The role of a protocol in a systematic literature review

Abstract

A good literature review that effectively synthesises current knowledge can contribute to the cumulative knowledge growth and advancement of a field. This tutorial-paper complements the existing methodological guidelines, with a particular focus on the ‘literature review protocol’- which can significantly improve the quality, efficiency, and impact of a literature review endeavour. In this paper, we describe what a ‘literature review protocol’ is, discuss its major components, and provide essential design guidelines. In particular, we provide a comprehensive toolkit with step-by-step instructions, templates, and illustrative examples that users may adapt to their own projects. This information is appropriate for novice and expert researchers conducting a literature review for publication purposes, and also for reviewers or editors who assess literature review papers. It is also beneficial for educators engaged in research trainings.