Systematic Reviews: What is in a Systematic Review
A Guide to Conducting Systematic Reviews
What is IN a Systematic Review
The parts of a Systematic Review.
- Title
- Abstract
- This is a plain language summary.
- Background
- Objectives
- Methods
- Selection Criteria (types of studies, participants, interventions, outcomes)
- Search Strategy
- Data Collection and Analysis
- Quality, risk of bias
- Results
- Description of studies
- risk of bias
- effects of intervention
- Discussion
- Summary of main results
- Quality of evidence
- Potential biases in the review
- Author's Conclusions
- Implications for practice
- Implications for research
- Figures
- Tables
What is IN a Systematic Review

This diagram illustrates what is actually in a published systematic review and gives examples from the relevant parts of a systematic review housed online in The Cochrane Library. It will help you to read or navigate a systematic review.