Nursing (Graduate): Thesis / SIP / DNP Projects
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What is a Literature Review?
Literature Review Matrix
- Literature Review Matrix (Walden University Writing Center)Find examples and templates of literature review matrices.
Search Logs
- Krueger Library Search Log Templates (Basic)A basic search log template to track databases, keywords, Subject Headings, limiters and results lists.
About Literature Reviews
Succeeding in Literature Reviews and Research Project Plans for Nursing Students by Call Number: Main Collection - 2nd Floor RT81.5 .W493 2014ISBN: 9781446282830Publication Date: 2014-07-29
Health Sciences Literature Review Made Easy by Call Number: Main Collection - 2nd Floor R118.6 .G37 2014ISBN: 9781284029987Publication Date: 2013-06-02
LibKey.IO DOI/PMID Search Box
Resource Sharing (Interlibrary Loan)
Articles, books, or other materials can be requested from other libraries via Resource Sharing (ILL).
Use Find It to search by title, DOI, or PMID.
For items not appearing in a search, use the blank Resource Sharing form.
Types of Literature Reviews
Some literature reviews are standalone publications with specific research methods, protocols and purposes. These are considered filtered evidence. since they combine and filter many primary studies.
Literature Reviews as Research Methods |
Systematic Review |
Scoping Review |
Meta-synthesis or Qualitative Systematic Review |
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Research Question or PICOt |
Based on pre-determined PICOt. |
Exploratory, often asking an open question initially. May be used to find gap in research or determine feasibility of a systematic review. |
Open-ended question. Usually asking why something is happening or what the experience is like. |
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Scope |
Comprehensive and narrow, focused on a clinical question (PICOt)
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Very broad. Scope may change some from initial search. |
Fairly broad. Investigating why behind of a phenomenon. |
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Protocols / Detailed explanation |
Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Review And
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Arksey and O’Malley (2005). Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework
Mak, S., & Thomas, A. (2022). An Introduction to Scoping Reviews. Journal of graduate medical education, 14(5), 561–564. https://doi.org/10.4300/JGME-D-22-00620.1 |
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Research Designs Included in study selection/ data extraction |
Quantitative research. Mostly randomized control trials and some quasi-experimental designs. In some SRs, case control and cohort studies are investigated. Studies are evaluated heavily for quality. |
Varies, not restricted by research design. |
Qualitative research. |
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Example |
Persistent symptoms among post-COVID-19 survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
Zwack, C. C., Smith, C., Poulsen, V., Raffoul, N., & Redfern, J. (2023). Information Needs and Communication Strategies for People with Coronary Heart Disease: A Scoping Review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(3), 1723. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031723
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Nurses’ barriers to caring for patients with COVID‐19: a qualitative systematic review
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Research Team |
Completed as a large team to avoid bias. Often includes a statistician and a medical librarian. |
Usually a smaller team. Meant to be completed in shorter time period than a systematic review. |
Varies.
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Notes |
Considered highest level of evidence. Often includes a meta-analysis. When available, SRs are the basis for Practice Guidelines and Protocols |
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