Guide to Literature Reviews for Final Degree Projects
Keywords:
Revisión bibliográfica, PRISMA, PICO, Trabajo fin de grado / máster, Revisión sistemáticaSynopsis
This manual aims to provide a practical, clear, and accessible guide for the preparation of literature reviews and, in particular, systematic and narrative reviews within the university academic context. Given the growing relevance of this type of study, driven by the rapid increase in scientific output, it is essential that students are able to critically evaluate the available evidence on any topic in order to support academic and professional decision-making. The text guides students step by step from the formulation of the research question to the final presentation of the work, integrating widely accepted methodological tools such as the PICO framework and the PRISMA protocol, which are essential to ensure transparency, rigor, and reproducibility in the search, selection, and analysis of studies.
Throughout the content, the different types of existing reviews are explained, along with their applications and levels of complexity, highlighting their advantages, challenges, and the criteria for selecting the most appropriate type. In addition, fundamental aspects such as time management, article selection and screening, the use of scientific databases, methodological quality assessment, risk of bias, and results interpretation are addressed. The manual also includes recommendations regarding scientific impact, open access, and precautions against grey literature and predatory journals.
Its didactic, straightforward, and practice-oriented approach aims to facilitate understanding and motivate students, offering a useful tool for developing research skills and producing solid, well-structured, and coherent undergraduate or master’s final projects.
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