Scope Review Defined
Exploratory research question aimed at mapping key concepts, types of evidence, or gaps in research relating to defined area of the field. – Colquhoun 2014
- Scoping reviews serve to synthesize evidence and assess the scope of literature on a topic. – PRISMA
- Scoping reviews, a type of knowledge synthesis, follow a systematic approach to map evidence on a topic and identify main concepts, theories, sources, and knowledge gaps. - Annals of internal medicine, 169 (7), 467-4
Abbreviation Key: SR -Systematic Review. ScR - Scope Review
Resources on the Scope Review Process
- The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI)JBI's approach to scoping reviews is widely considered the standard.
> JBI is a global organization promoting and supporting evidence-based decisions that improve health and health service delivery.
The JBI manual tells you what you should include in the final report, by looking at these requirements it also tells you how to conduct a Scope Review.
"Specifically, guidance is provided on the following components: outline of the review, inclusion criteria (i.e. PCC), search strategy, extraction, presenting and summarizing the results, and any potential implications of the findings for research and practice." - JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis 11.3
- * JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis- Chapt. 11 Sec. 3This section [aka Chapter 11 of the manual] provides further guidance on the components that should comprise the final report of a scoping review and the information that each component should contain.
- Univ. of South Australia Scoping Review GuideThis guide was developed with the assistance and expertise of Dr. Micah Peters. It is chocked full of helpful information on the full process of conducting a ScR.
Check-Lists
JBI recommends using the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) check-list.
PRISMA is the Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. PRISMA aims to help authors improve the reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. To this end, they've created a checklist for conducting and writing systematic reviews and a flow chart showing how to run and report the screening process. In 2018 PRISMA created an extension to PRISMA for scoping reviews.
- PRISMAAn organization developed to standardize the reporting of scoping reviews.
- PRISMA-ScR ChecklistA reporting guideline and checklist for Scoping Review.
- KTP- The Knowledge Translation ProjectAn organization with helpful resources and training materials.
- PRISMA-ScR - Tip SheetsThis research guide from George Mason University includes tip sheets that break down the checklist from KTP in even more detail.
Scope Review Example
- Nurse Education TodayMindsets in health professions education: A scoping review
6 Steps of a Scope Review
- Create an exploratory question using the PCC model
- Establish Inclusion/exclusion criteria
Then, per your protocol:
- Use the PRISMA-ScR check list to make sure you included everything.
These 6 steps are inspired by the JBI's manual on how to construct a scope review.
Scope Review Process Example
- Scope Review from Gail DavisonGail is the researcher explaining how to conduct a scoping review and this is that ScR.
Davison, G., Kelly, M. A., Thompson, A., & Dornan, T. (2020). Children’s and adolescents’ experiences of healthcare professionals: scoping review protocol. Systematic reviews, 9, 1-6.
