Health Sciences

For more information on systematic reviews, scoping reviews and other forms of evidence synthesis, please review this Library guide.

Systematic reviews:

• Undertake a systematic, structured review of all empirical evidence on a specific research question
• Use explicit, pre-defined criteria to include and exclude studies
• Incorporate search strategies which are systematic, free of bias and reproducible
• are not “review articles”

Systematic reviews are used to:

• resolve conflicting evidence
• confirm appropriateness of current practice, programs, policies
• highlight need for future research

• Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions -- Cochrane Collaboration
• Systematic Reviews: CRD's Guidance for Undertaking Reviews in Health Care -- Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, University of York
• Finding What Works in Health Care: Standards for Systematic Reviews -- Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Standards for Systematic Reviews of Comparative Effectiveness Research

Brock University Library resources

• Foster, M. J., & Jewell, S. T. (2017). Assembling the pieces of a systematic review : a guide for librarians. Rowman & Littlefield.
• Petticrew, M., & Roberts, H. (2006). Systematic reviews in the social sciences : a practical guide. Blackwell Pub
• Tod, D. (2019). Conducting systematic reviews in sport, exercise, and physical activity. Palgrave Macmillan.
• Gough, D., Oliver, S., & Thomas, J. (2017). An introduction to systematic reviews. SAGE.
• Holly, C., Salmond, S. W., & Saimbert, M. K. (2012). Comprehensive systematic review for advanced nursing practice.