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How to do a systematic review

In five steps

When conducting a systematic review, you will need to:

  1. Define a focused, clear research question that your review will address
  2. Develop a search strategy to include identifying which databases to search and which keywords to use
  3. Carry out your literature search and manage the references that you find
  4. Evaluate, analyse and synthesise the results
  5. Write up your systematic review

Your questions answered

Where do I start?

Watch our video: Literature searching for your systematic review which covers:

  • Building a search strategy
  • Doing a Medline search
  • Evaluating your search results
  • Citation searching
  • Managing your search results
  • Getting the full text
  • Next steps

Where do I find existing systematic reviews?

Browse the Campbell Library for Social Sciences or the Cochrane Library for Healthcare

Watch our video: Looking at existing systematic reviews

What databases should I search?

Visit our subject guides which include recommended databases for your subject area

What inclusion and exclusion criteria should I use?

Refer to your module handbook or ask your tutor

How do I use PICO to design a search strategy?

Watch our video: Using PICO to structure your search

How do I deduplicate results using EndNote?

Watch our video: Using EndNote to deduplicate your results

If you're new to EndNote referencing software, visit our EndNote page

How do I use PRISMA to report results?

Watch our video: The PRISMA flowchart

Can the Library help me with my systematic review?

Yes! Contact your Liaison Librarian if you need help. You will need to provide us with your research question and your draft search strategy.

Visit the Support for systematic reviews page to see what we can help you with.

 

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