A research review provides a good starting point for understanding the main issues and debates in a particular subject area. Research reviews contribute to ongoing debates by distiling, analysing and evaluating the research findings on a specific topic. The main types of research review you are likely to come across are:
Author-selected literature review – a selection of research literature on a particular topic. There are no standardized criteria for identifying which materials are included, consequently this approach, can leave authors open to criticism for focusing only on findings that support their theoretical position - bias. The process of peer review - in which experts in the field read and comment upon academic work before it is accepted for publication is the means by which authors safeguard against this kind of bias. The more transparent the author is about the search method and selection criteria employed, the more reliable the review. Such transparency makes it easier to evaluate how comprehensive a review it is, and what its limitations may be.
Systematic review –A summary of evidence that uses a rigorous methodology in order to identify all the relevant research to minimize the chance of bias and thereby ensure the reliability of the data presented. A systematic review will be explicit in stating the question to be addressed, and in explaining the data collection process, the criteria for data selection and the methods of appraisal.
Meta-analyses – a statistical technique for combining the findings from several studies by identifying a common measure of effect size and applying it to all the included studies.
Scoping reviews – a method used to find out how much and what kinds of literature exist in a topic area. Scoping is a way to identify gaps in the literature and thereby assess the need for a systematic review, or provide evidence to support a recommendation for future research.
Knowledge reviews – a type of publication developed by SCIE which reviews both practice knowledge and research knowledge in social care.
