The systematic review: Plurality of approaches and methodologies

A systematic review is considered a "special" type of scientific article that, without being original, summarizes the current state of research on a particular topic, through a rigorous and reproducible systematic process. It emerged in order to offer a deeper insight and to understand a specific phenomenon of reality, based on the results of other research to consolidate existing knowledge and identify unresolved problems. This could facilitate decision making according to the evidence. However, many synonyms are included under the generic term "review" that, through ignorance or misuse, can be disconcerting. This article explores the different types of published systematic reviews that we can find published, depending on the organization of their approach and the knowledge synthesis methodology used. (C) 2018 Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. All rights reserved.