Scoping Review
Explore and map the extent of research on a broad topic to identify gaps, themes, and opportunities for future research.
What is a Scoping Review?
A scoping review:
- Maps existing literature broadly
- Identifies key concepts and themes
- Clarifies definitions
- Examines research coverage
- Informs future systematic reviews
When to Use
Ideal For
- Emerging topics: Understanding new research areas
- Broad questions: Exploring wide therapeutic areas
- Gap identification: Finding under-researched areas
- Feasibility assessment: Planning systematic reviews
- Research funding: Prioritizing investments
- Policy scoping: Understanding evidence landscape
Not Ideal For
- Answering specific clinical questions
- Calculating pooled effect sizes
- Making treatment recommendations
Differences from Systematic Review
| Aspect | Systematic Review | Scoping Review |
|---|---|---|
| Question | Specific, focused | Broad, exploratory |
| Search | Comprehensive | Comprehensive |
| Quality assessment | Required | Optional |
| Synthesis | Effect estimates | Mapping/charting |
| Output | Answer to question | Evidence map |
EvidAI Scoping Workflow
Phase 1: Scope Definition
- Define broad research area
- Identify key concepts
- Establish boundaries
- Create charting framework
Phase 2: Comprehensive Search
- Wide database coverage
- Broad search terms
- Inclusive approach
- Grey literature inclusion
Phase 3: Selection
- Iterative refinement
- Team calibration
- Inclusive screening
- AI-assisted efficiency
Phase 4: Data Charting
- Extract key characteristics
- Map to framework
- Identify themes
- Note patterns
Phase 5: Results Collation
EvidAI's unique capabilities:
- Interactive visualizations
- Theme clustering
- Gap identification
- Trend analysis
Visualization Features
Evidence Maps
Interactive displays showing:
- Study distribution
- Topic coverage
- Temporal trends
- Geographic spread
Concept Networks
Visual representation of:
- Research themes
- Concept relationships
- Cluster identification
- Central topics
Gap Analysis
Automated identification of:
- Under-researched populations
- Missing interventions
- Unexplored outcomes
- Methodological gaps
Deliverables
Scoping review outputs:
- ✅ Protocol (PRISMA-ScR compliant)
- ✅ PRISMA flow diagram
- ✅ Characteristics table
- ✅ Interactive evidence map
- ✅ Theme summary
- ✅ Gap analysis report
- ✅ Recommendations for future research
Following PRISMA-ScR
EvidAI supports PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews:
- 22-item checklist
- Required reporting elements
- Transparent methodology
Best Practices
Defining Scope
- Start broad, refine iteratively
- Engage stakeholders
- Consider resource constraints
- Plan charting framework early
During Review
- Maintain flexibility
- Document iterations
- Team calibration essential
- Embrace emerging themes