As you are synthesizing your results, you may be doing so qualitatively, quantitatively, or using a mix of both approaches. There are various techniques that you can use for a narrative synthesis, along with software that can help with qualitative or quantitative synthesis.
Narrative synthesis techniques
| Technique |
Description |
Advantage |
Limitation |
| Text description |
Organizes a summary of the same characteristics with consistent annotation of studies |
Keeps details of each study together |
Challenging to see themes |
| Tabulation |
Creates a table of study elements and findings |
Compares characteristics |
Does not synthesize |
| Categorization |
Groups/clusters studies around particular characteristic(s) |
Allows visualization of patterns |
May limit ability to see concepts across all studies |
| Thematic analysis |
Identifies themes using a rubric to analyze content |
Consistent |
Takes time to develop a rubric |
| Relationship descriptions |
Identifies relationships between primary study findings and characteristics of the study
Determines differences between and within studies
|
Allows possibility of sub analysis |
May be challenging with a large number of studies |
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