What Our Scoping Review Service Delivers
A scoping review is a type of evidence synthesis that maps the breadth and depth of literature on a given topic. Unlike a systematic review, which answers a focused clinical question, a scoping review identifies key concepts, evidence gaps, and research trends across a broad area. Scoping reviews are particularly valuable for emerging fields, interdisciplinary topics, and research areas where the evidence base has not yet been fully defined.
At Research Gold, our scoping review service follows JBI methodology (Aromataris and Munn, 2020) and reports all findings according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines (Tricco et al., 2018). Every project is led by PhD-level methodologists with peer-reviewed publication records.
When to Choose a Scoping Review
A scoping review is the right choice when you need to:
- Map available evidence on a broad topic before committing to a focused systematic review
- Identify evidence gaps that could inform future primary research or systematic reviews
- Explore the nature and extent of research activity in a field
- Inform policy decisions by summarizing what is known (and not known) about a complex issue
- Support grant proposals by demonstrating the current state of evidence for a research area
- Clarify key concepts and definitions used across a body of literature
If your goal is to answer a specific clinical question with a pooled effect estimate, a systematic review with meta-analysis may be more appropriate.
How We Conduct Scoping Reviews
1. Research Question Development (PCC Framework)
We structure your research question using the PCC framework (Population, Concept, Context) rather than PICO, as recommended by JBI for scoping reviews. This broader framework accommodates the exploratory nature of scoping reviews. You can draft your question using our free PICO/PCC framework builder.
2. Protocol Development
We develop a protocol outlining the review's objectives, inclusion criteria, search strategy, and planned data charting methods. Protocols can be registered with the Open Science Framework (OSF) or submitted as a protocol paper.
3. Comprehensive Search
Our information specialist designs a sensitive search strategy covering PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and discipline-specific databases. Grey literature sources (conference proceedings, theses, government reports) are included where appropriate. We use our use our search strategy builder to ensure reproducibility.
4. Study Selection
Titles, abstracts, and full texts are screened against predefined eligibility criteria. While JBI does not mandate dual-reviewer screening for scoping reviews, we offer it as standard practice to reduce selection bias.
5. Data Charting
Rather than formal data extraction, scoping reviews use data charting to collect relevant information from each included source. We design charting forms that capture study characteristics, populations, concepts, contexts, methods, and key findings. The charting framework is pilot-tested on the first 5-10 sources and refined iteratively.
6. Results Mapping and Synthesis
Findings are synthesized narratively and presented through tables, diagrams, and evidence maps. We produce:
- Summary tables organized by concept, population, or context
- Evidence gap maps identifying where future research is needed
- Thematic analysis of key findings across the included literature
- PRISMA-ScR flow diagram documenting the study selection process
Use our free PRISMA-ScR checklist tool to see the 22-item reporting standard we follow.
7. Manuscript Writing
We deliver a complete, publish-ready manuscript or thesis chapter. The manuscript follows IMRAD structure and is formatted to the specifications of your target journal or university requirements.