Picking a Review Type
Select a type of evidence synthesis project based on
- the goals of your project,
- available resources to meet methodological guidelines,
- existing data quality and quantity, and
- other similar objective reasons.
The term "Systematic Review" has become very trendy in scholarly publishing and academia, but a systematic review is a very specific methodology that might not match your project!
Tools for Review Type Selection
- Review Comparison Chart - The University of MelbourneA chart comparing how various types of reviews engage with common processes in evidence synthesis such as the search, appraisal of articles, and methods of synthesis.
- Right ReviewA tool to guide you through review types based on the type of evidence and scholarly literature you will be working with and your goals. Best used after you have done some initial scoping of the literature.
Chart - Project Goal, Methods Needed, and Review Type
Matching Goal to Review Type
| Goal | Review Type |
| To present the state of research on a particular intervention, practice, program, policy, process, material, or other narrow question, including what the current state is, how it got there, and where it could go next | |
| To summarize the existing literature in an area with a particular focus on foundational or seminal scholarship, recent changes is the field, or on making an argument for a specific theory/framework. | Traditional literature review |
| To identify (and categorize) all available theories, frameworks, measurement/diagnostic tools, research types, variables, concept definitions, etc on a topic | Scoping review |
| To comprehensively characterize and describe the current state of the literature on a new or developing concept, practice, theory, framework, or area of inquiry. | Scoping review |
| To comprehensively map the current characteristics and state of the literature in a broad area, often in a visual format using data visualization tools. | Mapping Review |
| To comprehensively examine a question, topic, or situation using both quantitative and qualitative evidence, especially for making a recommendation towards policy, or theory/framework development. | Integrative review |
| To comprehensively identify and asses the quality of the evidence for a very specific situation (population, intervention/exposure/comparison, outcome, context) in order to provide an evidence based recommendation for practice or policy. | Systematic review |
Further Reading on Review Types
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