The Danish Clearinghouse for Educational Research prepares systematic research reviews in accordance with an internationally recognised method that is used by researchers all over the world.
In simple terms, a research review means mapping all the relevant research covering a specific question, which could in principle have been conducted anywhere in the world; then assessing the quality of this research; and finally (if possible) synthesising the relevant research results following quality assessment.
A systematic review on the one hand provides insight into how the research conducted so far has dealt with a given topic; and on the other hand synthesises the knowledge that can be derived at present from the available research results.
There are a number of potential benefits to be gained from conducting a systematic review of existing research surrounding a particular issue or phenomenon. For example, a systematic review can provide guidance in determining which educational approaches are most likely to have positive results, thereby enabling evidence-informed practice. Another possible benefit of systematic reviews is that they can help politicians and other government officials in gaining an overview of the available knowledge related to various issues of educational policy, thereby enabling evidence-informed policy.
A systematic review can also potentially identify areas where there is very little existing research and/or where the quality of existing research is insufficient for drawing conclusions. As such, conducting a systematic review can also help reveal areas where there is a need for further research.
