Q. How do I find evidence synthesis on a topic?

Evidence synthesis studies (UofM login required) summarize and evaluate the research on topic, making them very useful for both researchers and practitioners. They can include systematic reviews, meta-analyses, scoping reviews, qualitative evidence synthesis, and more.

When you are searching for evidence synthesis on a topic your are interested in, there are two methods to use to find them: database filters and search terms. 

Using Database Filters

Some databases have built-in tools that allow you to filter your results to specific types of results, which can include evidence synthesis studies. You can usually access these tools from results page after you search, and they are often located on to the left of the results or at the top above the results.

For example, in PubMed, the "Article Type" filter is located to the left of results. You can select a variety of evidence synthesis options, including meta-analysis and systematic review. Click "See all article type filters" to look at all of the options. 

PsycINFO is an example of the filter appearing at the top of the results. The "All filters" button is located between the search bar and the results. This opens up a menu on the right side with all of the filters, including "Methodology." Methodology includes all the research methodologies used in the results, including evidence synthesis methods such as systematic review. You might need to click "more" to see all of the options. 

Using Search Terms

Not every database or search tool will have a filter for evidence synthesis. In that case, you can add terms to your search to discover them. Usually, studies will state what form of evidence synthesis they are in the title or the abstract. So, adding terms for evidence synthesis studies to your search will pull them up. You can search for multiple types of evididence synthesis at once by using the Boolean operator "OR." If your tool has an advance search, this will be the easiest way to do it. 

For example, the database Communication Source does not have a filter for evidence synthesis. In the advanced search, you can set up a search for  "music therapy AND (systematic review OR meta-analysis OR scoping review)." Some databases like Communication Source may give you a search field menu by the search bar that lets you limit your search terms to just the title or abstract, where these terms will be more relevant. Here, (systematic review OR meta-analysis OR scoping review) is only being searched in the "abstract or author-supplied abstract" field.

You can also use search terms with OR in Google Scholar, which also does not have an evidence synthesis filter, though it would look more like this: "music therapy systematic review OR meta-analysis OR scoping review."