Skip to Main Content

Integrative Review

A guide introducing the process of conducting an integrative review

Resources, Tools, and Journal Articles

Starting an Integrative Review

  1. Whittemore, R., & Knafl, K. (2005). The integrative review: Updated methodology. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 52(5), 546–553. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2005.03621.x
  2. PRISMA 2020 Statement, Checklist, and Flowchart
  3. da Silva, R. N., Brandão, M. A. G., & Ferreira, M. de A. (2020). Integrative review as a method to generate or to test nursing theory. Nursing Science Quarterly, 33(3), 258–263. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894318420920602
  4. Hopia, H., Latvala, E., & Liimatainen, L. (2016). Reviewing the methodology of an integrative review. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 30(4), 662–669. https://doi.org/10.1111/scs.12327
  5. Westlake, C. (2012). Practical tips for literature synthesisClinical Nurse Specialist, 26(5), 244–249. https://doi.org/10.1097/NUR.0b013e318263d766
  6. Toronto, C. E., & Remington, R. (Eds.). (2020). A step-by-step guide to conducting an integrative review. Springer.

Additional Resources & Search Forms

Alternative Review Types and Possible Issues

  1. Whittemore, R., Chao, A., Jang, M., Minges, K. E., & Park, C. (2014). Methods for knowledge synthesis: An overview. Heart & Lung, 43(5), 453–461. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrtlng.2014.05.014
  2. Grant, M. J., & Booth, A. (2009). A typology of reviews: An analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 26(2), 91–108. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x
  3. Kastner, M., Antony, J., Soobiah, C., Straus, S. E., & Tricco, A. C. (2016). Conceptual recommendations for selecting the most appropriate knowledge synthesis method to answer research questions related to complex evidence. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 73, 43–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2015.11.022
  4. Tricco, A. C., Antony, J., Soobiah, C., Kastner, M., Cogo, E., Macdonald, H., D’Souza, J., Hui, W., & Straus, S. E. (2016). Knowledge synthesis methods for generating or refining theory: A scoping review reveals that little guidance is available. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 73, 36–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2015.11.021
  5. Tricco, A. C., Antony, J., Soobiah, C., Kastner, M., MacDonald, H., Cogo, E., Lillie, E., Tran, J., & Straus, S. E. (2016). Knowledge synthesis methods for integrating qualitative and quantitative data: a scoping review reveals poor operationalization of the methodological steps. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 73, 29–35. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2015.12.011