Dissertation Subject Guide

The next step is to try out a few literature searches. These are also known as Scoping searches.

They are not comprehensive searches but you are looking to see if your topic area is reviewable.

For example, the scoping search results can quickly identify

too much published information =  narrow your topic focus

little published information available = widen your topic focus/look at from a different angle e.g. settings, age, 

Remember you need enough research to identify, critically appraise and synthesise information for your review. Can you widen the scope of your topic? Think about interventions, outcomes etc.

Once you've checked Cochrane and/or Prospero for current or published reviews, you could try a quick search in PubMed and limit your search to systematic reviews

You can check other databases too:

See the Google Scholar section in Why do I Need the Library...why can't I just use Google? for more advice, pros and cons of using Google Scholar

Scopus can be a great database for mental health searches