Hello dear researchers,
I need the right and best methodology to write a narrative review.
Thank you!
There are no standardized reporting guidelines for narrative reviews, which can result in variability in how they are conducted and reported. The scope and objectives of a narrative review can vary widely. It may aim to provide a historical perspective, explore the evolution of a field, summarize key findings, or highlight gaps and controversies in the literature.
In this sense, in my opinion, the best way to describe a narrative review is to distinguish it from a systematic review.
For a narrative review, you typically select studies based on relevance to the topic, quality, and significance, but there is usually no formalized, systematic approach to study selection, as is the case with systematic review. You will rely on their own judgment and expertise. Hence, there is no need to discuss search terms, databases used, and inclusion and exclusion criteria. Narrative reviews can be influenced by the author's perspective, expertise, and biases to some extent. In sum, while you should strive for objectivity, the narrative format allows for a certain level of subjectivity in the interpretation of the literature.
Maybe you have already found this article: Article Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and...
If not, I would recomment to read it
What I would at least advice you (having written integrative and semi-structured reviews) is to really document the steps you take in your analysis, the data you have used and to be as transparent about this as possible. Maybe it can even help you to read a bit about principles of doing interpretive research and think for yourself how these apply to your work.
Good luck!
Dr Anna Kuteleva Thanks for this important answer