Guides: Nursing Research: Methodological guides

How To

Click on the image to access the full guide: This guide was created to help students and faculty learn more about types of knowledge syntheses and the process of conducting them.

Reviewer manuals (Step-by-Step Methodological Guidance)

See the full guide for more reviewer manuals.

Systematic reviews

Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions by Julian Higgins, James Thomas (Senior Editors)
Publication Date: 2019
The Cochrane Handbook addresses the conduct of reviews of the effects of interventions, reviews of diagnostic test accuracy, reviews of prognosis, as well as overviews of reviews and reviews of methodology.

JBI Reviewer Manual for Systematic Reviews of Effectiveness- 2020 SEE CHAPTER 3
From here you can switch to other types of systematic reviews, including mixed methods reviews, qualitative reviews, reviews of effectiveness, prevalence etc., umbrella reviews and text/opinion reviews. You will also find guidance on meta-analysis as well as guidance on critical appraisal etc.

Scoping reviews

JBI Reviewer Manual for Scoping Reviews-2020 update SEE CHAPTER 11
11.2 Development of a scoping review protocol
This section of the JBI reviewer manual describes in detail the process of developing a scoping review potocol

This article not only discusses the role of the librarian but also provides an excellent overview of what a scoping review is and methodological best practices:

Morris, M., Boruff, J. T., & Gore, G. (2016). Scoping reviews: establishing the role of the librarian. Journal of the Medical Library Association. 104, 346-353. doi:10.3163/1536-5050.104.4.020

Mixed methods reviews

Toolkit for Mixed Studies Reviews

Rapid reviews

WHO: Rapid reviews to strengthen health policy and systems: a practical guide- 2017
This methodological guide informs the McGill ISoN approach to conducting rapid scoping reviews, used in conjunction with the JBI Reviewer manual for scoping reviews, and the PRISMA-ScR checklist
Rapid Review Guidebook- McMaster Published 2017, updated 2018
Rapid reviews differ from systematic reviews in that the process is tailored for a shorter timeline, but it is still important to use rigorous methodology to ensure that the best available research evidence is used in decision making.

The National Collaborating Centre of Methods and Tools (NCCMT) has developed a Rapid Review Guidebook that details each step in the rapid review process, with notes on how to tailor the process given resource limitations. The Guidebook also includes a guide to writing the final report, with details on how to structure the report and what to include in each section.

Integrative reviews

The integrative review: updated methodology

Data Collection (comprehensive searching)

Managing search results

Screening results

Using Rayyan for systematic reviews - McGill Libraries Subject Guide

Appraisal tools

Reporting

PRISMA 2020 explanation and elaboration: updated guidance and exemplars for reporting systematic reviews
PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and Explanation- 2018
This document presents the PRISMA-ScR for Scoping Reviews) checklist and explanation. These should be used to inform methodological and reporting of scoping reviews to ensure compliance with best practice
PRISMA extension for searching 2021
Statement / Explanatory paper. The checklist includes 16 reporting items, each of which is detailed with exemplar reporting and Rationale.