Lecture 1: Introduction
Video lectures (covering basic steps)
- Exam material
- Must watch before working group
Live Q&A session
Four working groups
- Mandatory
- Extra support and practical exercises
Literature review:
- Pre-defined groups
- Groups of 5 students
- Supervisors give extra (limited) support and feedback
- You will contact them yourself
Planning:
Week 44: topic and approach
Week 46: feedback on data extraction, prepare for preliminary data extraction, analysis and
synthesis
Week 48: feedback on preliminary data extraction, analysis and synthesis
Week 50: feedback on synthesis/preliminary results (draft review report)
2 assignments (pass/fail)
Exam – 30%
Review – 70%
Lecture 2: Types of literature review
Literature review is a critical assessment of published literature on a particular topic. It is not
a list like an annotated bibliography in which a summary of each source is listed one by one.
- It requires you to think critically.
- Synthesis is a key aspect on this.
- Classification, comparison and/or evaluation of the current knowledge:
Substantive findings, issues and themes
Populations, interventions, outcomes
Theoretical contributions
Methodological contributions
Open questions (avenues for further investigation)
Contradictions
Review must compare and contrast the existing views:
- Holistic perspective on the topic
- Combining knowledge and understanding what has been written
, - More than just an annotated bibliography
Why write a review?
- There must be a need for the review
- Literature review must contribute to the existing knowledge base
Creating a new dimension or fresh perspectives (e.g.)
Research Agenda, what works, taxonomy, alternative model/framework
- Keep in mind: it is not just a summary
Narrative review (Undefined methods of searching, critiquing and synthesizing the literature)
I
Systematic review (Explicit rigorous methods of searching, critiquing and synthesizing the
literature)
SALSA Framework:
- S(earch) – questioning and finding
- A(ppraisa)L – assessing for quality
- S(ynthesis) – integrating, making sense of the patterns
- A(nalysis) – breaking up, looking for patterns
The key phases of a systematic review:
Phase 1: Mapping the field trough a scoping review
Phase 2: Comprehensive search
Phase 3: Quality assessment
Phase 4: Data extraction
Phase 5: Synthesis
Phase 6: Write up
Hierarchy of research presented right
Meta-analysis is not the same as systematic
review. It matters how homogenous the study
group is.
Types of review:
The rate of development of new approaches to reviewing is too fast and the overlap of
approaches too great for that to be helpful.
Two main
types:
Configurative &
Aggregative
, Systematic review: reviewers follow a strict protocol
- Question can be defined iteratively
- Develop a comprehensive searching strategy. If you include articles based on
references, citations or non-systematic search, please document this process.
- Develop inclusion and exclusion criteria
- Critical assessment of the articles included
- Methodological report describing the essential steps in relation to search, eligibility
criteria, data extraction and how analysis and synthesis were performed
Lecture 3: Review question & exploratory search
Two types of review: configurative & aggregative
Research question:
- Finding the RQ is an iterative process in literature review methodology
- The RQ should be focused, manageable and answerable from the available literature
- The purpose of a systematic review is to answer a clear and focused question
- The RQ provides a structure for the whole of the literature review process
- The RQ should always be as clear as an unambiguous as possible, and be formulated
in such a way that it provides guidance throughout the review process
The PICO format:
Commonly used in evidence-based clinical practice and
quantitative research. This format creates a well-built
question that identifies four concepts:
1. Patient problem or population
2. Intervention (or exposure (PECO))
3. Comparison (if there is one)
4. Outcomes
The SPIDER format:
Video lectures (covering basic steps)
- Exam material
- Must watch before working group
Live Q&A session
Four working groups
- Mandatory
- Extra support and practical exercises
Literature review:
- Pre-defined groups
- Groups of 5 students
- Supervisors give extra (limited) support and feedback
- You will contact them yourself
Planning:
Week 44: topic and approach
Week 46: feedback on data extraction, prepare for preliminary data extraction, analysis and
synthesis
Week 48: feedback on preliminary data extraction, analysis and synthesis
Week 50: feedback on synthesis/preliminary results (draft review report)
2 assignments (pass/fail)
Exam – 30%
Review – 70%
Lecture 2: Types of literature review
Literature review is a critical assessment of published literature on a particular topic. It is not
a list like an annotated bibliography in which a summary of each source is listed one by one.
- It requires you to think critically.
- Synthesis is a key aspect on this.
- Classification, comparison and/or evaluation of the current knowledge:
Substantive findings, issues and themes
Populations, interventions, outcomes
Theoretical contributions
Methodological contributions
Open questions (avenues for further investigation)
Contradictions
Review must compare and contrast the existing views:
- Holistic perspective on the topic
- Combining knowledge and understanding what has been written
, - More than just an annotated bibliography
Why write a review?
- There must be a need for the review
- Literature review must contribute to the existing knowledge base
Creating a new dimension or fresh perspectives (e.g.)
Research Agenda, what works, taxonomy, alternative model/framework
- Keep in mind: it is not just a summary
Narrative review (Undefined methods of searching, critiquing and synthesizing the literature)
I
Systematic review (Explicit rigorous methods of searching, critiquing and synthesizing the
literature)
SALSA Framework:
- S(earch) – questioning and finding
- A(ppraisa)L – assessing for quality
- S(ynthesis) – integrating, making sense of the patterns
- A(nalysis) – breaking up, looking for patterns
The key phases of a systematic review:
Phase 1: Mapping the field trough a scoping review
Phase 2: Comprehensive search
Phase 3: Quality assessment
Phase 4: Data extraction
Phase 5: Synthesis
Phase 6: Write up
Hierarchy of research presented right
Meta-analysis is not the same as systematic
review. It matters how homogenous the study
group is.
Types of review:
The rate of development of new approaches to reviewing is too fast and the overlap of
approaches too great for that to be helpful.
Two main
types:
Configurative &
Aggregative
, Systematic review: reviewers follow a strict protocol
- Question can be defined iteratively
- Develop a comprehensive searching strategy. If you include articles based on
references, citations or non-systematic search, please document this process.
- Develop inclusion and exclusion criteria
- Critical assessment of the articles included
- Methodological report describing the essential steps in relation to search, eligibility
criteria, data extraction and how analysis and synthesis were performed
Lecture 3: Review question & exploratory search
Two types of review: configurative & aggregative
Research question:
- Finding the RQ is an iterative process in literature review methodology
- The RQ should be focused, manageable and answerable from the available literature
- The purpose of a systematic review is to answer a clear and focused question
- The RQ provides a structure for the whole of the literature review process
- The RQ should always be as clear as an unambiguous as possible, and be formulated
in such a way that it provides guidance throughout the review process
The PICO format:
Commonly used in evidence-based clinical practice and
quantitative research. This format creates a well-built
question that identifies four concepts:
1. Patient problem or population
2. Intervention (or exposure (PECO))
3. Comparison (if there is one)
4. Outcomes
The SPIDER format:
