Connecting puzzle pieces: Systematic literature review method in the social sciences

Abstract

A systematic literature review is a desk-based research method that sums up the best available research on a specific question using a rigorous and verifiable methodology. This paper aims to discuss and analyse stages of conducting SLR in the social sciences, from a formulation of a research question, protocol development, literature search, screening, quality assessment, data extraction and synthesis to writing review findings. Research in the social sciences differs from research in biomedicine and the author makes the necessary adjustments to make this method more closely suited to the particularities of the social sciences.