There are many types of literature reviews, which are the primary means of synthesizing knowledge in the humanities and social sciences. Systematic methods are used to "to interpret the results of individual studies" within the context of the literature as a whole (Tricco, Tetzlaff & Moher, 2010). Different types of literature reviews have different purposes. Here is a breakdown of some types of systematic literature reviews and how they are used.
| Type of study | Description |
|---|---|
| Umbrella review | Review of reviews, repeats meta-analyses using a uniform approach to allow comparison between studies. |
| Meta-analysis | Systematic review with statistical combination of effect estimates. |
| Systematic review | Systematizes all evidence using explicit, systematic moethods, minimizes bias. |
| Realist review | Explanatory analysis answers the questions "what works, for whom, and under what circumstances." |
| Scoping review | Maps available research / gaps in research, clarifies definitions, but does not critically appraise the sources. |
| Rapid review | Includes components of a systematic review process simplified to produce a timely answer. |
| Narrative review | Descriptive summary of select studies on a topic, not guided by standards. |
The review types above constitute scholarship in and of themselves - they need not be part of a larger study as is typical in the humanities or social sciences disciplines. If you would like to learn more about how to conduct a systematic literature review, please don't hesitate to contact me.
| Psychedelic drugs | Religion | Behaviour | Violence | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject Headings | ||||
|
Keywords
|
Let's say your research question is "What are the effects of religious participation and beliefs on the relationship between the use of psychedelics and violent behaviours?" (Viña, 2024). You could use this search strategy sheet to map out the different subject headings and keywords needed to find research results that correspond to each of the key concepts above. After you decide on subject headings and keywords, make a list of databases to search and save your results in a database such as Zotero.