Introduction
A high impact PhD thesis demands more than a simple summary of existing research. It requires a methodological, reproducible, and statistically robust synthesis of evidence. At 360Dissertations.my, we specialise in conducting Systematic Literature Reviews (SLR) and Meta Analyses that meet the stringent standards of top tier universities and peer reviewed journals.
Whether you are in the sciences, social sciences, medicine, public health, education, business, or engineering, our experts guide you from protocol development through to final interpretation. We ensure that your literature review is defensible, transparent, and ready for publication. Our service is designed specifically for doctoral candidates who need rigorous, structured, and statistically sound evidence synthesis for their thesis or dissertation.
Why SLR and Meta Analysis Matter for Your PhD
A traditional narrative review often lacks transparency and is prone to author bias. In contrast, a systematic literature review follows a predefined, reproducible methodology to identify, evaluate, and synthesise all available evidence on a focused research question. When combined with meta analysis, you gain the ability to statistically pool results from multiple studies and derive a single, more precise estimate of effect.
| Aspect | Systematic Literature Review (SLR) | Meta Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Identify, evaluate, and synthesise all relevant studies on a focused question using a transparent and reproducible methodology. | Statistically combine results from multiple independent studies to derive a pooled effect size and examine heterogeneity. |
| Outcome | Thematic synthesis, risk of bias assessment, evidence gap mapping, and a narrative synthesis of findings. | Quantitative summary such as odds ratio, risk ratio, mean difference, or correlation coefficient, plus heterogeneity analysis. |
| Doctoral Value | Demonstrates rigorous methodology, comprehensive mastery of the field, and adherence to PRISMA guidelines. | Adds high level statistical evidence, often leading to journal publications and a stronger viva voce defence. |
| Best For | Focused research questions, policy recommendations, mixed methods theses, and fields with moderate to large bodies of literature. | Confirming direction and magnitude of effects, conducting subgroup analyses, resolving conflicting studies, and increasing statistical power. |
By integrating SLR and meta analysis into your PhD, you not only strengthen your literature review chapter but also produce work that is publishable in high impact journals such as the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, BMJ Open, or Systematic Reviews journal.
Our Step by Step Assistance
1. Protocol Development
- Formulating a focused research question using the PICO framework (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) or its variants such as PECO, PICOS, or PICo for qualitative questions.
- Registering the protocol with PROSPERO or OSF to avoid duplication and reduce publication bias.
- Defining inclusion and exclusion criteria.
- Developing search strategy and analysis plan.
2. Comprehensive Literature Search
- Using Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT), truncation, and wildcards.
- Searching databases like Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, MEDLINE, and others.
- Exploring grey literature and repositories.
- Managing citations using EndNote, Mendeley, or Zotero.
3. Screening and Selection
- Title and abstract screening.
- Full text review with documented exclusions.
- PRISMA flow diagram creation.
4. Data Extraction and Quality Appraisal
- Extracting study characteristics and outcomes.
- Risk of bias assessment using tools like RoB 2, ROBINS I, QUADAS 2.
- Creating summary tables and visualisations.
5. Statistical Synthesis (Meta Analysis)
- Fixed and random effects models.
- Effect size calculations (Cohen’s d, odds ratios).
- Heterogeneity analysis (I², Tau², Q test).
- Subgroup and sensitivity analysis.
- Publication bias assessment.
6. Reporting and Visualisation
- Forest plots, funnel plots, and Baujat plots.
- PRISMA checklist completion.
- GRADE evidence summaries.
Software We Use
| Purpose | Software |
|---|---|
| Review management and screening | Rayyan, Covidence, EPPI Reviewer, JBI SUMARI |
| Reference management | EndNote, Mendeley, Zotero |
| Meta analysis | R, Stata, CMA, JASP, RevMan, SPSS |
| Qualitative synthesis | NVivo, ATLAS.ti |
Who Can Benefit
- PhD candidates in Medicine, Public Health, and clinical sciences.
- Social science researchers.
- Business and management students.
- Environmental and sports science researchers.
- Economics and policy researchers.
Sample Deliverables
| Deliverable | Format |
|---|---|
| PRISMA Flow Diagram | PNG / PowerPoint |
| Search Strategy | Word / PDF |
| Forest Plot | Image + Code |
| Final Chapter | Word Document |
Why Choose 360Dissertations.my
- PhD-qualified experts with journal publications.
- Plagiarism-free guarantee.
- PRISMA and Cochrane compliant methods.
- Confidential and supportive process.
- Viva preparation included.
How It Works
Step 1: Free Consultation
Discuss your research question, literature, and methodology.
Step 2: Custom Quote and Timeline
Based on complexity and number of studies.
Ready to Elevate Your PhD Research?
Get a systematic, publication-ready SLR or Meta-Analysis