I believe choosing the topics a the most difficult step. What is the recommend steps of thinking and search? Do we choose topic we are intersted in or most trendy? Can we choose a topic which searched a lot, but with a new perspective ? How to make sure the topic is novel? I did not mention the journal scope because it is an easy question to answer.
What I do is I search the areas of controversy those arise during day to day practice. Whenever there is controversy in any practice, I do a literature search and if the literature can not provide a definite answer, I consider to do a systematic review with or without meta-analysis on that area.
What I do is I search the areas of controversy those arise during day to day practice. Whenever there is controversy in any practice, I do a literature search and if the literature can not provide a definite answer, I consider to do a systematic review with or without meta-analysis on that area.
Heba, I would recommend selecting a topic on the basis of your research interest and expertise. It's best to chose topics related to your field of interest as it would allow for you to further critically analyse the findings as you are aware of the current debates in the field.
Once you have found a topic which is interesting, it's best to see whether a systematic review currently exists on the topic. If not, you can continue with your proposed systematic review. If a review already exists, look to see if your review would cover the topic from a different point of view or maybe you spot a gap in that review and you are able to improve on the topic by doing your review to address this gap.
This might be a good read when trying to conceptualise your systematic review research question / topic: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2233974/
It depends on the question you have. If you do not have an answer for your questiona from previous research but answerable in SR then go ahead. You may do simple scoping review to check what out there and verify with the Cochrane and PROSPERO or similar tools is anyone working on it currently. Then consider the scope and methods of your review. All the best.
Rule number one DONT REPLICATE other reviews other than to possibly update them and the advice give above of checking Cochrane and PROSPERO is sound advice
I appreciate tehy fact that SR. should be novel, but in reality one can find a plethora of SR on same topic as ( ttt modalities of disease x). Also, practically, is it even possible to search all the SR written on same topic to make sure there is no duplicate?
I guess youre referring to the dental specialty if so then its not rocket science as there isnt a plethora of SRs in Oral health. Ton of lit reviews of course
U shud decide if its an intervention diagnostic test or other and then work forward from that. Its called systematic for a good reason.
Suggest you look at the Cochrane website as there is a lot of useful training stuff there. Failing that organise a workshop and use it to learn and teach
Besides research interest in a particular topic related to your speciality following features also need to be taken in to consideration:
Appropriateness
Importance
Potential for duplication of existing research.
Feasibility (adequate type and volume of research available for SR)
Potential value and impact of SR
Priority topics for any health care-related activity
Kindly refer to the two attahcments
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Social Science
- Media
- Journalism