Narrative Review

Demystifying Narrative Reviews: A Guide for Beginners

Narrative reviews are a common starting point for students and researchers exploring a new topic. Unlike systematic reviews with a strict protocol, narrative reviews offer a more flexible approach to understanding a research area.

Key Characteristics:

• Broad Topic: Narrative reviews focus on a general area of interest rather than a specific research question.

• Informative, Not Exhaustive: The goal is to gain a basic understanding of the topic by reviewing a selection of relevant studies.

• Less Structured Approach: There's no predetermined search strategy or set of criteria for selecting studies.

Benefits:

• Accessible: Narrative reviews provide a good introduction to a topic, especially for those new to research.

• Flexibility: They allow for a broader exploration of diverse perspectives on the issue.

Limitations:

• Subjectivity: The selection of studies may be influenced by the reviewer's own biases.

• Comprehensiveness: They might not capture the entire body of research on the topic.

Example: A first-year student interested in hospice care could conduct a narrative review to learn about the different types of hospice services and their benefits for patients.

Conducting a Narrative Review (Basic Steps):

1. Search for Studies: Utilise relevant databases like PubMed, PsycINFO, and CINAHL to identify potential studies.

2. Identify Keywords: Use keywords from relevant articles you find to refine your search and locate similar studies.

3. Review and Select: Read the abstracts and select articles that align with your topic of interest.

4. Summarise and Synthesise: Summarise the key findings from the chosen studies and integrate them into your writing.

Remember:

• Narrative reviews don't require strict documentation of the search strategy.

• Reference the studies you use for information.

By understanding the strengths and limitations of narrative reviews, you can effectively utilise them as a stepping stone for further research endeavors.

Differences between a Systematice review and a Narrative review