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Generic term: published materials that provide examination of recent or current literature. Can cover wide range of subjects at various levels of completeness and comprehensiveness. May include research findings.
| Search | Appraisal | Synthesis | Analysis |
| May or may not include comprehensive searching. | May or may not include quality assessment. | Typically narrative. | Analysis may be chronological, conceptual, thematic, etc. |
Assessment of what is already known about a policy or practice issue, by using systematic review methods to search and critically appraise existing research.
| Search | Appraisal | Synthesis | Analysis |
| Completeness of searching determined by time constraints. | Time-limited formal quality assessment. | Typically narrative and tabular. | Quantities of literature and overall quality/direction of effect of literature. |
Preliminary assessment of potential size and scope of available research literature. Aims to identify nature and extent of research evidence (usually including ongoing research).
| Search | Appraisal | Synthesis | Analysis |
| Completeness of searching determined by time/scope constraints. May include research in progress. | No formal quality assessment. | Typically tabular with some narrative commentary. | Characterizes quantity and quality of literature, perhaps by study design and other key features. Attempts to specify a viable review. |
Seeks to systematically search for, appraise and synthesis research evidence, often adhering to guidelines on the conduct of a review.
| Search | Appraisal | Synthesis | Analysis |
| Aims for exhaustive, comprehensive searching. | Quality assessment may determine inclusion/exclusion. | Typically narrative with tabular accompaniment. | What is known; recommendations for practice. What remains unknown; uncertainty around findings, recommendations for future research. |
Technique that statistically combines the results of quantitative studies to provide a more precise effect of the results.
| Search | Appraisal | Synthesis | Analysis |
| Aims for exhaustive searching. May use funnel plot to assess completeness. | Quality assessment may determine inclusion/exclusion and/or sensitivity analyses. | Graphical and tabular with narrative commentary. | Numerical analysis of measures of effect assuming absence of heterogeneity. |
Specifically refers to review compiling evidence from multiple reviews into one accessible and usable document. Focuses on broad condition or problem for which there are competing interventions and highlights reviews that address these interventions and their results.
| Search | Appraisal | Synthesis | Analysis |
| Identification of component reviews, but no search for primary studies. | Quality assessment of studies within component reviews and/or of reviews themselves. | Graphical and tabular with narrative commentary. | What is known; recommendations for practice. What remains unknown; recommendations for future research. |
