In research, the systematic literature review (SLR) is really important. It’s more than just reading a lot of papers. It’s about connecting their ideas together in a clear way. But many times, we’re short on time. Maybe you have a due date coming up or many things to do. So, how can you finish your SLR quickly and still do it well? If you’re often checking the time, don’t worry.
In this blog, we’ll share seven helpful tips to make your SLR work faster. Ready to go through lots of research in a clear and quick way? Let’s get started!
1. Choosing a Specific Research Question
First, choose a narrower or a specific research question, as this will help you finish the review faster.
When conducting a systematic literature review (SLR), it is important to choose a research question that is narrow and specific. This will help you to focus your search and make it more efficient. A good research question should be clearly defined and answerable. It should also be feasible to answer within the scope of your review.
For example, instead of asking “What are the benefits of exercise?”, you could ask “What are the effects of high-intensity interval training on cardiovascular health in adults?” This is a more specific question that will allow you to find more relevant research.
2. Setting Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria
Second, before searching, set clear inclusion & exclusion criteria. Use stringent criteria, to narrow down the number of papers e.g. select papers from the last 3-5 years only.
Before you start searching for literature, it is important to set clear inclusion and exclusion criteria. This will help you to narrow down your search and only select the most relevant papers.
Your inclusion criteria should specify the types of studies that you are interested in, the populations that you are studying, and the outcomes that you are interested in. Your exclusion criteria should specify the types of studies that you are not interested in, the populations that you are not studying, and the outcomes that you are not interested in.
For example, you could decide to only include studies that are published in peer-reviewed journals and that are published in the last 3-5 years. You could also decide to only include studies that involve human participants and that measure cardiovascular health outcomes.
3. Using Research Tools
Third, use tools like EndNote, Zotero, and Mendeley to manage and categorise papers
Once you have started searching for literature, it is important to use a reference management tool to help you to manage and organize your papers. Reference management tools can help you to store your papers, organize them into folders, and generate bibliographies.
Some popular reference management tools include EndNote, Zotero, and Mendeley. These tools are all free to use and are available for both Windows and Mac computers.
Example: Say you’ve gathered 100 papers. Instead of printing them out and sorting them on your desk, use Zotero to tag and organize them by topics like “benefits,” “challenges,” and “case studies.”
4. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Fourth, divide work among co-authors. Everyone can review a set of articles and consolidate the findings later.
If you are working on a systematic literature review with co-authors, it can be helpful to divide the work among you. This will help to speed up the review process.
One way to divide the work is to assign each co-author a set of articles to review. Once everyone has reviewed their articles, you can then meet to consolidate the findings.
For Example: If there are three of you, Author A could tackle articles from 2015-2017, Author B from 2018-2019, and Author C from 2020-2022. This way, you cover all years without overlapping.
5. Prioritizing Quality
Fifth, choose only high-quality, peer-reviewed articles. This will further cut down your time, but keep in mind it could also affect your SLR either way.
When selecting papers for your systematic literature review, it is important to only choose high-quality, peer-reviewed articles. Peer-reviewed articles are articles that have been reviewed by other experts in the field before they are published. This helps to ensure that the articles are of high quality and that the research is sound.
However, it is important to note that not all peer-reviewed articles are created equal. Some journals have more stringent peer-review processes than others. Therefore, it is important to choose papers from reputable journals.
Example: Out of 50 articles you initially find, you might select only 10 that have been published in well-known journals and cited often by other researchers.
6. Time Management
Sixth, time management is crucial. Set aside specific blocks of uninterrupted time for the review. Use Pomodoro technique to stay focused.
Time management is crucial when conducting a systematic literature review. It can be easy to get bogged down in the search process or to get distracted by other tasks.
Therefore, it is important to set aside specific blocks of uninterrupted time for the review. You may also want to try using the Pomodoro technique to stay focused. The Pomodoro technique is a time management method that involves working in 25-minute intervals with short breaks in between.
Example: If you have 4 hours to work today, you could set eight 25-minute blocks (using the Pomodoro technique) for focused work, with short breaks in between. This way, you make the most of those 4 hours without feeling drained.
7. Importance of Project Planning
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Example: Using Asana, you can create a task list for the week. Monday: Define research question. Tuesday: Set criteria and start searching articles. Wednesday: Read and categorize 10 articles. And so on. This keeps you on track and ensures you make steady progress.
Conclusion
Conducting a systematic literature review requires careful planning and execution. By following the steps above, you can ensure that your review is efficient, effective, and ethical.
If your focus is on the latest info, then stick to articles from just the last 3-5 years. This way, you’re not lost browsing everything; you’re straight on point, picking up the freshest details. It ensures your review stays current with the newest updates. And just like when shopping, with a clear list, you find what you need faster and skip the rest.
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