / Training and Development, Education: Policy and Leadership, Educational Psychology / School Psychology, Higher Education, International and Comparative Education, Learning Design and Technology
Overview of the Systematic Review Process
Please note: The content in this guide echoes and builds upon the resources and text shared in Systematic Reviews in Healthcare: An Introductory Guide. Thank you to that guide's creators, Christina Wissinger and Kathleen Phillips, for the opportunity to re-use and build upon their content.
A systematic review is a comprehensive analysis of all known evidence on a given subject. In the words of Siddaway, Wood, and Hedges (2019), systematic reviews are "methodical, comprehensive, transparent, and replicable." Conducted in a highly rigorous manner, sometimes for publication in scholarly venues, they are more involved than the literature searching that students usually conduct in preparation for writing course papers. In the social sciences, systematic reviews typically include the following elements:
- A clearly defined research question. The research question is often developed after performing preliminary searches on the subject, ensuring that it is viable for a systematic review. Additionally, searches should be conducted to ensure no other systematic reviews exists on the topic.
- Evidence of a rigorous search process. Systematic searching demands a carefully planned search strategy designed to obtain comprehensive results. This often includes the databases used; the keywords and thesaurus terms searched, and any limits placed on the search. You should also include your search strategy in your methodology.
- Inclusion and exclusion criteria. Not all evidence found during the search process will be relevant or appropriate to answer the research question. Clearly defined criteria must be used to decide which studies should and should not be included in analysis.
- Critical appraisal of all included studies. For a study is to be included in the review, the quality of its evidence must be critically appraised.
More About Systematic Reviews in the Education, Psychology, and the Social Sciences
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The Concept of a Systematic ReviewInfographics to explain what systematic reviews are and how they work.
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What Are Systematic Reviews?A video that explains why systematic reviews are important and how they are done. This includes an explanation of how the effects of interventions are compared in order to provide evidence
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How to Do a Systematic ReviewFrom the 2019 Annual Review of Psychology, this article dispells many common misunderstandings about systematic reviews.
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The Art and Science of Quality Literature ReviewsFrom a 2020 issue of the Review of Educational Research, this article offers important guidance on conducting systematic reviews.
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High Quality Meta-Analysis in a Systematic ReviewAnother article from a 2020 issue of Review of Educational Research which explains an important facet of systematic reviews.
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SAGE Research Methods Core This link opens in a new windowProvides definitions, book chapters, and other explanatory information about research methods, including systematic reviews.
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Credo Information Literacy TutorialsIf you need to refresh your general skills on choosing a research topic, primary vs. secondary literature, evaluating sources, and other skills, this series of tutorials and videos can help.
Kogut, A., Foster, M., Ramirez, D., & Xiao, D. (2019). Critical Appraisal of Mathematics Education Systematic Review Search Methods: Implications for Social Sciences Librarians. College & Research Libraries, 80(7), 973–995. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.80.7.973
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Systematic Reviews in the Social Sciences by ISBN: 9780470754887Publication Date: 2008Provides an overview of systematic literature review methods, including outlining the rationale and methods of systematic reviews; giving examples from social science and other fields; and applying the practice to all social science disciplines. -
Doing a Systematic Review by Call Number: in print -- borrow through your libraryISBN: 1473967015Publication Date: 2017Written in a friendly, accessible style, this guide provides clear answers to all review-related questions, including how to formulate a review question; what's the best way to manage a review; how to develop a search strategy; how to get started with data extraction, and more. -
An Introduction to Systematic Reviews by Call Number: in print -- borrow through your libraryISBN: 9781849201803Publication Date: 2012Covers the full breadth of approaches to reviews from statistical meta-analysis to meta-ethnography. Provides all the necessary conceptual and technical background needed to make a good start on the process. -
Assembling the Pieces of a Systematic Review by ISBN: 1442277017Publication Date: 2017While geared toward librarians seeking to launch systematic review services within their libraries, this book provides details about standards specific to systematic reviews, including PRISMA; National Academics of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicinal; and Cochrane Collaboration. Search strategy techniques, data management, critical appraisal, and reporting are also covered in detail.
