Scoping reviews: time for clarity in definition, methods, and reporting.

By Heather Colquhoun, D. Levac, K. O’Brien, Sharon E. Straus, Andrea C. Tricco, Laure Perrier, M. Kastner, David Moher. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 2014

2,464 citations recorded by the source corpus.

OBJECTIVES The scoping review has become increasingly popular as a form of knowledge synthesis. However, a lack of consensus on scoping review terminology, definition, methodology, and reporting limits the potential of this form of synthesis. In this article, we propose recommendations to further advance the field of scoping review methodology. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING We summarize current understanding of scoping review publication rates, terms, definitions, and methods. We propose three recommendations for clarity in term, definition and methodology. RESULTS We recommend adopting the terms "scoping review" or "scoping study" and the use of a proposed definition. Until such time as further guidance is developed, we recommend the use of the methodological steps outlined in the Arksey and O'Malley framework and further enhanced by Levac et al. The development of reporting guidance for the conduct and reporting of scoping reviews is underway. CONCLUSION Consistency in the proposed domains and methodologies of scoping reviews, along with the development of reporting guidance, will facilitate methodological advancement, reduce confusion, facilitate collaboration and improve knowledge translation of scoping review findings.

Subfields: General Health Professions, Sociology and Political Science, Statistics and Probability

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/6a73a807bbe6106aae9e293fd2848e119e35d497

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Citations in the corpus

A scoping review on the conduct and reporting of scoping reviews (2016, background): “(2010) [2] and others [3], there is a lack of consistency in terminology and methods reported [4].”
Scoping reviews: the PAGER framework for improving the quality of reporting (2021, methodology): “Our observations echo the commentary on clarity in definition, methods and reporting of scoping reviews by Colquhoun et al. (2014), who call for reporting guidance of scoping reviews.”
Pro-environmental behaviors through the lens of the theory of planned behavior: A scoping review (2020, background): “The development of criteria is essential for literature reviews, as it allows researchers to gather only the most relevant publications (Daudt et al., 2013; Colquhoun et al., 2014).”
Developing creativity in higher education for 21st century learners: A protocol for a scoping review (2017, background): “As distinct from a systematic review, the aim of a scoping review is to map “key concepts, types of evidence, and gaps in the research related to a defined area or field by systematically searching, selecting, and synthesising existing knowledge” (Colquhoun et al., 2014, p. 1294).”
A review on the contribution of crop diversification to Sustainable Development Goal 1 “No poverty” in different world regions (2019, background): “According to Colquhoun et al. (2014), a scoping review is a “form of knowledge synthesis that addresses an exploratory research question aimed at mapping key concepts, types of evidence, and gaps in research related to a defined area or field by systematically searching, selecting and synthesizing…”
Emerging Adults’ Financial Well-being: A Scoping Review (2017, background): “The scoping review (or scoping study) is a form of knowledge synthesis that addresses an exploratory research question aimed at mapping key concepts, types of evidence, and gaps in research related to a defined area or field by systematic searching, selecting, and synthesizing of existing knowledge ”
Social support and recovery from mental health problems: a scoping review (2021, background): “Colquhoun et al. (2014) has defined a scoping review as ‘a form of knowledge synthesis that addresses an exploratory research question, aimed at mapping key concepts, types of evidence, and gaps in research related to a defined area or field by systematically searching, selecting, and synthesizing…”