The preliminary topic investigation is an initial step of systematic review, scoping review, narrative review, and other evidence synthesis methods. The purpose of conducting a preliminary topic investigation is to:
- Conceptualize the question(s) the review will address.
- Establish the need and feasibility of the review.
- Develop the inclusion and exclusion criteria, as well as a framework for synthesis.
Why conduct a preliminary topic investigation?
Conceptualize the question(s) the review will address
Developing a research question requires conceptualization of the topic area and a thematic analysis. Doing so will ensure you critically think about the question you aim to address and develop an understanding of the research area. The preliminary topic investigation is necessary as it informs this conceptualization by exploring and evaluating the published literature, identifying the trajectory of seminal articles on the topic and experts in the field, and providing a foundation for comprehensive literature searches by establishing the research concepts and base terminology.
Confirm need and feasibility
Establishing the need for a new review or an update of a previous review prevents duplication of research efforts. To determine need, the tasks of a preliminary topic investigation ensure prior reviews are identified and assessed based on quality and currency.
The preliminary topic investigation also ensures feasibility of the review through consideration of critical project management requirements, including the potential timeline, team's size and role composition, as well as resources that may be needed. The feasibility of a review also becomes apparent when assessing the number of publications identified during this preliminary search.
Develop criteria and framework for synthesis
The preliminary topic investigation is pivotal in mitigating bias by defining the inclusion and exclusion criteria by which evidence will be considered for the review. These boundaries of what evidence is and is not relevant will be crucial for the literature review. It is also important to determine what type of synthesis will be appropriate for the data collected during data extraction. Alternative options for synthesis should be considered in case the primary synthesis approach is not feasible.
Consequence of skipping a preliminary topic investigation
Not conducting a thorough preliminary topic investigation jeopardizes the quality of your review and could impact if a manuscript gets accepted for publication. By not having an informed perspective, you could be unnecessarily duplicating research and be unaware of the full scope of the research topic, resulting in a high risk of missing relevant studies to include in your synthesis.
How to conduct a preliminary topic investigation
The process of your preliminary literature review must be documented and described. This narrative—from the rationale behind term selection to the results of the exploratory searches—will provide the basis for the introduction and methods section of your review.
Please use the appropriate checklist below to conduct your investigation.