{"id":810,"date":"2026-06-09T02:40:29","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T02:40:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/?p=810"},"modified":"2026-09-05T14:39:44","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T09:09:44","slug":"scoping-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is a Scoping Review? Purpose, Method, Examples"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>A scoping review is an evidence synthesis method designed to map the extent, nature, and range of available literature on a topic. It does not answer a specific clinical or policy question.<\/li>\r\n<li>It is the appropriate choice when a topic is new, broad, conceptually unclear, or characterised by heterogeneous evidence.<\/li>\r\n<li>Unlike systematic reviews, scoping reviews do not require quality appraisal of included studies, allow flexible and broad inclusion criteria, and can include all study types and grey literature.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#What_Is_a_Scoping_Review\" >What Is a Scoping Review?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#Core_Characteristics\" >Core Characteristics<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#Is_a_scoping_review_qualitative_or_quantitative\" >Is a scoping review qualitative or quantitative?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#A_Brief_History_of_Scoping_Reviews\" >A Brief History of Scoping Reviews<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#What_Is_the_Purpose_of_a_Scoping_Review\" >What Is the Purpose of a Scoping Review?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#When_Should_You_Conduct_a_Scoping_Review\" >When Should You Conduct a Scoping Review?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#When_Should_You_Not_Conduct_a_Scoping_Review\" >When Should You Not Conduct a Scoping Review?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#Scoping_Review_Vs_Systematic_Review_vs_Narrative_Review\" >Scoping Review Vs Systematic Review vs Narrative Review<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#How_to_Conduct_a_Scoping_Review_A_Step-by-Step_Guide\" >How to Conduct a Scoping Review: A Step-by-Step Guide<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#Developing_the_Research_Question\" >Developing the Research Question<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#Building_the_Search_Strategy\" >Building the Search Strategy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#Screening_and_Calibration\" >Screening and Calibration<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#Charting_the_Data\" >Charting the Data<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#Synthesis_and_Reporting\" >Synthesis and Reporting<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#PRISMA-ScR_Checklist\" >PRISMA-ScR Checklist<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#Common_Pitfalls_in_a_Scoping_Review_Dos_and_Donts\" >Common Pitfalls in a Scoping Review: Dos and Don&#8217;ts<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#JBI_Methodology_for_Scoping_Reviews\" >JBI Methodology for Scoping Reviews<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#Core_Steps_JBI_6-Stage_Process\" >Core Steps (JBI 6-Stage Process)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#The_JBI_Three-Step_Search_Strategy\" >The JBI Three-Step Search Strategy<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#Protocol_Registration_of_Scoping_Reviews\" >Protocol Registration of Scoping Reviews<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#Frequently_Asked_Questions\" >Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#Can_I_conduct_a_scoping_review_on_my_own_or_do_I_always_need_a_team\" >Can I conduct a scoping review on my own, or do I always need a team?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#Is_a_scoping_review_%E2%80%98lower_quality_or_%E2%80%98less_rigorous_than_a_systematic_review\" >Is a scoping review &#8216;lower quality&#8217; or &#8216;less rigorous&#8217; than a systematic review?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#Do_I_need_to_do_quality_appraisal_in_a_scoping_review\" >Do I need to do quality appraisal in a scoping review?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#How_long_does_a_scoping_review_take_and_how_many_articles_will_I_need_to_screen\" >How long does a scoping review take, and how many articles will I need to screen?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#What_is_the_difference_between_a_mapping_review_and_a_scoping_review\" >What is the difference between a mapping review and a scoping review?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-27\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#What_is_the_difference_between_a_scoping_review_and_a_realist_review\" >What is the difference between a scoping review and a realist review?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-28\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#What_is_the_difference_between_a_scoping_review_and_a_meta-analysis\" >What is the difference between a scoping review and a meta-analysis?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_a_Scoping_Review\"><\/span><a id=\"_Toc231884877\"><\/a>What Is a Scoping Review?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>A scoping review is a type of evidence synthesis that uses a systematic and iterative approach to identify, map, and summarize an existing or emerging body of literature on a given topic. Unlike a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/a-young-researchers-guide-to-a-systematic-review\">systematic review<\/a>, which is designed to answer a focused, often clinical question, a scoping review is primarily exploratory and tells you what evidence is there and what isn&#8217;t.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Core_Characteristics\"><\/span>Core Characteristics<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Broad, exploratory research question (not a narrow clinical question)<\/li>\r\n<li>Systematic and transparent methodology, but more flexible than a systematic review<\/li>\r\n<li>Includes all <a href=\"https:\/\/researcher.life\/blog\/article\/what-is-research-design-types-examples\/\">study designs<\/a>: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods<\/li>\r\n<li>Can include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/grey-literature-definition-sources-types-evaluation\/\">grey literature<\/a> (government reports, theses, policy documents)<\/li>\r\n<li>Does not typically perform critical quality appraisal of included studies<\/li>\r\n<li>Iterative in nature; the team may revisit earlier steps as understanding deepens<\/li>\r\n<li>Output is descriptive: a map of concepts, evidence types, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/dont-know-where-to-start-6-tips-on-identifying-research-gaps\">knowledge gaps<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li>Can be conducted as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/what-is-literature-review-definition-types-and-examples\/\">standalone review<\/a> or as a precursor to a systematic review<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_a_scoping_review_qualitative_or_quantitative\"><\/span>Is a scoping review qualitative or quantitative?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>A scoping review can include qualitative studies, quantitative studies, or both, and typically presents findings descriptively (charting, tabulating) rather than through statistical pooling.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Brief_History_of_Scoping_Reviews\"><\/span>A Brief History of Scoping Reviews<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The methodology was first formally described by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1080\/1364557032000119616\">Arksey and O&#8217;Malley (2005<\/a>), drawing on earlier informal uses of scoping approaches in social research. It was subsequently refined by <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20854677\/\">Levac, Colquhoun, and O&#8217;Brien (2010)<\/a>, and later formalised into institutional guidance by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prisma-statement.org\/scoping\">Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist<\/a>, published in 2018, further standardised how scoping reviews are planned and reported.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_the_Purpose_of_a_Scoping_Review\"><\/span><a id=\"_Toc231884878\"><\/a>What Is the Purpose of a Scoping Review?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Scoping reviews serve several distinct and complementary purposes. According to Arksey and O&#8217;Malley and subsequent methodologists, the main reasons for conducting a scoping review include:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>To identify the types of available evidence in a given field<\/li>\r\n<li>To clarify key concepts and definitions that are contested or inconsistently used across the literature<\/li>\r\n<li>To examine how research has been conducted on a topic, including methodological diversity<\/li>\r\n<li>To identify key characteristics or factors related to a concept<\/li>\r\n<li>To identify and analyse gaps in the existing knowledge base<\/li>\r\n<li>To provide a precursor to a systematic review, determining whether one is warranted and refining its scope<\/li>\r\n<li>To summarise and disseminate research findings for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Importantly, scoping reviews <strong>are not designed to answer clinical questions about the effectiveness or safety of interventions<\/strong>. They provide descriptive summaries and evidence maps. The conclusions from a scoping review cannot directly guide clinical practice or policy.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_Should_You_Conduct_a_Scoping_Review\"><\/span><a id=\"_Toc231884879\"><\/a>When Should You Conduct a Scoping Review?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Here are the situations in which a scoping review is the appropriate choice:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\">\r\n<table>\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Situation<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Why a Scoping Review Fits<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>The topic is new or emerging and lacks comprehensive review<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>A scoping review is ideal when evidence is sparse, varied, or still accumulating (e.g., COVID-19 in early 2020).<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>The research question is broad and exploratory<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>If the question asks &#8216;what is known about X?&#8217; rather than &#8216;does X work?&#8217;, a scoping review is the appropriate choice.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Definitions or concepts are unclear or contested<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Scoping reviews help clarify how key terms are used across the literature before embarking on more focused research.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>You need to map heterogeneous evidence across study types<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Unlike systematic reviews, scoping reviews can include qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies without methodological restriction.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>You want to determine if a systematic review is warranted<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>A scoping review can confirm whether sufficient and sufficiently homogeneous literature exists to support a formal systematic review.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>You want to identify research gaps to inform future priorities<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Identifying what has not been studied is a primary output of a scoping review.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>You are a practitioner or policymaker seeking a landscape overview<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Scoping reviews are useful for staying informed about an evolving field without needing definitive clinical guidance.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_Should_You_Not_Conduct_a_Scoping_Review\"><\/span>When Should You Not Conduct a Scoping Review?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Conversely, a scoping review is NOT the right choice when:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>You need a definitive, clinically actionable answer (use a systematic review instead)<\/li>\r\n<li>Your question is already well-defined, narrow, and addressable through focused synthesis<\/li>\r\n<li>You want to formally assess the strength or quality of evidence to guide practice guidelines<\/li>\r\n<li>You are trying to avoid the rigour of a systematic review. Scoping reviews require their own rigour<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Scoping_Review_Vs_Systematic_Review_vs_Narrative_Review\"><\/span><a id=\"_Toc231884880\"><\/a>Scoping Review Vs Systematic Review vs Narrative Review<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\">\r\n<table>\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Feature<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Scoping Review<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Systematic Review<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Narrative Review<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Purpose<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Map literature, identify gaps, clarify concepts<\/td>\r\n<td>Answer a specific clinical\/policy question<\/td>\r\n<td>Summarise a topic descriptively<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/how-to-choose-a-research-question\"><strong>Research Question<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<td>Broad, exploratory, open-ended<\/td>\r\n<td>Narrow, focused, pre-defined (PICO)<\/td>\r\n<td>Variable; no fixed structure<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Protocol Required<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Yes, pre-specified<\/td>\r\n<td>Yes, pre-specified &amp; often registered on PROSPERO<\/td>\r\n<td>No<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Quality Appraisal<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Optional<\/td>\r\n<td>Mandatory; risk-of-bias assessed<\/td>\r\n<td>Not required<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Inclusion Criteria<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Broad; heterogeneous studies welcome<\/td>\r\n<td>Strict; specific study designs<\/td>\r\n<td>Informal<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Grey Literature<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Included<\/td>\r\n<td>Sometimes included<\/td>\r\n<td>Rarely formal<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Team Size<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Small (2+ reviewers recommended)<\/td>\r\n<td>Large, multi-disciplinary team<\/td>\r\n<td>Usually 1 person<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Time Commitment<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Months (avg. 6\u201312 months)<\/td>\r\n<td>Long (12\u201318+ months)<\/td>\r\n<td>Short to moderate<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Level of Evidence<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Moderate<\/td>\r\n<td>Highest<\/td>\r\n<td>Low<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Informs Practice\/Policy?<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Indirectly (describes landscape)<\/td>\r\n<td>Directly (evidence-based guidance)<\/td>\r\n<td>Broadly informative only<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Reporting Standard<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>PRISMA-ScR<\/td>\r\n<td>PRISMA + GRADE<\/td>\r\n<td>None mandatory<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Output<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Evidence map, conceptual overview, gap analysis<\/td>\r\n<td>Synthesised conclusions, meta-analysis possible<\/td>\r\n<td>Narrative summary<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Conduct_a_Scoping_Review_A_Step-by-Step_Guide\"><\/span><a id=\"_Toc231884881\"><\/a>How to Conduct a Scoping Review: A Step-by-Step Guide<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The steps involved in conducting a scoping review were first described in the Arksey and O&#8217;Malley framework (2005), refined by Levac et al. (2010) and the JBI methodology. The process is iterative. Teams may move backwards to earlier steps as their understanding of the topic evolves.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Developing_the_Research_Question\"><\/span>Developing the Research Question<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>A well-formed research question is the foundation of a successful scoping review. JBI recommends using the PCC framework:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Population: who is the focus? (e.g., adults with Type 2 diabetes; undergraduate nursing students)<\/li>\r\n<li>Concept: what is the key phenomenon, intervention, or issue being mapped?<\/li>\r\n<li>Context: in what setting, culture, or geographic context? (e.g., primary care in low-income countries)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h4>Example:<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>A well-formed scoping review question might be: &#8216;What blended learning approaches are currently used in undergraduate nursing education?&#8217;. This is broad enough to encompass diverse approaches but specific enough to be answerable and bounded.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Building_the_Search_Strategy\"><\/span>Building the Search Strategy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>A comprehensive, multi-database <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/how-to-do-a-literature-search-examples-and-tips-for-pubmed-google-scholar-and-more\/\">literature search<\/a> is essential for a scoping review. You must<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Search at least two to three databases relevant to your field. In healthcare, common choices include PubMed\/MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science.<\/li>\r\n<li>Use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/how-to-do-a-literature-search-examples-and-tips-for-pubmed-google-scholar-and-more\/#What_Are_Boolean_Operators\">Boolean operators<\/a> (AND, OR, NOT) to combine search terms systematically.<\/li>\r\n<li>Use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/how-to-do-a-literature-search-examples-and-tips-for-pubmed-google-scholar-and-more\/#What_Is_Controlled_Vocabulary\">controlled vocabulary<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/how-to-do-a-literature-search-examples-and-tips-for-pubmed-google-scholar-and-more\/#Building_Blocks_Concepts_Synonyms_and_Field_Tags\">field tags (e.g., title, abstract)<\/a> to increase precision.<\/li>\r\n<li>Search <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/grey-literature-definition-sources-types-evaluation\/\">grey literature<\/a> sources including Google Scholar, government websites, policy repositories, and institutional repositories.<\/li>\r\n<li>Consider manual searching of reference lists of included studies (snowballing).<\/li>\r\n<li>Involve a librarian: their expertise in database structure and search strategy design is invaluable, and many journals now expect librarian involvement in the search process.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Screening_and_Calibration\"><\/span>Screening and Calibration<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Screening involves two phases: an initial screen of titles and abstracts, followed by a full-text review of potentially eligible studies. A critical aspect of rigorous screening is calibration:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ol type=\"1\">\r\n<li>Select 5\u201310% of the total papers for independent screening by two reviewers.<\/li>\r\n<li>Compare decisions and calculate the level of agreement. A threshold of \u226590% agreement is commonly used.<\/li>\r\n<li>Discuss any disagreements to align on the interpretation of inclusion criteria.<\/li>\r\n<li>If agreement is below threshold, revise the criteria and repeat with another 10% sample.<\/li>\r\n<li>After achieving satisfactory agreement, proceed with full screening: either with dual review or with one primary reviewer and a second verifying a proportion of decisions.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Charting_the_Data\"><\/span>Charting the Data<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Data charting is the scoping review equivalent of data extraction. Key fields typically captured include:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Author(s) and year of publication<\/li>\r\n<li>Country or geographic setting<\/li>\r\n<li>Study aims and design<\/li>\r\n<li>Population and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/sample-size-and-statistical-power-definition-formulas-calculations-worked-examples\/\">sample size<\/a> (if applicable)<\/li>\r\n<li>Intervention type, comparator, and outcome measures (if applicable)<\/li>\r\n<li>Key findings relevant to the scoping review question<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/how-to-write-limitations-of-the-study-examples-and-tips\/\">Study limitations<\/a> and future directions noted by authors<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The charting form must be developed collaboratively and pilot-tested on a small sample (5\u201310 papers) before full use. Calibration between reviewers is also required at this stage.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Synthesis_and_Reporting\"><\/span>Synthesis and Reporting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Once data are charted, the team conducts both numerical and thematic analysis:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Numerical analysis: frequency counts, distribution of publication years, country of origin, study designs, journals. Results are presented in tables or figures.<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/researcher.life\/blog\/article\/what-is-thematic-analysis-and-how-to-do-it-with-examples\/\">Thematic analysis<\/a>: codes are applied to key excerpts of text, then grouped into categories and themes. This process is iterative and reflexive, guided by memos and team discussion.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>All scoping reviews should be reported using the PRISMA-ScR checklist, which includes a mandatory PRISMA flow diagram documenting the number of records identified, screened, and included at each stage.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"PRISMA-ScR_Checklist\"><\/span>PRISMA-ScR Checklist<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>PRISMA-ScR<\/strong> (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) is a reporting guideline to ensure scoping reviews are transparent, complete, and reproducible.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h4>What is it?<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>An extension of the original PRISMA checklist, tailored specifically for <strong>scoping reviews<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<li>Published in 2018 in <em>Annals of Internal Medicine<\/em><\/li>\r\n<li>Contains <strong>20 essential items<\/strong> + 2 optional items across 6 sections<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h4>The 6 Sections &amp; Key Items<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\">\r\n<table>\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Section<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Key Items<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Title<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Identify the report as a scoping review<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Abstract<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Structured summary including objectives, eligibility criteria, sources, methods, results<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Rationale for the review; explicit research question<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Methods<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Protocol registration, eligibility criteria, information sources, search strategy, selection process, data extraction, data items, critical appraisal (optional)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Results<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Study selection (with PRISMA flow diagram), characteristics of sources, critical appraisal results (optional), results of individual sources, synthesis of results<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Discussion &amp; Conclusion<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Summary, limitations, conclusions, implications for future research<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Common_Pitfalls_in_a_Scoping_Review_Dos_and_Donts\"><\/span><a id=\"_Toc231884885\"><\/a>Common Pitfalls in a Scoping Review: Dos and Don&#8217;ts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Scoping reviews are sometimes misused: either conducted inappropriately (when a systematic review was warranted) or conducted poorly (skipping calibration, using a single reviewer, failing to register a protocol). The following table summarises the key dos and don&#8217;ts:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\">\r\n<table>\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Do<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Don&#8217;t<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Do conduct a scoping review when the field is new, broad, or conceptually unclear<\/td>\r\n<td>Don&#8217;t conduct one solely to avoid the rigour of a systematic review<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Do include grey literature and diverse study designs<\/td>\r\n<td>Don&#8217;t restrict to a single study design as you would in a systematic review<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Do assemble a team of at least 2 reviewers for screening and extraction<\/td>\r\n<td>Don&#8217;t rely on a single reviewer for the full screening process<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Do register your protocol in a public registry before starting<\/td>\r\n<td>Don&#8217;t begin searching before finalising your research question and protocol<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Do use PRISMA-ScR to guide reporting<\/td>\r\n<td>Don&#8217;t report a scoping review using general narrative review conventions<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Do conduct a calibration exercise before full screening<\/td>\r\n<td>Don&#8217;t skip calibration: poor inter-rater agreement compromises validity<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Do include stakeholder consultation when possible<\/td>\r\n<td>Don&#8217;t make definitive clinical or practice recommendations based solely on a scoping review<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"JBI_Methodology_for_Scoping_Reviews\"><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 20.8px;\">JBI Methodology for Scoping Reviews<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The Joanna Briggs Institute provides a comprehensive manual for scoping reviews, including a template for developing protocols, step-by-step procedural guidance, and a data charting template. JBI methodology is particularly prevalent in nursing and allied health research but is applicable across disciplines.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Core_Steps_JBI_6-Stage_Process\"><\/span>Core Steps (JBI 6-Stage Process)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\">\r\n<table>\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Stage<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Action<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>1. Define the question<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Use PCC to frame a clear, answerable scoping question<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>2. Develop a protocol<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Pre-register on OSF or JBI SUMARI before starting<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>3. Search the literature<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Conduct a <strong>three-step search<\/strong> (see below)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>4. Select studies<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Screen titles\/abstracts, then full text \u2014 minimum <strong>2 independent reviewers<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>5. Extract data<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Use a standardised data extraction tool; piloted before use<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>6. Synthesise &amp; report<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Narrative synthesis; report using <strong>PRISMA-ScR<\/strong> checklist<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_JBI_Three-Step_Search_Strategy\"><\/span>The JBI Three-Step Search Strategy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><strong>Step 1, Initial search:<\/strong> Search 2 databases (e.g., MEDLINE, CINAHL) using key terms; analyse keywords from titles, abstracts, and index terms<\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Step 2, Full search:<\/strong> Apply all identified keywords and MeSH terms across all relevant databases<\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Step 3, Reference lists:<\/strong> Screen reference lists of all included sources for additional studies<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Protocol_Registration_of_Scoping_Reviews\"><\/span><a id=\"_Toc231884887\"><\/a>Protocol Registration of Scoping Reviews<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>It is considered best practice (and sometimes a journal requirement) to register the scoping review protocol before beginning the search. The Open Science Framework (OSF) and PROSPERO are the two most commonly used registries. Registration:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Locks in the research question, eligibility criteria, and planned analysis before data collection<\/li>\r\n<li>Reduces the risk of outcome reporting bias<\/li>\r\n<li>Demonstrates methodological rigour to peer reviewers and editors<\/li>\r\n<li>Allows other researchers to identify that a review is underway, preventing duplication<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions\"><\/span><a id=\"_Toc231884889\"><\/a>Frequently Asked Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_conduct_a_scoping_review_on_my_own_or_do_I_always_need_a_team\"><\/span>Can I conduct a scoping review on my own, or do I always need a team?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Technically, a scoping review can be completed by a single person, and some earlier scoping reviews in the literature were conducted this way. However, current best-practice guidance from the JBI, PRISMA-ScR, and the broader methodological literature strongly recommends a minimum of two reviewers, particularly for the screening and data charting stages. Single-reviewer screening introduces bias and reduces reliability.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The calibration exercise, which requires independent screening by two reviewers on a subset of papers and comparison of decisions, is also not possible with a solo researcher. Many journals now explicitly require dual review as a condition of publication.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>If resources genuinely do not permit a full team, one approach is to have a primary reviewer conduct all screening, with a second reviewer verifying a meaningful proportion (often at least 20%) of decisions. Always be transparent about team composition in your methods section.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_a_scoping_review_%E2%80%98lower_quality_or_%E2%80%98less_rigorous_than_a_systematic_review\"><\/span>Is a scoping review &#8216;lower quality&#8217; or &#8216;less rigorous&#8217; than a systematic review?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>No, with an important caveat. A scoping review is not a lesser or inferior version of a systematic review. A scoping review is a different tool designed for a different purpose.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Conducting a rigorous scoping review demands its own form of methodological discipline: a pre-specified protocol, systematic multi-database searching, calibrated dual screening, structured data charting, and transparent reporting via PRISMA-ScR. A well-conducted scoping review is a valid and publishable scholarly contribution.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Nevertheless, scoping reviews do sit at a lower level of evidence than systematic reviews when it comes to making clinical or policy recommendations, because they do not include critical quality appraisal or formal synthesis of evidence strength. They are powerful for mapping and exploration; they are not appropriate as a basis for changing clinical practice.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_I_need_to_do_quality_appraisal_in_a_scoping_review\"><\/span>Do I need to do quality appraisal in a scoping review?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Formal critical appraisal, i.e., assessing the methodological quality and risk of bias of each included study, is generally not required in a scoping review. This is one of the defining methodological differences between scoping and systematic reviews.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The rationale is that a scoping review aims to provide an inclusive map of the available literature, regardless of the quality of individual studies; a methodologically weak study may still be relevant for illustrating how a concept has been discussed or what populations have been studied.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>That said, some researchers choose to include quality appraisal as an optional additional step, particularly if a scoping review is being designed to closely inform practice or policy, or if a specific journal requires it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_long_does_a_scoping_review_take_and_how_many_articles_will_I_need_to_screen\"><\/span>How long does a scoping review take, and how many articles will I need to screen?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The honest answer is: longer than most people expect, and more articles than most people anticipate. From initial question development through to a submitted manuscript, a scoping review commonly takes between 6 and 18 months.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The literature search itself can typically be completed in 4\u20136 weeks with librarian support, but the screening, data charting, analysis, and writing phases are substantial. The number of articles to screen depends heavily on how broad your research question is and the novelty of the topic.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_difference_between_a_mapping_review_and_a_scoping_review\"><\/span>What is the difference between a mapping review and a scoping review?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>While both aim to map existing evidence and identify gaps, they differ in purpose and depth.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>A <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/what-is-a-mapping-review-definition-guidelines-examples\/\">mapping review<\/a><\/strong> (also called an evidence or systematic map) focuses on categorizing and characterizing the literature. It identifies the volume, types, and distribution of research on a broad topic, often presenting results visually or in tables. The emphasis is on charting <em>where<\/em> research clusters and where gaps exist, rather than examining findings in detail. It frequently informs future systematic reviews.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>A scoping review typically addresses a somewhat more focused question. Beyond mapping breadth, it clarifies key concepts, examines how research is conducted, and often provides a narrative synthesis of the nature of the evidence. It follows established guidance (Arksey &amp; O&#8217;Malley; JBI) and PRISMA-ScR reporting standards.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>In short: mapping reviews emphasize categorization and distribution, while scoping reviews go somewhat deeper into interpreting the evidence. Terminology often overlaps in practice.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_difference_between_a_scoping_review_and_a_realist_review\"><\/span>What is the difference between a scoping review and a realist review?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>A scoping review maps the breadth and nature of existing evidence on a topic: what has been studied, where, and how. It does not synthesize findings to answer a causal question. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/realist-review\/\">realist review<\/a>, by contrast, is theory-driven and explanatory: it asks why an intervention works, for whom, and in what circumstances, producing refined Context, Mechanism, Outcome (CMO) configurations. Scoping reviews suit unfamiliar fields where the literature needs charting; realist reviews suit complex interventions where mechanism and context need explaining. Scoping reviews describe the evidence landscape; realist reviews build causal theory from it.<\/p>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_difference_between_a_scoping_review_and_a_meta-analysis\"><\/span>What is the difference between a scoping review and a meta-analysis?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>The key differences between a scoping review and a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/meta-analysis\/\">meta-analysis<\/a> are as follows:<\/p>\r\n<table>\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p><strong>Aspect<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<p><strong>Scoping Review<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<p><strong>Meta-analysis<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p>Purpose<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<p>Map breadth of evidence, identify gaps<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<p>Estimate a pooled effect size<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p>Question<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<p>Broad (&#8220;what exists?&#8221;)<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<p>Narrow, focused (specific PICO)<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p>Study types<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<p>Any design, qualitative or quantitative<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<p>Comparable quantitative studies only<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p>How literature is synthesized<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<p>Descriptive charting\/tabulation<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<p>Statistical pooling with heterogeneity testing<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\">\u00a0<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A scoping review is an evidence synthesis method designed to map the extent, nature, and range of available literature on a topic. It does not answer a specific clinical or policy question. It is the appropriate choice when a topic is new, broad, conceptually unclear, or characterised by heterogeneous evidence. Unlike systematic reviews, scoping reviews [&hellip;]","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_ayudawp_aiss_exclude":false,"_ayudawp_aiss_summary":"This distinction is critical: a scoping review can tell you what kinds of evidence exist on a topic and where the gaps are; a systematic review tells you what that evidence conclusively shows. A systematic review is built for evaluation, while a scoping review is built for exploration. &nbsp;A systematic review tests a defined hypothesis, assesses study quality, and aims to produce a reliable, evidence-based conclusion that can directly inform decisions. Contrast this with an appropriate systematic review question: 'Does simulation-based training improve clinical competency outcomes compared to traditional training in final-year medical students?' The latter is narrow, outcome-specific, and structured for a definitive answer: unsuitable for a scoping review approach.","_ayudawp_aiss_summary_provider":"manual","_ayudawp_aiss_summary_hash":"125547c716637ce8f8d7810b565246079375669b"},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Is a Scoping Review? Purpose, Method, Examples<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn what is a scoping review, the PRISMA-ScR checklist, guidelines from JBI for scoping reviews, purpose and methods of scoping reviews, difference from systematic reviews.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Is a Scoping Review? Purpose, Method, Examples\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn what is a scoping review, the PRISMA-ScR checklist, guidelines from JBI for scoping reviews, purpose and methods of scoping reviews, difference from systematic reviews.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Educational Articles For Researchers, Students And Authors - Editage Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-09T02:40:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-05T09:09:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Marisha Rodrigues\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Marisha Rodrigues\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"13 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Marisha Rodrigues\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/60d7626072744221b2260692486b6ff1\"},\"headline\":\"What Is a Scoping Review? Purpose, Method, Examples\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-09T02:40:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-05T09:09:44+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/\"},\"wordCount\":2916,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Research Tips\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/\",\"name\":\"What Is a Scoping Review? Purpose, Method, Examples\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-09T02:40:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-05T09:09:44+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn what is a scoping review, the PRISMA-ScR checklist, guidelines from JBI for scoping reviews, purpose and methods of scoping reviews, difference from systematic reviews.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"What Is a Scoping Review? Purpose, Method, Examples\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Educational Articles For Researchers, Students And Authors - Editage Blog\",\"description\":\"Get insightful educational articles from the world of academia for researchers, students and authors. Visit Editage Blog for helpful content and tips on getting published and writing articles that are up to international journal publication standards. Click here to find out more!\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Educational Articles For Researchers, Students And Authors - Editage Blog\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/editage-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/editage-logo.png\",\"width\":394,\"height\":82,\"caption\":\"Educational Articles For Researchers, Students And Authors - Editage Blog\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/60d7626072744221b2260692486b6ff1\",\"name\":\"Marisha Rodrigues\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3fdb8ce7f366f83f27047a1644a5ff30?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3fdb8ce7f366f83f27047a1644a5ff30?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Marisha Rodrigues\"},\"description\":\"A BELS-certified editor with 15+ years of experience in academic publishing and author education\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/author\/marishar\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What Is a Scoping Review? Purpose, Method, Examples","description":"Learn what is a scoping review, the PRISMA-ScR checklist, guidelines from JBI for scoping reviews, purpose and methods of scoping reviews, difference from systematic reviews.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What Is a Scoping Review? Purpose, Method, Examples","og_description":"Learn what is a scoping review, the PRISMA-ScR checklist, guidelines from JBI for scoping reviews, purpose and methods of scoping reviews, difference from systematic reviews.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/","og_site_name":"Educational Articles For Researchers, Students And Authors - Editage Blog","article_published_time":"2026-06-09T02:40:29+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-09-05T09:09:44+00:00","author":"Marisha Rodrigues","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Marisha Rodrigues","Est. reading time":"13 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/"},"author":{"name":"Marisha Rodrigues","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/60d7626072744221b2260692486b6ff1"},"headline":"What Is a Scoping Review? Purpose, Method, Examples","datePublished":"2026-06-09T02:40:29+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-05T09:09:44+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/"},"wordCount":2916,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Research Tips"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/","url":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/","name":"What Is a Scoping Review? Purpose, Method, Examples","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#website"},"datePublished":"2026-06-09T02:40:29+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-05T09:09:44+00:00","description":"Learn what is a scoping review, the PRISMA-ScR checklist, guidelines from JBI for scoping reviews, purpose and methods of scoping reviews, difference from systematic reviews.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/scoping-review\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What Is a Scoping Review? Purpose, Method, Examples"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/","name":"Educational Articles For Researchers, Students And Authors - Editage Blog","description":"Get insightful educational articles from the world of academia for researchers, students and authors. Visit Editage Blog for helpful content and tips on getting published and writing articles that are up to international journal publication standards. Click here to find out more!","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Educational Articles For Researchers, Students And Authors - Editage Blog","url":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/editage-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/editage-logo.png","width":394,"height":82,"caption":"Educational Articles For Researchers, Students And Authors - Editage Blog"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/60d7626072744221b2260692486b6ff1","name":"Marisha Rodrigues","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3fdb8ce7f366f83f27047a1644a5ff30?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3fdb8ce7f366f83f27047a1644a5ff30?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Marisha Rodrigues"},"description":"A BELS-certified editor with 15+ years of experience in academic publishing and author education","url":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/author\/marishar\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/810"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=810"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/810\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2466,"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/810\/revisions\/2466"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=810"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=810"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=810"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}