Evidence Synthesis in the Social Sciences

• Uses transparent, standardized, and systematized methods to locate, collect, filter, and synthesize all available quality evidence on a certain focused topic 
• Evaluates and synthesizes evidence found in order to answer a very specific and focused research question 
• Can take a long time -- up to a year or more. Usually conducted by a team. 

Loong, D., Bonato, S., Barnsley, J., & Dewa, C. S.(2019). The effectiveness of mental health courts in reducing recidivism and police contact: A systematic review. Community Mental Health Journal, 55, 1073-1098. doi: 10.1007/s10597-019-00421-9

• Uses transparent, standardized, and systematized methods to locate, collect, and filter evidence 
• Rather than synthesizing evidence (like in a systematic review), scoping reviews might try to identify gaps in the existing evidence, see what evidence is available on a topic, characterize how research is done on a certain topic, clarify a topic, or might be done to preclude a systematic review. 
• Can take a long time -- up to a year or more. Usually conducted by a team. 

• A broader review characterized by a non-reproducible or non-transparent methodology.
• Doesn't seek to identify all of the available quality evidence on a topic, but rather seeks to provide a broad overview of a topic. 

Burgess, D., & Shier, M. L. (2018). Food insecurity and social work: A comprehensive literature review. International Social Work, 61(6), 826-842. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020872816672519

• Uses statistical methods to summarize results from quantitative evidence 
• Sometimes added to a systematic review 

• A review of other reviews on a topic 

• Uses the methods of a systematic review in a shorter timeline, at the risk of bias or other methodological shortcomings 
• See Featherstone, et al. (2015) Advancing knowledge of rapid reviews: an analysis of results, conclusions and recommendations from published review articles examining rapid reviews for more information.