Guidelines for a SLR

Here's a briefn overview of the key aspects to consider when preparing to perform a systematic literature review:

1. Objective: Define the main goal or purpose of your systematic literature review. What do you hope to achieve by conducting this review? Having a clear objective will guide your entire process.
2. Research Questions: Formulate specific research questions that your review aims to answer. These questions should be focused and directly related to your objective. They will guide your search and analysis.
3. Inclusion Criteria: Specify the criteria that a study must meet to be included in your review. This includes aspects such as the types of participants, study design, time frame, and specific outcomes of interest.
4. Exclusion Criteria: Define the criteria that will cause a study to be excluded from your review. This is equally important as inclusion criteria to ensure the selection of relevant studies.
5. Major Terms and Synonyms: Identify the key terms and synonyms related to your research questions. This is crucial for constructing effective search queries and ensuring that you capture all relevant studies.
6. Search Query: Develop a well-structured search query that includes your major terms and synonyms. Consider the use of Boolean operators (AND, OR) and other search operators to refine your search. Ensure that the query is compatible with the databases you plan to search.
7. Databases: Decide which databases you will search to gather relevant literature. Common databases for academic research include PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and subject-specific databases. Consider using multiple databases to ensure comprehensive coverage.

In addition to these key aspects, you should also think about the process for data extraction and data synthesis, as well as how you will assess the quality of the included studies (e.g., using tools like PRISMA guidelines). It's essential to document your process carefully to maintain transparency and reproducibility. Systematic literature reviews are rigorous and detailed projects, so thorough planning is crucial to their success.

Research questions in a systematic literature review should indeed be actionable. Actionable research questions are specific, well-defined, and provide clear guidance for your review process. Actionable questions typically include the following characteristics:

• Clarity: They are formulated in a way that leaves no room for ambiguity. Anyone reading the question should have a precise understanding of what you are trying to investigate.
• Specificity: Actionable questions are focused on a particular aspect of your topic. They avoid being overly broad and help you target your search and analysis.
• Feasibility: The questions should be answerable with the available resources and within a reasonable time frame. They should not be too complex or require extensive data collection.
• Relevance: They are directly related to your research objectives and the purpose of your systematic review.
• Testability: You should be able to test or examine the questions using the available literature. This is crucial for assessing the research gaps and synthesizing findings.

For example, a non-actionable research question might be: "What is the impact of climate change on the environment?"

An actionable and more specific version of the same question could be: "What are the documented effects of a 2°C increase in global temperature on polar ice caps based on studies published between 2000 and 2020 in peer-reviewed scientific journals?"

The actionable question provides specific criteria, a clear timeframe, and a focus on a particular aspect of the topic. This makes it easier to design your search strategy, select relevant studies, and conduct a systematic review effectively.