Systematic Literature Review Dissertation Help: Search, Screening and Synthesis Guide
Last updated: November 2026 · Reviewed by the HND Assignment Help tutoring team
Quick answer
A systematic literature review (SLR) dissertation answers a focused question by searching the literature in a planned, repeatable way, screening studies against set criteria, appraising their quality and combining the findings. UK universities often accept it in nursing, health, psychology, education and business as a secondary research dissertation. Most marks come from a transparent method (search strategy, PRISMA flow, quality appraisal) and a critical synthesis, not from summarising papers one by one.
Systematic Literature Review at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| What it is | A secondary research dissertation that follows a set, reported method to find and combine existing studies |
| Common in | UK undergraduate and master's dissertations in nursing and health, psychology, education, social work and business |
| Core deliverables | Review question, protocol, search strategy, PRISMA flow diagram, quality appraisal tables, data extraction table, synthesis and discussion |
| Reporting standard | PRISMA 2020 (a 27-item checklist plus a flow diagram) is the usual reference; your school may name another |
| Typical length | Set by your university, often 8,000 to 15,000 words; check your module handbook |
| Ethics | Usually low-risk because there are no participants, but many universities still require ethics approval or a declaration |
Many UK programmes call a student project a systematic review, systematic-style review or structured literature review. These are smaller than a full Cochrane-style review. Check your handbook for which one your module expects.
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How to approach a systematic literature review, step by step
Step 1: frame a focused review question
Use a framework so your question can be searched. PICO suits intervention questions, while SPIDER or PEO suit qualitative and experience questions.
| Framework | Elements | Illustrative question |
|---|---|---|
| PICO | Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome | In adult inpatients (P), do nurse-led discharge plans (I), compared with usual care (C), reduce 30-day readmission (O)? |
| PEO | Population, Exposure, Outcome | How does hybrid working (E) affect the wellbeing (O) of UK office staff (P)? |
| SPIDER | Sample, Phenomenon of Interest, Design, Evaluation, Research type | What are newly qualified teachers' experiences of mentoring in qualitative studies? |
Step 2: write a short protocol
Before searching, set your aims, inclusion and exclusion criteria, databases, date range, languages and the appraisal tool you will use. Fixing these in advance is what makes the review systematic and limits bias. Health students may see PROSPERO mentioned; student reviews are not usually registered there, so follow your supervisor's advice.
| Criterion | Include | Exclude | Reason to state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | Adults aged 18 and over | Paediatric samples | Matches the review question |
| Study design | Primary empirical studies | Opinion pieces, editorials | Need original evidence |
| Date | Last 10 years | Older studies | Reflects current practice; justify the cut-off |
| Setting | UK and comparable health systems | Very different systems | Relevance to UK practice |
Step 3: build and run the search
List synonyms for each concept, then combine them with Boolean operators: OR inside a concept, AND between concepts. Use truncation (nurs*) and phrase searching ("discharge planning"). Search at least two or three relevant databases, such as CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, ERIC, Scopus, Web of Science or Business Source Complete, depending on your subject. Record the date, database, exact string and number of hits for each search so the reader could repeat it.
Worked method example: search log and PRISMA numbers (not an answer)
Invented numbers. A student searches two databases for the PICO question above.
| Stage | Records | How the number is reached |
|---|---|---|
| Identified: Database A | 412 | Recorded from the search log |
| Identified: Database B | 288 | Recorded from the search log |
| Duplicates removed | 160 | 700 total minus 540 unique records |
| Titles and abstracts screened | 540 | Excluded 498 against criteria |
| Full texts assessed | 42 | Excluded 33 with reasons (wrong population 14, no outcome data 11, wrong design 8) |
| Studies included | 9 | 42 minus 33 |
These numbers become your PRISMA flow diagram. The method point: every exclusion at full-text stage needs a stated reason, and the totals must add up.
Step 4: appraise quality
Use a recognised tool that fits each study design, such as the CASP checklists, JBI critical appraisal tools or the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Present results in a table and explain how quality affects your confidence in the findings. Do not just tick boxes; comment on the main strengths and weaknesses.
Step 5: extract data and synthesise
Build a data extraction table (author, year, country, design, sample, key findings, quality rating). Then synthesise: a narrative synthesis or thematic synthesis for mixed or qualitative studies, and meta-analysis only if your studies are similar enough and your programme expects statistics. Organise the results chapter by themes or outcomes, not by paper.
Step 6: discuss, admit limits and conclude
In the discussion, explain what the combined evidence means for practice or policy in a UK setting, compare it with wider literature, and be honest about the limits of your own review: a single reviewer screening studies, a restricted date range, English-language only or few databases. Markers reward this honesty. Finish by answering your review question directly and suggesting what future research should test.
Common mistake: writing the results chapter as a list of study summaries ("Smith found... Jones found..."). Group findings into themes, compare where studies agree or disagree, and explain why, using study quality, setting and design.
How assessors judge Systematic Literature Review
| Marking area | Weaker work | Stronger work |
|---|---|---|
| Question and rationale | Broad topic, no framework | Focused PICO, PEO or SPIDER question with a clear rationale |
| Method transparency | Vague search description | Full search strings, databases, dates and limits reported |
| Screening | No numbers or totals that do not add up | Correct PRISMA flow with reasons for exclusion |
| Appraisal | Quality ignored | Recognised tool used and quality linked to confidence in findings |
| Synthesis | Paper-by-paper summary | Themes compared across studies with critical commentary |
| Discussion | Repeats the results | Links findings to wider literature, practice and limitations |
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Pre-submission checklist
- Review question uses a recognised framework
- Inclusion and exclusion criteria are justified
- Search strings, databases and dates are reported in full (appendix is fine)
- PRISMA flow diagram numbers add up
- Exclusion reasons are given at full-text stage
- Quality appraisal tool named and results tabulated
- Data extraction table included
- Results organised by themes or outcomes
- Limitations of your own review discussed
- Referencing style matches your handbook (often Harvard or APA)
Stuck on your search strategy or PRISMA diagram?
Our dissertation tutors can review your question, search strings and synthesis plan and give you feedback. Ask for our free systematic review planning template (protocol, search log and extraction table).
Chat on WhatsAppGet the free templateSystematic Literature Review answer hints and sample structure
There is no ready-made systematic review to copy: your question, searches and included studies must be your own, and markers check that your method can be repeated. A common structure for a 10,000-word review is shown below; adjust it to your handbook.
| Chapter | Covers | Suggested words |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Introduction | Background, rationale, review question, aims | 1,000 |
| 2. Background literature | Key concepts and why a review is needed | 1,500 |
| 3. Methodology | Framework, protocol, criteria, search, screening, appraisal, synthesis method, ethics | 2,000 |
| 4. Results | PRISMA flow, study characteristics, quality, themed findings | 2,500 |
| 5. Discussion | Meaning of findings, comparison with literature, strengths and limitations | 2,000 |
| 6. Conclusion and recommendations | Answer to the question, implications for practice and research | 1,000 |
Put full search strings, appraisal checklists and the extraction table in appendices if your university allows it, so the main chapters stay readable.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a systematic literature review dissertation?
It is a secondary research dissertation that answers a focused question by searching, screening, appraising and synthesising existing studies using a planned and reported method.
Is a systematic review dissertation easier than primary research?
It avoids recruiting participants, but it needs a careful, transparent method and strong critical synthesis, so it is not an easy option.
How many studies should I include?
There is no fixed number. It depends on your question and criteria. Student reviews often include somewhere between a handful and a few dozen studies; agree a realistic scope with your supervisor.
Do I need a PRISMA flow diagram?
Most UK supervisors expect one because it shows how many records you found, screened, excluded and included, with reasons.
What is the difference between a literature review and a systematic review?
A traditional literature review can be selective, while a systematic review follows a pre-set protocol for searching, screening and appraisal so that another researcher could repeat it.
Which quality appraisal tool should I use?
Choose one that suits each study design, such as CASP checklists, JBI tools or the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, and check whether your school recommends one.
Do I need ethics approval for a systematic review?
Often only a light-touch approval or declaration, because there are no participants. Check your university's ethics policy.
Can you write my systematic review for me?
No. We offer tutoring, feedback on your protocol and drafts, and proofreading so the dissertation remains your own work.