Undertaking a systematic review and meta-analysis for a scholarly project: an updated practical guide

Area of Science:

• Evidence-based practice
• Medical research methodology

Background:

• Systematic reviews are crucial for synthesizing research findings.
• Previous introductions require updates due to field developments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an updated, step-by-step guide for conducting systematic reviews.
• To incorporate recent advancements in the field of systematic reviews.

Main Methods:

• Literature searching and article selection using bibliographic software and electronic translation.
• Prospective registration of review protocols.
• Utilizing freeware for meta-analysis and basic statistical techniques.

Main Results:

• Identification of essential resources for systematic reviews.
• Demonstration of updated methods for efficient article selection.
• Guidance on protocol registration and meta-analysis techniques.

Conclusions:

• Systematic reviews benefit from updated methodologies and available tools.
• Prospective protocol registration enhances review transparency and rigor.
• Freeware offers accessible options for meta-analysis in systematic reviews.