Rules for writing a systematic review
- Define a topic and audience
- Search and re-search the literature
- Take notes while reading
- Choose the type of review you'd like to write
- Keep the review focussed but make it interesting to the broader audience
- Be critical and consistent
- Find a logical structure
- Make use of feedback
- If you include your own research, be objective
- Be up-to-date, but don't neglect the older gems
"scientists cannot be expected to examine in detail every single new paper relevant to their interests"
- Interesting
Important
Well-defined
Keep track of the search items
Use a citation manager
Define exclusion criteria early
Look for previous reviews
Critically appraise the review and learn from it
Find a new angle
Incorporate new evidence
Outline the: major achievements
main areas of debate/controversy
research questions that need addressing