# Overview

Systematic literature reviews (SLRs) are a structured, reproducible method for identifying and synthesizing existing research to answer a focused research question. This page will guide you through the concept and process step by step.

### What Is a Systematic Literature Review?

An SLR is a scholarly synthesis of evidence on a clearly defined topic, using explicit, pre-specified methods to identify, select, critically appraise, and summarise relevant studies. Unlike ad hoc reading of literature, every decision is documented so the review can be replicated.

- Minimizes selection bias through predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria<span aria-label="What is a Systematic Literature Review? - ATLAS.ti" class="inline-flex" data-state="closed">​</span>
- Provides the highest level of secondary evidence for a research question<span aria-label="Systematic review - Wikipedia" class="inline-flex" data-state="closed">​</span>
- Common in business research (e.g., management, HRM, strategy, marketing) theses

#### SLR vs. Traditional Literature Review

<div class="group relative my-[1em]" id="bkmrk-feature-traditional-"><div class="w-full overflow-auto rounded-lg md:max-w-[90vw] border-subtlest ring-subtlest divide-subtlest bg-raised dark:bg-offset"><table class="my-0 w-full table-auto border-separate border-spacing-0 text-sm font-sans rounded-lg border-x border-t border-subtle [&_tr:last-child_td:first-child]:rounded-bl-lg [&_tr:last-child_td:last-child]:rounded-br-lg"><thead class=""><tr><th class="border-subtle p-sm break-normal border-b text-left align-bottom border-r last:border-r-0 font-bold bg-subtler last:border-radius-tr-lg first:border-radius-tl-lg">Feature</th><th class="border-subtle p-sm break-normal border-b text-left align-bottom border-r last:border-r-0 font-bold bg-subtler last:border-radius-tr-lg first:border-radius-tl-lg">Traditional Literature Review</th><th class="border-subtle p-sm break-normal border-b text-left align-bottom border-r last:border-r-0 font-bold bg-subtler last:border-radius-tr-lg first:border-radius-tl-lg">Systematic Literature Review</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td class="px-sm border-subtle min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0 ">Research question</td><td class="px-sm border-subtle min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0 ">Broad or flexible</td><td class="px-sm border-subtle min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0 ">Narrow and pre-specified</td></tr><tr><td class="px-sm border-subtle min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0 ">Search strategy</td><td class="px-sm border-subtle min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0 ">Informal, author-led</td><td class="px-sm border-subtle min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0 ">Documented, reproducible</td></tr><tr><td class="px-sm border-subtle min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0 ">Study selection</td><td class="px-sm border-subtle min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0 ">Subjective</td><td class="px-sm border-subtle min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0 ">Governed by explicit criteria</td></tr><tr><td class="px-sm border-subtle min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0 ">Quality appraisal</td><td class="px-sm border-subtle min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0 ">Often absent</td><td class="px-sm border-subtle min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0 ">Mandatory</td></tr><tr><td class="px-sm border-subtle min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0 ">Reporting</td><td class="px-sm border-subtle min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0 ">Variable</td><td class="px-sm border-subtle min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0 ">Follows standards (e.g., PRISMA) <span aria-label="What is a Systematic Literature Review? - ATLAS.ti" class="inline-flex" data-state="closed">​</span></td></tr><tr><td class="px-sm border-subtle min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0 ">Replicability</td><td class="px-sm border-subtle min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0 ">Low</td><td class="px-sm border-subtle min-w-[48px] break-normal border-b border-r last:border-r-0 ">High</td></tr></tbody></table>

</div></div>### When Should You Use an SLR?


- Your thesis research question asks *what does the existing evidence show about X?*
- Your supervisor or faculty expects evidence-based synthesis (common in management, HRM, sustainability, entrepreneurship)
- You have sufficient time; a rigorous SLR takes weeks to months
- Note: Not every thesis requires an SLR; confirm with your supervisor first

### The SLR Process: Step by Step

#### Step 1: [Define Your Research Question / Select Framework](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/books/research-skills/page/define-your-research-question-select-framework "Define Your Research Question & Select Framework")

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Review [Define Your Research Question &amp; Select Framework](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/books/research-skills/page/define-your-research-question-select-framework) for more information on this topic.

</details>#### Step 2: [Write a Protocol](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/books/research-skills/page/writing-a-protocol "Writing a Protocol")

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Review [Writing a Protocol](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/books/research-skills/page/writing-a-protocol) for more information on **why it matters** and **what it contains**.

</details>#### Step 3: [Conduct Your Search](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/books/research-skills/page/conducting-your-search "Conducting Your Search")

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Review [Conducting Your Search](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/books/research-skills/page/conducting-your-search) for more information on this topic.

<p class="callout warning">Before you search, use our [Search Quality Self-Assessment Checklist](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/books/research-skills/page/self-assessment-checklist-for-your-slr-search) (adapted from [vom Brocke et al., 2015](https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol37/iss1/9/)) to verify your search strategy meets the standards expected in a systematic review.</p>

</details>#### Step 4: [Screen Results](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/books/research-skills/page/screening-the-results "Screening the Results")

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Review [Screening the Results](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/books/research-skills/page/screening-the-results "Screening the Results") for more information on this topic.

</details>#### Step 5: [Appraise Study Quality](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/books/research-skills/page/appraise-study-quality "Appraise Study Quality")

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Review [Appraise Study Quality](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/books/research-skills/page/appraise-study-quality) for more information on this topic.

</details>#### Step 6: [Extract Data](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/books/research-skills/page/extract-data "Extract Data")

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Review [Extract Data](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/books/research-skills/page/extract-data) for more information on this topic.

</details>#### Step 7: [Synthesize and Report](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/books/research-skills/page/synthesize-and-report "Synthesize and Report")

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Review [Synthesize and Report](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/books/research-skills/page/synthesize-and-report "Synthesize and Report") for more information on this topic.

</details>#### Before Submission: [Evaluating Your Own SLR Process](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/books/research-skills/page/evaluating-your-own-slr-process "Evaluating Your Own SLR Process")

### A Note on Process Models

<p class="callout info">Different disciplines and authors present SLR processes with slightly different stage names and orders. The seven-step structure presented here synthesises best practices from management research ([Tranfield et al., 2003](https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.00375)), software engineering ([Kitchenham &amp; Charters, 2007](https://legacyfileshare.elsevier.com/promis_misc/525444systematicreviewsguide.pdf)), and information systems ([vom Brocke et al., 2015](https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol37/iss1/9/); [Bandara et al., 2015](https://doi.org/10.17705/1CAIS.03708)). The core sequence (question → protocol → search → screen → appraise → extract → synthesise) is common across all models; differences are primarily in emphasis rather than substance.</p>

[![SLR Process by (Kitchenham and Charters 2007).png](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/uploads/images/gallery/2026-02/scaled-1680-/slr-process-by-kitchenham-and-charters-2007.png)](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/uploads/images/gallery/2026-02/slr-process-by-kitchenham-and-charters-2007.png)  
<sub> "SLR Process of Kitchenham and Charters 2007" by Hasan Koç is licensed under [CC BY-NC-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/), based on [Kitchenham &amp; Charters, 2007](https://legacyfileshare.elsevier.com/promis_misc/525444systematicreviewsguide.pdf).</sub>

[![SLR Process by (Bandara et al 2015).png](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/uploads/images/gallery/2026-02/scaled-1680-/slr-process-by-bandara-et-al-2015.png)](https://libguides.berlin-international.de/uploads/images/gallery/2026-02/slr-process-by-bandara-et-al-2015.png)  
<sub> "SLR Process of Bandara et al 2015" by Hasan Koç is licensed under [CC BY-NC-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/), based on [Bandara et al., 2015](https://doi.org/10.17705/1CAIS.03708).</sub>