Literature & Rapid Reviews
The evidence, summarised rigorously
Transparent method, evidence grading and a clear answer — scoped to your question and deadline.
What you receive
Reviews you can cite
- Defined scope & question
- Search strategy
- Evidence grading
- Structured summary & references
Why method matters
A defensible answer, not a plausible one
Anyone can search a database and summarise what comes back. The difference between that and a review you can cite is method: a question framed tightly enough to answer, a search recorded clearly enough to repeat, and a judgement about how much weight the evidence can bear. Without those, a review is just a confident-sounding opinion — and the first reviewer or assessor who asks "how did you find these papers, and what did you leave out?" will expose it. We build every review so that question has a clean answer.
The art lies in matching the method to the decision. A full systematic review is rigorous but slow; a rapid review applies the same systematic principles with pre-declared, pragmatic shortcuts to deliver a sound answer on a realistic timeline. The wrong choice wastes either time or credibility. We scope the right depth — scoping, rapid or PRISMA-lite — for your question and deadline, and we are explicit about the trade-offs. This service is part of our research and scientific writing work and frequently precedes a manuscript or feeds into real-world evidence planning.
Our process
From question to a citable summary
- Frame the question. We turn a broad brief into a precise, answerable question — usually structured around population, intervention, comparator and outcome — and agree the scope.
- Choose the review type. Scoping, rapid or PRISMA-lite: we match the depth to your decision and timeline, and declare any pragmatic shortcuts up front.
- Build the search strategy. We document databases, terms, date limits and inclusion criteria so the search is transparent and reproducible.
- Screen and select. We apply the criteria consistently, record what was excluded and why, and keep an auditable trail through to the final set.
- Grade the evidence. We appraise quality and certainty rather than treating every source as equal, so the conclusion reflects the strength behind it.
- Synthesise and deliver. You receive a structured summary with references, key findings and clearly stated limitations — ready to cite, present or build on.
Who commissions reviews
For decisions that need the evidence weighed
This service suits clinicians and researchers needing the literature mapped before a study or paper, digital-health and device teams assembling product or value evidence, and policy, guideline and commissioning teams who need a credible synthesis to a deadline. If a decision turns on "what does the evidence actually say?", a fixed-fee review gives you a documented answer.
- Researchers scoping a field before designing a study
- Digital-health and device teams building product or value evidence
- Guideline, policy and commissioning groups needing a defensible synthesis
- Authors who need the evidence base framed for a manuscript or grant
Where a review feeds into real-world evidence generation, the two connect directly — see our explainer on what real-world evidence is.
Answers
Frequently asked questions
What review types do you offer?
From rapid scoping reviews to PRISMA-lite structured reviews, with a transparent search strategy, evidence grading and a clear summary. We scope the right depth for your question and timeline.
How is pricing and turnaround set?
Fixed-fee, with scope, method and turnaround agreed before we start. Tell us your question and deadline for a quote.
How does a rapid review differ from a full systematic review?
A rapid review applies systematic methods but makes pragmatic, pre-declared shortcuts — for example a focused search or single-reviewer screening with checks — to deliver a sound answer in weeks rather than months. We document every shortcut so the limitations are explicit.
Is the search reproducible?
Yes. We record the databases, search terms, dates and inclusion criteria so the search can be re-run and audited. A transparent strategy is what separates a defensible review from a quick opinion.
Can the review support a business or funding case?
Often, yes. A graded evidence summary is frequently used to underpin value propositions, grant applications, guideline development and product evidence — provided the question is framed precisely from the outset.
Commission a review
Share your question and deadline for a fixed-fee quote.