How to Conduct a Scoping Literature Review with PRISMA: A Doctoral Student’s Guide

Why Conduct a Scoping Literature Review with PRISMA Before Starting Your Dissertation

 Embarking on a doctoral journey is an exciting, intellectually stimulating process that demands rigorous research, analysis, and critical thinking. One of the first significant steps in this process is conducting a literature review. This review is not just a formality; it is the foundation of your research and a critical part of your study. While a traditional literature review focuses on synthesizing existing research to answer a specific research question, a scoping literature review takes a broader approach. Understanding how to conduct a scoping literature review, especially using the PRISMA approach, is an essential skill that can help you define your research direction and refine your dissertation topic. 

What Is a Scoping Literature Review? 

A scoping literature review is a type of review that aims to map the key concepts, types of evidence, and gaps in research related to a specific topic. It differs from a systematic literature review in its purpose and scope. While a systematic review aims to answer specific questions and often includes strict eligibility criteria for studies, a scoping review focuses more on exploring the breadth of a research area without narrowing down the scope too early. It provides a broad overview of existing research and can help you identify trends, methodologies, and areas that need further exploration. 

A scoping literature review can be particularly useful when the research area is complex or has not yet been extensively reviewed. By conducting a scoping review, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of the topic, ensuring you are well-equipped to identify key gaps in the literature that your research could address. 

Why Is a Scoping Literature Review Important? 

The scoping literature review is an essential first step in the doctoral process for several reasons: 

1. Clarifying the Research Landscape: 
   A scoping review helps to understand the broader context of the research area. This provides you with a clearer picture of what has already been studied and where your research can add value. By identifying key authors, theoretical frameworks, and methodologies used in past research, you can make more informed decisions about your research direction. 

2. Identifying Gaps in Literature: 
   One of the most important outcomes of a scoping literature review is the identification of gaps in existing research. These gaps are the areas where further exploration is needed and where your research can contribute new knowledge. Recognizing these gaps allows you to refine your research questions and focus on areas that will make a significant impact in your field. 

3. Refining Your Research Questions: 
   A scoping review can help you refine your research questions by exposing areas of uncertainty or controversy within the field. By looking at the breadth of studies, you can develop more specific, researchable questions that will guide your doctoral research. These refined questions will ultimately help you narrow your topic and focus on areas that need more attention. 

4. Providing a Foundation for Further Research: 
   The scoping review lays the groundwork for your dissertation by offering a comprehensive analysis of what is known and unknown in your research field. This foundation is critical for developing hypotheses and constructing a theoretical framework for your study. It also ensures that your research is grounded in existing scholarship while also contributing something new. 

Integrating the PRISMA Approach into Your Scoping Review 

PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) is a widely used guideline for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses. While PRISMA is primarily designed for systematic reviews, its principles can be beneficial when conducting a scoping literature review. By incorporating the PRISMA approach, you can enhance the rigor and transparency of your review, ensuring you follow a structured process to capture all relevant studies. 

Here’s how the PRISMA approach can be integrated into your scoping review: 

1. Define Research Questions andw Scope (Step 1) 

Begin by defining the broad questions guiding your scoping review. This should be aligned with your research interests and the gaps you wish to explore. PRISMA emphasizes the importance of clear and transparent research questions. When conducting a scoping review, it is equally essential to define your scope early on, including the time frame, geographical focus, and types of studies you will include. 

2. Eligibility Criteria (Step 2) 

PRISMA emphasizes clear eligibility criteria for studies included in your review. While scoping reviews tend to be more flexible than systematic reviews, it is still essential to define inclusion and exclusion criteria. For instance, you may choose to include studies published within the last 10 years or those that explore certain methodologies, population groups, or geographic regions. 

3. Literature Search Strategy (Step 3) 

A structured and systematic search strategy is critical in a scoping review, as outlined by PRISMA. Begin by identifying the key databases and sources of literature relevant to your research area. This could include academic databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, JSTOR, and subject-specific repositories. PRISMA encourages the use of keywords, Boolean operators, and database filters to ensure the comprehensiveness of your search. 

4. Screening and Selecting Studies (Step 4) 

PRISMA emphasizes the importance of documenting the screening process clearly. When conducting a scoping review, systematically screen the studies to determine their relevance. You should record the number of studies found, the number excluded, and the reasons for exclusion. It’s also essential to track the stages of screening, from initial title and abstract review to full-text review. 

5. Data Extraction and Mapping the Literature (Step 5) 

Extract key information from each study, such as the study design, methods, key findings, and limitations. In scoping reviews, this process involves identifying broad trends, themes, and gaps in the literature. PRISMA emphasizes the need for transparent reporting, so it’s vital to systematically document your data extraction process. Mapping out the literature helps identify areas for further research and provides a clearer understanding of what’s been done in your field. 

6. Data Synthesis and Reporting (Step 6) 

PRISMA stresses the need for a clear, concise synthesis of the findings. In a scoping review, this involves identifying overarching themes, methodologies, and areas of agreement or controversy within the literature. Unlike a systematic review, which focuses on the quantitative synthesis of results, scoping reviews are broader and can synthesize qualitative data, providing a rich overview of the research field. 

Steps to Conduct a Scoping Literature Review 

The process of conducting a scoping literature review can be broken down into several stages, enhanced by PRISMA’s structured approach: 

1. Define Your Research Question and Scope 
   Clarify the broad research question you wish to explore and define the scope of your review, including eligibility criteria for studies. 

2. Identify Key Databases and Sources 
   Choose appropriate databases, journals, and other relevant sources based on your topic. Include diverse sources of evidence. 

3. Develop a Search Strategy 
   Use keywords, Boolean operators, and filters to search for relevant studies and articles. 

4. Screen and Select Articles 
   Follow a structured process for screening and selecting articles, ensuring to document reasons for inclusion or exclusion. 

5. Map the Literature 
   Organize studies into relevant themes, identifying trends, methodologies, and gaps in the literature. 

6. Synthesize and Report Findings 
   Summarize key themes, methodologies, and findings, highlighting areas where your research can make a contribution. 

Conclusion 

Conducting a scoping literature review is an essential first step in your doctoral journey. By following the structured process outlined by PRISMA, you can enhance the rigor, transparency, and comprehensiveness of your review. This foundational work will provide you with valuable insights into existing research, help refine your research questions, and ensure that your dissertation addresses significant gaps in the literature. So, take the time to carefully conduct your scoping literature review using PRISMA’s structured approach—it’s the key to setting the stage for all your subsequent research. 

Template 

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References 

Iannizzi, C., Akl, E. A., Kahale, L. A., Dorando, E., Mosunmola Aminat, A., Barker, J. M., McKenzie, J. E., Haddaway, N. R., Piechotta, V., & Skoetz, N. (2021). Methods and guidance on conducting, reporting, publishing and Appraising Living Systematic Reviews: A scoping review protocol. F1000Research, 10, 802. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.55108.1  

Pan, M. L. (2025). Preparing literature reviews: Qualitative and quantitative approaches (5th ed.). Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.  

Peters, M. D. J., Marnie, C., Tricco, A. C., Pollock, D., Munn, Z., Alexander, L., McInerney, P., Godfrey, C. M., & Khalil, H. (2020). Updated methodological guidance for the conduct of scoping reviews. JBI Evidence Synthesis, 18(10), 2119–2126. https://doi.org/10.11124/jbies-20-00167