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Systematic Reviews and other Knowledge Synthesis: Choosing a Review Type

This guide covers the basics of conducting a systematic review and other types of knowledge synthesis

Which Review Quiz

More Information on Review Types

To read more about different types of reviews, please consult the links below.

Where to find other reviews/syntheses:

Seminal Articles on Reviews

Grant, M.J., Booth, A. (June 2009). A typology of reviews: an analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information Library Journal, 26(2):91-108. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x. Review. PubMed PMID: 19490148.

Arksey, H., & O'Malley, L. (2005). Scoping studies: towards a methodological frameworkInternational Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8(1), 19-32. doi:10.1080/1364557032000119616

Sutton, A., Clowes, M., Preston, L., Booth, A. (2019). Meeting the review family: exploring review types and associated information retrieval requirements. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 36(3), 202-222.

Peters, M.D.J., Marnie, C., Tricco, A.C., Pollock, D., Munn, Z., Alexander, L., McInerney, P., Godfrey, C.M., Khalil, H. (Oct 2020). Updated methodological guidance for the conduct of scoping reviews, JBI Evidence Synthesis,18(10), 2119-2126. doi: 10.11124/JBIES-20-00167 

Campbell, F., Tricco, A.C., Munn, Z., Pollock, D., Saran, A., Sutton, A., White, H., Khalil, H. (2023). Mapping reviews, scoping reviews, and evidence and gap maps (EGMs): the same but different— the “Big Picture” review familyBMC Systematic Reviews, 12(45). doi: 10.1186/s13643-023-02178-5. PMID: 36918977

What type of review is right for you?