Systematic reviews and scoping reviews are two common types of evidence synthesis. They have many similarities in their methods, but their aims are fundamentally different. Systematic reviews aim to find a definitive answer to a specific research question, while scoping reviews aim to describe the literature that exists in answer to a question or questions. Rapid reviews typically follow the same overall methodology as systematic reviews but use expedited methods to conduct the review in a shorter timeline. These are usually done to support policy or decision-makers who require timely access to evidence.

A systematic review:

"... attempts to identify, appraise and synthesize all the empirical evidence that meets pre-specified eligibility criteria to answer a specific research question. Researchers conducting systematic reviews use explicit, systematic methods that are selected with a view aimed at minimizing bias, to produce more reliable findings to inform decision making" (Cochrane Library).

Methods Guidance:

• Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions (Higgins et al., 2023)
• JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis
• A 24-step guide on how to design, conduct, and successfully publish a systematic review and meta-analysis in medical research (Muka et al., 2019)

A scoping review:

“... is a form of knowledge synthesis that addresses an exploratory research question aimed at mapping key concepts, types of evidence, and gaps in research related to a defined area or field by systematically searching, selecting, and synthesizing existing knowledge” (Colquhoun et al, 2014).

Methods Guidance:

• JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis:10: Scoping Reviews (Aromataris & Munn, 2020)
• Updated methodological guidance for the conduct of scoping reviews (Peters et al., 2020)
• Conducting high quality scoping reviews-challenges and solutions (Khalil et al., 2021)
• Recommendations for the extraction, analysis, and presentation of results in scoping reviews (Pollock et al., 2023)
• Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework (Arksey & O'Malley, 2011)

A rapid review:

"... [uses] methods to accelerate or streamline traditional systematic review processes" (Ganann et al, 2010).

Both rapid systematic reviews and rapid scoping reviews exist, but rapid systematic reviews are more common since rapid reviews are most often precipitated by a policy-driven mandate to answer a specific research question.

Methods Guidance:

• Cochrane Rapid Reviews: Interim Guidance from the Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Group (Garritty et al, 2020)
• NCCMT Rapid Review Guidebook (Dobbins, 2017)
• A scoping review of rapid review methods (Tricco et al., 2015)
• Expediting systematic reviews: methods and implications of rapid reviews (Ganann et al., 2010)