Steps:
- Conduct a search – The published scientific literature is indexed in a variety of databases. Search these databases of studies. It is important to search numerous databases to ensure that the majority of relevant studies have been identified.
- Identify keywords – Authors call out several keywords when publishing their research so others can identify the work during database searches. Once you find a relevant article, use its keywords and similar ones in your search.
- Review Abstracts and Articles – After the search is complete and all duplicates are throw out, it is time to review the abstracts of the remaining articles to ensure that they address your review questions. With narrative reviews, it is not necessary to include every article on a topic.
- Document Results – Summarize and synthesize the findings from the articles you have found, and integrate then into your writing as appropriate. You do not need to document your literature search. reference the articles as you use information from the studies.
