Scoping reviews search for concepts by mapping the language and data which surrounds those concepts to synthesize evidence and assess the scope of an area of inquiry. The goal can be to assess how much data or evidence is available regarding a certain area of interest. The review should be systematically conducted and reported with a transparent and repeatable method.
not a systematic review
map the extent, range and nature of literature
determine possible gaps in the literature on a topic
scoping reviews are not limited to peer review literature
normally conducted by a team, not one person
Step 1: Identifying the Research Question
too broad a question may lead to a large number of papers to review
too narrow will compromise the breadth and depth of the review
conduct preliminary search to determine if a scoping review already exits
Is there enough literature to conduct a scoping review
Step 2: Identifying Relevant Studies
Define the inclusion and exclusion criteria
Need to have diverse perspectives
Inclusion criteria are aligned with research question
Refine search strategy based on research found
Step 3: Selecting Studies to Be Included in the Review
Organize papers
Import collected citations from Endnote, RefWorks, etc. to Covidence or Rayyan
Select papers for inclusion
Having additional reviewers will accelerate the pace of the review
