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Systematic Review

A guide on how to conduct systematic reviews in the health sciences.

Interpreting the Results

Once searches are completed, the next step is to interpret the results. Steps in this process include:

  1. Screen and select - Screen and select which papers to include in the review.
  2. Locate full text of articles selected for the review.
  3. Appraise using critical appraisal tools help check the validity and accuracy of article information.
  4. Extract any relevant data to be analysed in the review.

Select and screen

There are two stages of screening and selecting results to be included in the review.

  • Initial screening stage

Many results can be excluded in the first screening stage, which involves scanning the title and abstract of articles for relevance to the topic.

  • Second screening stage

This involves looking more closely at those articles that passed the first screening stage. At this stage select or exclude articles based on the inclusion or exclusion criteria determined in the planning stages. At this stage provide reasons why documents are excluded.