Is a systematic review right for your research? There are many different types of reviews, a systematic review is one of many to choose from.
| Type of Review | Description | Search | Appraisal | Synthesis | Analysis |
| Literature/Narrative Review | Generic term: published materials that provide examination of recent or current literature. Can cover wide range of subjects at various levels of completeness and comprehensiveness. May include research findings. | May or may not include comprehensive searching. | May or may not include quality assessment. | Typically narrative. | Analysis may be chronological, conceptual, thematic, etc. |
| Rapid Review | Assessment of what is already known about a policy or practice issue, by using systematic review methods to search and critically appraise existing research. | Completeness of searching determined by time constraints. | Time-limited formal quality assessment. | Typically narrative and tabular. | Quantities of literature and overall quality/direction of effect of literature. |
| Scoping Review | Preliminary assessment of potential size and scope of available research literature. Aims to identify nature and extent of research evidence (usually including ongoing research). | Completeness of searching determined by time/scope constraints. May include research in progress. | No formal quality assessment. | Typically tabular with some narrative commentary. | Characterizes quantity and quality of literature, perhaps by study design and other key features. Attempts to specify a viable review. |
| Systematic Review | Seeks to systematically search for, appraise and synthesis research evidence, often adhering to guidelines on the conduct of a review. | Aims for exhaustive, comprehensive searching. | Quality assessment may determine inclusion/exclusion. | Typically narrative with tabular accompaniment. | What is known; recommendations for practice. What remains unknown; uncertainty around findings, recommendations for future research. |
| Meta-Analysis | Technique that statistically combines the results of quantitative studies to provide a more precise effect of the results. | Aims for exhaustive searching. May use funnel plot to assess completeness. | Quality assessment may determine inclusion/exclusion and/or sensitivity analyses. | Graphical and tabular with narrative commentary. | Numerical analysis of measures of effect assuming absence of heterogeneity. |
Adapted from: Grant, M. J., & Booth, A. (2009). A typology of reviews: An analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 26(2), 91–108. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x