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Our Scoping Review guide has a new look!  The legacy guide is still available for a limited time

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What is a Scoping Review?

What is a Scoping Review?

A scoping review is a literature review which maps the extent, range, or nature of research on a topic or question. It uses explicit, reproducible methods to identify all studies meeting pre-specified eligibility criteria to determine whether a systematic review is necessary, summarize available evidence, identify gaps in research, and plan for future research.¹ ²

 

You should conduct a scoping review if you want:

  • To examine the extent, range and nature of research activity

  • To determine the value of undertaking a full systematic review

  • To summarize and disseminate research findings

  • To identify research gaps in the existing literature³
     

There are many types of literature reviews.

Before beginning a scoping review, consider whether it is the best type of review for your question, goals, and resources. The table below compares a few different types of reviews to help you decide which is best for you. 

Comparing Systematic, Scoping, and Systematized Reviews
Systematic Review Scoping Review Systematized Review
Conducted for Publication Conducted for Publication Conducted for Assignment, Thesis, or (Possibly) Publication
Protocol Required Protocol Required No Protocol Required
Focused Research Question Broad Research Question Either
Focused Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria Broad Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria Either
Requires Large Team Requires Small Team Usually 1-2 People

The following article provides information for authors about choosing between a systematic and scoping review: 

Munn, Z., Peters, M. D. J., Stern, C., Tufanaru, C., McArthur, A., & Aromataris, E. (2018). Systematic review or scoping review? Guidance for authors when choosing between a systematic or scoping review approach. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 18(1), 143. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-018-0611-x 

A Simplified Process Map

Scoping Reviews: A Simplified, Step-by-Step Process diagrams the steps to complete a scoping review.

Creative commons license applied to scoping reviews image requires that reusers give credit to the creator. It allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, for noncommercial purposes only.  Scoping Reviews: a Simplified, Step-by-Step Process © 2021 by Emily P. Jones & Michelle Cawley is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

How can the library help?

The average systematic review takes 1,168 hours to complete.¹ 
A librarian can help you speed up the process.

The methodology for scoping reviews is similar to systematic reviews. While there are some differences, they still require significant time and resources to complete. Scoping reviews follow established guidelines and best practices to produce high-quality research. Librarian involvement in scoping reviews is based on two levels. In Tier 1, the librarian will collaborate with researchers in a consultative manner. In Tier 2, the librarian will be an active member of your research team and co-author on your review. Roles and expectations of librarians vary based on the level of involvement desired. Examples of these differences are outlined in the table below.

Roles and expectations of librarians based on level of involvement desired.
Tasks Tier 1: Consultative Tier 2: Research Partner / Co-author
Topic Development
Guidance on process and steps Yes Yes
Background searching for past and upcoming reviews Yes Yes
Development of Eligibility Criteria
Development and/or refinement of review topic Yes Yes
Assistance with refinement of PICO (population, intervention(s), comparator(s), and key questions Yes Yes
Guidance on study types to include Yes Yes
Protocol Creation and Registration
Guidance on protocol registration Yes Yes
Searching
Identification of databases for searches Yes Yes
Instruction in search techniques and methods Yes Yes
Training in citation management software use for managing and sharing results Yes Yes
Development and execution of searches No Yes
Downloading search results to citation management software and removing duplicates No Yes
Documentation of search strategies No Yes
Management of search results No Yes
Study Selection and Extraction
Guidance on methods Yes Yes
Guidance on data extraction, and management techniques and software Yes Yes
Writing and Publishing
Suggestions of journals to target for publication Yes Yes
Drafting of literature search description in "Methods" section No Yes
Creation of PRISMA diagram No Yes
Drafting of literature search appendix No Yes
Review other manuscript sections and final draft No Yes
Librarian contributions warrant co-authorship No Yes

HSL Staff-authored Reviews

The following are systematic and scoping reviews co-authored by HSL librarians.

Only the most recent 15 results are listed. Click the website link at the bottom of the list to see all reviews co-authored by HSL librarians in PubMed

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Additional Resources

Looking for our previous Systematic Review guide?

Our legacy guide was used June 2020 to August 2022