PsyD Systematic Reviews

A well-developed and answerable question is the foundation for any systematic review.

Evidence Based Practice

It's important to ask a question that can be answered through use of evidence rather than subjective judgment. Evidence-based medicine (EBM) - like evidence-based practice in any discipline - draws on empirical evidence. This may include laboratory studies, clinical trials, and real-world prospective or retrospective studies. You may need to rephrase the question according to whether the evidence base is in diagnosis, therapy & interventions, prognosis, or assessments of harm.

Formulate Your Research Question

Formulating a strong research question for a systematic review can be a lengthy process. While you may have an idea about the topic you want to explore, your specific research question is what will drive your review and requires some consideration. 

You will want to conduct preliminary or exploratory searches of the literature as you refine your question. In these searches you will want to:

• Determine if a systematic review has already been conducted on your topic and if so, how yours might be different, or how you might shift or narrow your anticipated focus.
• Scope the literature to determine if there is enough literature on your topic to conduct a systematic review.
• Identify key concepts and terminology.
• Identify seminal or landmark studies.
• Identify key studies that you can test your search strategy against 
• Begin to identify databases that might be useful to your search question.

Types of Research Questions for Systematic Reviews

A narrow and specific research question is required in order to conduct a systematic review. The goal of a systematic review is to provide an evidence synthesis of ALL research performed on one particular topic. Your research question should be clearly answerable from the studies included in your review. 

Another consideration is whether the question has been answered enough to warrant a systematic review. If there have been very few studies, there won't be enough qualitative and/or quantitative data to synthesize. You then have to adjust your question... widen the population, broaden the topic, reconsider your inclusion and exclusion criteria, etc.

When developing your question, it can be helpful to consider the FINER criteria (Feasible, Interesting, Novel, Ethics, and Relevant). Read more about the FINER criteria on the Elsevier blog.

Here are some examples of good systematic review questions and questions that are better suited for different types of reviews: 

Why Use Frameworks in Systematic Reviews?

Frameworks like PICO, SPIDER, and SPICE help you clearly define your research question and guide your search strategy. Each one is designed to fit different types of research—whether you're focusing on clinical interventions, qualitative experiences, or policy and service evaluations.

Using a framework:

• Helps you break down complex questions into searchable concepts
• Ensures your review is focused, transparent, and reproducible
• Makes it easier to identify relevant studies and justify inclusion/exclusion decisions

Choosing the right framework improves both the quality and credibility of your systematic review.

Why Search Protocols and Published Reviews Before Choosing a Topic?

Before starting your systematic review, it's essential to check whether your topic has already been reviewed, or is currently being reviewed. Systematic reviews are meant to offer new or updated insights, not duplicate existing work.

By searching protocols and published reviews first, you can:

•  Avoid duplicating work

•  Confirm your topic is original or necessary as an update

•  Find gaps or angles others haven’t covered

•  Strengthen your proposal or publication potential

What is a Protocol? 

A protocol is a detailed plan for a systematic review that outlines:

• The research question

• Which databases will be searched

• The criteria for including or excluding studies

• How data will be extracted and analyzed

Researchers register protocols before they start the review to promote transparency and reduce duplication. Think of a protocol like a blueprint for a building—it shows what the final review will look like before any “construction” begins. 

Searching Protocols, Dissertations, and Published Systematic Reviews 

To search for protocols (systematic reviews that are in progress): 

1. Prospero: database of registered protocols (see a more in-depth search tutorial in Year 1 / Spring).

To search for dissertations (systematic reviews by previous Pepperdine PsyD graduates):

1. Dissertations and Theses database 
2. Choose "Pepperdine" as the university 

To search for published systematic reviews: 

1. Try databases like PsycInfo, Scopus, and PubMed
2. Use keywords that reflect your topic AND "systematic review"

Librarians can help you learn how to search for existing information on your topic. Finding existing reviews on your topic will inform the development of your research question, identify gaps, and confirm that you are not duplicating the efforts of previous reviews (duplicated research / research waste).