Lit Review

Literature Review Patterns

Systematic Review Methodology

PRISMA Checklist (Preferred Reporting Items)

• Define research question using PICO/PICOS framework
• Register protocol (PROSPERO, OSF) before data collection
• Document search strategy (databases, date ranges, keywords)
• Define inclusion/exclusion criteria a priori
• Screen titles/abstracts independently (2 reviewers)
• Full-text screening with reasons for exclusion
• Data extraction using standardized form
• Assess risk of bias for each study
• Synthesize results (narrative or meta-analytic)
• Report PRISMA flow diagram

PICO Framework

Database Search Strategy

Primary Databases by Domain

Search String Construction

# Boolean operators
("machine learning" OR "deep learning" OR "neural network")
AND
("clinical decision" OR "medical diagnosis" OR "healthcare")
AND
("systematic review" OR "meta-analysis" OR "randomized controlled trial")

# MeSH terms (PubMed)
"Machine Learning"[MeSH] AND "Clinical Decision-Making"[MeSH]

# Proximity operators (Scopus)
TITLE-ABS-KEY("machine learning" W/5 "healthcare")

Search Documentation Template

Database: PubMed
Date: 2024-01-15
Query: ("machine learning"[Title/Abstract]) AND ("diagnosis"[MeSH Terms])
Filters: Publication date 2019-2024, English
Results: 1,847 records

Screening Process

Two-Stage Screening

Stage 1 — Title/Abstract:

• Apply inclusion/exclusion criteria quickly
• Mark: Include / Exclude / Uncertain
• Resolve uncertain with second reviewer or team discussion

Stage 2 — Full-text:

• Review complete paper against criteria
• Record specific reason for each exclusion
• Track with Rayyan, Covidence, or Abstrackr

Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria Template

INCLUSION:
- Peer-reviewed empirical studies
- Published 2015-2024
- Study population: adults 18+
- Reports quantitative outcome measures
- Available in English or Spanish

EXCLUSION:
- Conference abstracts without full papers
- Editorials, commentaries, letters
- Gray literature (unless specified)
- Duplicate publications
- Studies without control group

Data Extraction

Extraction Form Fields

Study ID:
Author(s):
Year:
Country:
Study design:
Sample size:
Population characteristics:
Intervention/exposure:
Comparison/control:
Outcome measures:
Follow-up duration:
Key findings:
Limitations noted by authors:
Risk of bias assessment:
Notes:

Risk of Bias Tools

Evidence Synthesis

Narrative Synthesis Structure

1. Overview of included studies — table with key characteristics
2. Thematic grouping — cluster by intervention type, outcome, population
3. Direction of effect — consistent vs contradictory findings
4. Strength of evidence — quality assessment summary
5. Gaps identified — what remains unanswered

GRADE Evidence Quality

Citation Management

Recommended Tools

• Zotero — free, browser integration, group libraries
• Mendeley — free, collaboration features
• EndNote — paid, institutional license common
• Rayyan — screening-specific, free tier available

Export Formats

RIS format:
TY  - JOUR
AU  - Smith, J.
TI  - Title of paper
JO  - Journal Name
VL  - 45
IS  - 2
SP  - 123
EP  - 134
PY  - 2023
DO  - 10.xxxx/xxxxx
ER  -

Writing the Literature Review

Structure Template

1. Introduction (10%)
   - Why this topic matters
   - Scope of the review
   - Review objectives

2. Methods (20%)
   - Search strategy
   - Inclusion/exclusion criteria
   - Data extraction procedure
   - Quality assessment approach

3. Results (40%)
   - PRISMA flow diagram
   - Study characteristics table
   - Thematic findings

4. Discussion (25%)
   - Synthesis of evidence
   - Contradictions explained
   - Gaps and future directions
   - Limitations of review

5. Conclusion (5%)
   - Key take-aways
   - Practical implications

Common Pitfalls

• Confirmation bias — only searching to support hypothesis
• Language bias — excluding non-English studies
• Publication bias — only finding positive results
• Outdated search — not updating before submission
• Missing gray literature — guidelines, reports, theses