Overview
Systematic literature reviews (SLRs) are a structured, reproducible method for identifying and synthesising 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.
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Minimizes selection bias through predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria
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Provides the highest level of secondary evidence for a research question
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Common in business research (e.g., management, HRM, strategy, marketing) theses
SLR vs. Traditional Literature Review
| Feature | Traditional Literature Review | Systematic Literature Review |
|---|---|---|
| Research question | Broad or flexible | Narrow and pre-specified |
| Search strategy | Informal, author-led | Documented, reproducible |
| Study selection | Subjective | Governed by explicit criteria |
| Quality appraisal | Often absent | Mandatory |
| Reporting | Variable | Follows standards (e.g., PRISMA) |
| Replicability | Low | High |
When Should You Use an SLR?
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Your thesis research question asks what does the existing evidence show about X?
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Your supervisor or faculty expects evidence-based synthesis (common in management, HRM, sustainability, entrepreneurship)
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You have sufficient time; a rigorous SLR takes weeks to months
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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
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A well-defined research question is the foundation of a systematic literature review. Every subsequent decision (which databases to search, what terms to use, which studies to include) flows directly from it. A question that is too broad produces an unmanageable volume of results; one that is too narrow may yield almost nothing.
Practical Tips
- Write your question down before searching. Even one sentence written out forces clarity.
- Test with your supervisor. A good question should take no more than two sentences to explain to someone unfamiliar with the topic.
- Iterate, but only once. It is normal to refine your question slightly after initial scoping searches reveal how much literature exists. However, finalise it before formal data collection begins and document any changes in your protocol.
- Avoid "and" creep. Questions like "What is the effect of leadership style on innovation and employee wellbeing and retention?" are three questions in one. Pick the most important element for your thesis argument.
- Check for existing reviews first. Before committing to your question, run a quick search in PROSPERO or Google Scholar to confirm a recent SLR on exactly your question does not already exist. Finding one is not a dead end; it means you can build on it or update it.
Select Framework
Structured question frameworks give you a reliable method for making your question precise and searchable before you open a single database.
For an indepth discussion of this step, review Research Question Frameworks (PICO, SPIDER, PCC).
Different frameworks suit different types of research questions. The table below helps you select the right one for your thesis topic.
- Business or management students will most often use SPIDER or PCC, since many management questions ask "how" or "what" rather than "does X cause Y."
Tip: a narrow, answerable question is essential before any searching begins
Step 2: Write a Protocol
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A protocol is a written plan that specifies, in advance, exactly how you intend to conduct your systematic literature review. It is not complete until all 11/12 sub-sections below have been worked through and recorded. Writing the protocol is not a bureaucratic hurdle; it is the mechanism that makes your review transparent, reproducible, and defensible to examiners, supervisors, and future readers.
Review Writing a Protocol for more information on why it matters and what it contains.
Step 3: Conduct Your Search
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This step translates the search strategy you documented in your protocol into actual database queries, records the results systematically, and prepares a clean, deduplicated set of references for screening. Precision and documentation at this stage are critical: every decision you make must be recorded so that your search can be reported transparently in your final thesis.
Review Conducting Your Search for more information on this topic.
Step 4: Screen Results
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Screening is the process of applying your pre-specified inclusion and exclusion criteria to the deduplicated set of references produced earlier, in order to identify the studies that will form the basis of your review. It proceeds in two sequential phases: first by title and abstract, then by full text. Each phase reduces the total set further; only studies that pass both phases are included in your final review.
Review Screening the Results for more information on this topic.
Step 5: Appraise Study Quality
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Quality appraisal is the systematic assessment of the methodological rigor of each study included after screening. It answers the question: how much confidence can we place in the findings of this study? Appraisal does not judge whether a study is interesting or relevant (screening already established relevance); it judges whether the study was conducted in a way that makes its findings trustworthy.
Review Appraise Study Quality for more information on this topic.
Step 6: Extract Data
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Data extraction is the process of systematically pulling the information you need from each included study and recording it in a standardised form. It bridges the gap between your screened, appraised set of studies and the synthesis you will conduct later. Consistent, thorough extraction is what makes synthesis possible: if you extract different information from different papers, you cannot meaningfully compare or combine them.
Review Extract Data for more information on this topic.
Step 7: Synthesise and Report
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