Contrast a Literature Search with a Literature Review and a Systematic Review. Put the results in a table.

Answer

 

August 10, 2024

Literature Search v Literature Review v Systematic Review

Aspect
 Literature Search Literature Review Systematic Review
Purpose To find and retrieve relevant publications on a specific topic. To summarize and synthesize findings from selected studies on a topic. To provide a comprehensive, unbiased summary of the evidence on a specific research question.
Scope Broad or narrow, depending on the research needs. Broader, summarizing existing knowledge on a topic. Very narrow and specific, focused on a clearly defined research question.
Process Involves identifying keywords and databases, and retrieving publications. Involves selecting relevant studies, summarizing findings, and identifying gaps. Involves a rigorous, pre-defined methodology including comprehensive search, selection, appraisal, and synthesis of studies.
Methodology Informal, flexible, and not necessarily exhaustive. Narrative, may include subjective interpretation. Formal, transparent, and replicable with clearly defined inclusion/exclusion criteria.
Outcome A list or collection of relevant articles or studies. A narrative summary or synthesis of the literature on a topic. A detailed and structured synthesis of the best available evidence, often including meta-analysis.
Bias Potential for bias in selection and scope. Potential for bias in interpretation and selection. Minimized through strict adherence to protocol, reducing selection and publication bias.
Time & Effort Generally quick, depending on scope. More time-consuming, requiring reading, summarizing, and synthesizing multiple sources. Very time-consuming and labor-intensive, requiring extensive reading, data extraction, and analysis.
Use Cases Preliminary research, background information gathering. Writing academic papers, theses, or proposals; understanding the state of knowledge. Evidence-based practice, policy-making, and guideline development.

 

Supporting Sources:

  • O'Gorman et al. (2023) clarify that literature searches are often preliminary, less structured efforts to gather publications, while literature reviews provide a more comprehensive narrative synthesis. Systematic reviews, by contrast, follow a highly structured and reproducible methodology to answer specific research questions​ (Research Repository UL).
  • The IFIS Blog differentiates between systematic and traditional literature reviews, emphasizing the rigorous and predefined methods used in systematic reviews to minimize bias and provide reliable answers to specific research questions​ (IFIS).
  • Pediaa.com provides a clear comparison, noting that literature reviews offer a broad overview of a topic, whereas systematic reviews are designed to answer specific research questions using a methodical approach​ (Pediaa.Com).
  • MSK Library Blog and Researcher.Life both highlight the importance of systematic reviews in evidence-based practice, noting that they use strict methodologies to ensure comprehensive and unbiased summaries of existing research​ (MSKCC Library)​ (ResearcherLife).

These references should provide a solid foundation for understanding the differences between these three types of academic

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  • Last Updated Aug 10, 2024
  • Views 6
  • Answered By Peter Z McKay

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