LibGuides: Systematic Reviews and Knowledge Synthesis for the Sciences: Knowledge Synthesis Across Disciplines

Knowledge Synthesis Across Disciplines

Knowledge synthesis differs across disciplines. Please see the guidelines and example knowledge syntheses below for information specific to the listed disciplines.

Environmental Science

Guidelines

Collaboration for Environmental Evidence. Pullin, A.S., Frampton, G.K., Livoreil, B. & Petrokofsky, G. (Eds.). (2022). Guidelines and standards for evidence synthesis in environmental management. Version 5.1. https://www.environmentalevidence.org/information-for-authors.

Dicks, L., Haddaway, N., Hernández-Morcillo, M., Mattsson, B., Randall, N., Failler, P., … Wittmer, H. (2017). Knowledge synthesis for environmental decisions: An evaluation of existing methods, and guidance for their selection, use and development : A report from the EKLIPSE project.

Khalil, H., & Tricco, A. C. (2022). Differentiating between mapping reviews and scoping reviews in the evidence synthesis ecosystem. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 149, 175-182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2022.05.012

Example Review
Elmore, J. A., Schultz, E. A., Jones, L. R., Evans, K. O., Samiappan, S., Pfeiffer, M. B., ... & Iglay, R. B. (2023). Evidence on the efficacy of small unoccupied aircraft systems (UAS) as a survey tool for North American terrestrial, vertebrate animals: a systematic map. Environmental Evidence, 12(1), 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13750-022-00294-8

Agricultural and Food Sciences

Guidelines

Sargeant, J. M., Del Rocio Amezcua, M., Rajić, A., & Waddell, L. Public Health Agency of Canada. (2005). A Guide for Conducting Systematic Reviews in Agri-Food Public Health. https://publications.gc.ca/Collection/HP5-9-2005E.pdf

Sargeant, J. M., Rajić, A., Read, S., & Ohlsson, A. (2006). The process of systematic review and its application in agri-food public-health. Preventive veterinary medicine, 75(3-4), 141–151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2006.03.002

Example Review
Dewidar, O., John, J., Baqar, A., Madani, M. T., Saad, A., Riddle, A., ... & Welch, V. (2023). Effectiveness of nutrition counseling for pregnant women in low‐and middle‐income countries to improve maternal and infant behavioral, nutritional, and health outcomes: A systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 19(4). https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cl2.1361

Engineering

Guidelines

Torres-Carrión, P. V., González-González, C., Aciar, S., & Rodríguez-Morales, G. (2018). Methodology for systematic literature review applied to engineering and education. 2018 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON) (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain), 1364-1373. https://doi.org/10.1109/EDUCON.2018.8363388

Example Review
Berretta, M., Zamawe, C., Ferraro, P. J., Haddaway, N., Minx, J., Snilstveit, B., & Eyers, J. (2021). Mapping energy efficiency interventions: 3ie Evidence Gap Map, Report 17. International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), 10. https://www.3ieimpact.org/evidence-hub/publications/evidence-gap-maps/mapping-energy-efficiency-interventions

Computer Science

Guidelines

Kitchenham, B., Brereton, O. P., Budgen, D., Turner, M., Bailey, J., & Linkman, S. (2009). Systematic literature reviews in software engineering -- A systematic literature review. Information and Software Technology, 51(1), 7-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2008.09.009

Example Review
Scheerder, A., Van Deursen, A., & Van Dijk, J. (2017). Determinants of Internet skills, uses and outcomes. A systematic review of the second-and third-level digital divide. Telematics and informatics, 34(8), 1607-1624. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2017.07.007

Mathematics

Example Review
Yazdanbakhsh, O., & Dick, S. (2018). A systematic review of complex fuzzy sets and logic. Fuzzy sets and systems, 338, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fss.2017.01.010
*Note: does not follow PRISMA reporting standards.

Genetics

Example Review
Oliveri, S., Ferrari, F., Manfrinati, A., & Pravettoni, G. (2018). A systematic review of the psychological implications of genetic testing: a comparative analysis among cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and cancer diseases. Frontiers in genetics, 9, 322074. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2018.00624

Medical Physics

Example Review
Johnstone, E., Wyatt, J. J., Henry, A. M., Short, S. C., Sebag-Montefiore, D., Murray, L., ... & Speight, R. (2018). Systematic review of synthetic computed tomography generation methodologies for use in magnetic resonance imaging–only radiation therapy. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics, 100(1), 199-217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2017.08.043

Social Sciences

Guidelines

Chapman, K. (2021). Characteristics of systematic reviews in the social sciences. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 47(5), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2021.102396

Education

Example Review
Randolph, J. J., Bryson, A., Menon, L., Henderson, D. K., Kureethara Manuel, A., Michaels, S., ... & Lillard, A. S. (2023). Montessori education's impact on academic and nonacademic outcomes: A systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 19(3). https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cl2.1330

Law

Example Review
Sydes, M., Hine, L., Higginson, A., McEwan, J., Dugan, L., & Mazerolle, L. (2023). Criminal justice interventions for preventing radicalisation, violent extremism and terrorism: An evidence and gap map. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 19(4). https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cl2.1366

Business and Management

Example Review
McKenzie, D., Puerto, S., & Odhiambo, F. (2019). Unpacking the determinants of entrepreneurship development and economic empowerment for women in Kenya. International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie). https://www.3ieimpact.org/evidence-hub/publications/impact-evaluations/unpacking-determinants-entrepreneurship-development

Health Sciences

Please visit the Health Sciences' Library's guide on knowledge synthesis and systematic reviews: https://libguides.lib.umanitoba.ca/RFHS-KSsupport/