The objectives guide and direct the development of the specific review criteria. Clarity in the objectives and specificity in the review questions assists in developing a protocol, facilitates more effective searching, and provides a structure for the development of the full review report. The review objectives must be stated in full. Conventionally, a statement of the overall objective is made and elements of the review are then listed as review questions. With reviews of text and opinion, consideration needs to be given to the phrasing of objectives and specific questions as causal relationships are not established through evidence of this nature, hence cause and effect type questions should be avoided.
The review objectives or questions should reflect key elements of the inclusion criteria (see below).
Questions to consider:
Does the background cover all the population, phenomenon of interest and the context for the systematic review? Are operational definitions provided? Do systematic reviews already exist on the topic? Why is this review important? Are the review objectives/questions clearly defined?