How to conduct a Narrative Literature Review

Summary

This video script offers a comprehensive guide on conducting a narrative literature review. It explains the importance of a solid research question, the use of Pico to refine the search, and crafting a search string to find relevant studies. The speaker shares personal strategies for refining search terms, using databases effectively, and organizing findings with a data extraction table. The focus is on synthesizing the literature into a coherent story that addresses the research question, with tips on writing the introduction, methods, results, and discussion sections.

Takeaways

• 📚 The video discusses how to conduct a narrative literature review, providing a comprehensive guide for the process.
• 🔍 The presenter distinguishes between different types of literature reviews, focusing on the narrative review which is less systematic and rigorous than a systematic or scoping review.
• 🤔 The importance of a narrative review is highlighted, particularly for grant applications and reports, as it offers a quick way to understand the existing literature on a topic.
• 📝 A solid research question is essential for a narrative review, which should be clear and well-defined to guide the search and selection of literature.
• 🔑 The use of PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) as a model to help craft the research question and determine inclusion and exclusion criteria is suggested.
• 🔍 The process of creating a search string is detailed, emphasizing the importance of using synonyms and categories to ensure comprehensive literature search.
• 📈 The presenter recommends using advanced search options in databases to refine results and suggests focusing on titles and abstracts for efficiency.
• 📚 The use of referencing software to manage the literature found during the search is advised to streamline the review process.
• 📝 The narrative review does not require a quality appraisal of the literature, unlike a systematic review, and is more subjective to the author's knowledge.
• 📉 The number of papers to include in a review depends on the purpose, ranging from 10-20 for assignments to 50-70 or more for a PhD or publishable journal article.
• 📈 The results section of a narrative review should tell a story, highlighting main themes, gaps, and overarching messages from the literature.
• 📝 The discussion section should not rehash the literature but instead focus on implications, recommendations, and next steps based on the findings of the review.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of a narrative literature review?

The main purpose of a narrative literature review is to provide a descriptive summary and synthesis of the existing literature on a specific topic, which is useful for grant applications, reports, and to quickly understand the current state of research on a given subject.

What differentiates a narrative literature review from a systematic review?

A narrative literature review is less systematic and rigorous than a systematic review and does not require an appraisal of the quality of the studies included, unlike a systematic review which does.

Why is having a solid research question important for a narrative literature review?

A solid research question is crucial as it serves as the foundation for the literature review, guiding the selection of relevant literature and ensuring a focused and coherent narrative.

What does PICO stand for in the context of formulating a research question?

PICO stands for Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome, which is a model used to structure a research question and determine the scope of the literature review.

How can one refine their search strategy to better align with their research question?

One can refine their search strategy by categorizing different aspects of the research question, identifying synonyms and related terms, and adjusting the search string to include specific terms or combinations of terms that are most relevant to the question.

What is a search string and why is it important in conducting a literature review?

A search string is a combination of keywords and phrases used to search databases for relevant literature. It is important because it helps to efficiently locate studies that are pertinent to the research question.

How can one ensure that their search results are relevant to their research question?

One can ensure relevance by using advanced search options to limit the search to titles and abstracts, refining search terms, and possibly focusing on specific databases or journals known to contain relevant literature.

What is the role of referencing software in managing literature for a review?

Referencing software helps to organize, manage, and cite the literature collected during the review process, making it easier to keep track of sources and their details.

How should the results section of a narrative literature review be structured?

The results section should tell a story about the literature, identifying main themes, gaps, and overarching messages, and should be structured to reflect the research question and the synthesis of the literature.

What is the purpose of a data extraction table in a literature review?

A data extraction table helps to systematically organize and present key information from the studies included in the review, such as author, publication year, and main findings, facilitating comparison and analysis.

What is the focus of the discussion section in a narrative literature review?

The discussion section should move beyond the literature that has been synthesized in the results. It should explore the implications of the findings, suggest next steps, and discuss how the findings can be applied in practice or policy.