Welcome
Welcome to the systematic reviews in Science, Engineering and I.T Guide
This guide has information to support researchers conducting systematic reviews in the fields of Science, Engineering and I.T. If you are conducting a systematic review with a health focus, see the Systematic Reviews for Medicine and Health Sciences Library Guide.
While systematic reviews are traditionally undertaken in the area of Health and Medicine, there has been a rise in other disciplines conducting systematic and systematic-like reviews, using the systematic approach to summarize and assess existing evidence to identify gaps and help inform decisions.
Systematic or Systematic-like?
There are many types of reviews, and it is important to assess whether your research is best suited to a systematic review or a systematic-like review. A systematic-like review could mean taking a more structured and organised approach to your review or ensuring that your review is transparent and reproducible. Depending on the level of your research, you can determine which type of review and which guidelines are best to follow.
Defining the research question
The frameworks below can help you clearly define your research question. A clear and focused question will guide you through each stage of your review, from establishing your inclusion and exclusion criteria, developing your search strategy to composing your findings.
- PICOPatient/Population, Intervention, Control Group/Comparison, Outcome (Health-based)
- PECOPopulation, Exposure, Comparator, Outcomes (Environmental science)
- PCSProblem, Constraints, Systems (Computer Science)
- PIFTSProduct/Process, Impact/Interest, Flow, and Type of lifecycle assessment (Lifecyle assessment)
Guidelines and reporting standards
Guidelines and standards help to ensure that a systematic review provides results that are valid, transparent, and reproducible. In Health and Medicine, the Cochrane Handbook is the gold standard for systematic reviews. The rise of systematic reviews in disciplines other than health has called for new guidelines to be developed. Some of these guidelines are listed below as well as articles by researchers in different fields who have identified the need for discipline specific systematic review guidelines, and which outline examples.
- PRISMA for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology(Environmental sciences)
- ROSES: Reporting standards for systematic evidence syntheses(Environmental sciences)
- Systematic Quantitative Literature Review Method for Environmental Science (Griffith University)(Environmental sciences)
Articles containing example guidelines
Protocols
A protocol is a plan for your research which details every stage of your process. Your protocol should then be registered, so that other researchers are advised that someone is already conducting research on the topic. Refer to the guidelines and reporting standards relevant to your research, as they may contain information on how to develop a protocol.
Developing a protocol
Searching and registering protocols
Where to search
Where to find systematic reviews
Environmental Sciences
Other subject areas:
Search the library including the search term “systematic review” and your subject area to find reviews relevant to your area of study.
Useful tools
These tools can assist with producing a Systematic Review.
- CovidenceSystematic review management tool. Handles two person title/abstract screening, full text screening, risk of bias assessment and data extraction from included studies. All University of Melbourne staff and students have unlimited access to Covidence.
- Systematic review toolboxA community-driven, searchable, web-based catalogue of tools that support various tasks within the systematic review and wider evidence synthesis process. Over 200 tools are included.
- Text Mining for Search Strategy Development library guideOur separate guide to all things related to using text mining for developing your systematic review search strategy. Over 10 tools covered.
Contact Us
Contact the Science and Engineering Library Team
You can contact the Science and Engineering Library team directly:
Book an online Zoom Research Consultation
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