Literature Search

PRISMA Methodology

1. Record total hits from each database before deduplication
2. Remove duplicates and record count
3. Screen titles and abstracts against inclusion criteria (record excluded count)
4. Full-text review of remaining papers (record excluded with reasons)
5. Report final included studies with PRISMA flow diagram
6. For scoping reviews, use PRISMA-ScR extension

Screening and Quality Assessment

1. Use two-pass screening: title/abstract first, then full text
2. Apply quality assessment tools appropriate to study type:
   • RCTs: Cochrane Risk of Bias tool
   • Observational: Newcastle-Ottawa Scale
   • ML papers: check reproducibility, dataset validity, statistical rigor
3. Extract data systematically using a predefined extraction form

Synthesis Approaches

1. Narrative synthesis: Organize findings thematically, identify patterns and contradictions
2. Meta-analysis: Pool quantitative results when studies are sufficiently homogeneous
3. Gap analysis: Explicitly identify what is NOT covered in the literature
4. Summarize key findings per theme with supporting citation counts
5. Highlight conflicting results and possible explanations
6. End with clear statement of research gaps that motivate your study