Evidence maps: a tool to guide research agenda setting

Area of Science:

• Medical Research
• Evidence Synthesis
• Health Sciences

Background:

• A significant portion of medical research suffers from low quality in design, conduct, and analysis.
• This poor quality compromises the robustness of findings and the validity of conclusions.
• Research waste is a persistent issue, stemming from factors like asking inappropriate questions and overlooking existing evidence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explain the utility of evidence maps in guiding clinical investigators.
• To demonstrate how evidence maps aid in setting research agendas.
• To outline the methodology for constructing effective evidence maps.

Main Methods:

• The article explains the concept and application of evidence maps.
• It details the process and steps involved in creating evidence maps.
• The focus is on practical guidance for building these tools.

Main Results:

• Evidence maps serve as valuable tools for clinical investigators.
• They help in identifying research gaps and prioritizing future research directions.
• The article provides a framework for developing robust evidence maps.

Conclusions:

• Evidence maps are crucial for improving the quality and efficiency of medical research.
• By addressing research waste, evidence maps contribute to more reliable scientific conclusions.
• Implementing evidence mapping strategies can optimize the allocation of research resources.