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What Is Peer Review? | Types & Examples

What Is Peer Review? | Types & Examples

Published on December 17, 2021 by Tegan George . Revised on June 22, 2023.

Peer review, sometimes referred to as refereeing , is the process of evaluating submissions to an academic journal. Using strict criteria, a panel of reviewers in the same subject area decides whether to accept each submission for publication.

Peer-reviewed articles are considered a highly credible source due to the stringent process they go through before publication.

There are various types of peer review. The main difference between them is to what extent the authors, reviewers, and editors know each other’s identities. The most common types are:

Single-blind review
Double-blind review
Triple-blind review

Collaborative review

Open review.

Relatedly, peer assessment is a process where your peers provide you with feedback on something you’ve written, based on a set of criteria or benchmarks from an instructor. They then give constructive feedback, compliments, or guidance to help you improve your draft.

What is the purpose of peer review, types of peer review, the peer review process, providing feedback to your peers, peer review example, advantages of peer review, criticisms of peer review, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about peer reviews.

Many academic fields use peer review, largely to determine whether a manuscript is suitable for publication. Peer review enhances the credibility of the manuscript. For this reason, academic journals are among the most credible sources you can refer to.

However, peer review is also common in non-academic settings. The United Nations, the European Union, and many individual nations use peer review to evaluate grant applications. It is also widely used in medical and health-related fields as a teaching or quality-of-care measure.

Peer assessment is often used in the classroom as a pedagogical tool. Both receiving feedback and providing it are thought to enhance the learning process, helping students think critically and collaboratively.

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Depending on the journal, there are several types of peer review.

Single-blind peer review

The most common type of peer review is single-blind (or single anonymized) review . Here, the names of the reviewers are not known by the author.

While this gives the reviewers the ability to give feedback without the possibility of interference from the author, there has been substantial criticism of this method in the last few years. Many argue that single-blind reviewing can lead to poaching or intellectual theft or that anonymized comments cause reviewers to be too harsh.

Double-blind peer review

In double-blind (or double anonymized) review , both the author and the reviewers are anonymous.

Arguments for double-blind review highlight that this mitigates any risk of prejudice on the side of the reviewer, while protecting the nature of the process. In theory, it also leads to manuscripts being published on merit rather than on the reputation of the author.

Triple-blind peer review

While triple-blind (or triple anonymized) review —where the identities of the author, reviewers, and editors are all anonymized—does exist, it is difficult to carry out in practice.

Proponents of adopting triple-blind review for journal submissions argue that it minimizes potential conflicts of interest and biases. However, ensuring anonymity is logistically challenging, and current editing software is not always able to fully anonymize everyone involved in the process.

In collaborative review , authors and reviewers interact with each other directly throughout the process. However, the identity of the reviewer is not known to the author. This gives all parties the opportunity to resolve any inconsistencies or contradictions in real time, and provides them a rich forum for discussion. It can mitigate the need for multiple rounds of editing and minimize back-and-forth.

Collaborative review can be time- and resource-intensive for the journal, however. For these collaborations to occur, there has to be a set system in place, often a technological platform, with staff monitoring and fixing any bugs or glitches.

Lastly, in open review , all parties know each other’s identities throughout the process. Often, open review can also include feedback from a larger audience, such as an online forum, or reviewer feedback included as part of the final published product.

While many argue that greater transparency prevents plagiarism or unnecessary harshness, there is also concern about the quality of future scholarship if reviewers feel they have to censor their comments.

In general, the peer review process includes the following steps:

First, the author submits the manuscript to the editor.
Reject the manuscript and send it back to the author, or
Send it onward to the selected peer reviewer(s)
Next, the peer review process occurs. The reviewer provides feedback, addressing any major or minor issues with the manuscript, and gives their advice regarding what edits should be made.
Lastly, the edited manuscript is sent back to the author. They input the edits and resubmit it to the editor for publication.

In an effort to be transparent, many journals are now disclosing who reviewed each article in the published product. There are also increasing opportunities for collaboration and feedback, with some journals allowing open communication between reviewers and authors.

It can seem daunting at first to conduct a peer review or peer assessment. If you’re not sure where to start, there are several best practices you can use.

Summarize the argument in your own words

Summarizing the main argument helps the author see how their argument is interpreted by readers, and gives you a jumping-off point for providing feedback. If you’re having trouble doing this, it’s a sign that the argument needs to be clearer, more concise, or worded differently.

If the author sees that you’ve interpreted their argument differently than they intended, they have an opportunity to address any misunderstandings when they get the manuscript back.

Separate your feedback into major and minor issues

It can be challenging to keep feedback organized. One strategy is to start out with any major issues and then flow into the more minor points. It’s often helpful to keep your feedback in a numbered list, so the author has concrete points to refer back to.

Major issues typically consist of any problems with the style, flow, or key points of the manuscript. Minor issues include spelling errors, citation errors, or other smaller, easy-to-apply feedback.

Tip: Try not to focus too much on the minor issues. If the manuscript has a lot of typos, consider making a note that the author should address spelling and grammar issues, rather than going through and fixing each one.

The best feedback you can provide is anything that helps them strengthen their argument or resolve major stylistic issues.

Give the type of feedback that you would like to receive

No one likes being criticized, and it can be difficult to give honest feedback without sounding overly harsh or critical. One strategy you can use here is the “compliment sandwich,” where you “sandwich” your constructive criticism between two compliments.

Be sure you are giving concrete, actionable feedback that will help the author submit a successful final draft. While you shouldn’t tell them exactly what they should do, your feedback should help them resolve any issues they may have overlooked.

As a rule of thumb, your feedback should be:

Easy to understand
Constructive

Below is a brief annotated research example. You can view examples of peer feedback by hovering over the highlighted sections.

Influence of phone use on sleep

Studies show that teens from the US are getting less sleep than they were a decade ago (Johnson, 2019) . On average, teens only slept for 6 hours a night in 2021, compared to 8 hours a night in 2011. Johnson mentions several potential causes, such as increased anxiety, changed diets, and increased phone use.

The current study focuses on the effect phone use before bedtime has on the number of hours of sleep teens are getting.

For this study, a sample of 300 teens was recruited using social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. The first week, all teens were allowed to use their phone the way they normally would, in order to obtain a baseline.

The sample was then divided into 3 groups:

Group 1 was not allowed to use their phone before bedtime.
Group 2 used their phone for 1 hour before bedtime.
Group 3 used their phone for 3 hours before bedtime.

All participants were asked to go to sleep around 10 p.m. to control for variation in bedtime . In the morning, their Fitbit showed the number of hours they’d slept. They kept track of these numbers themselves for 1 week.

Two independent t tests were used in order to compare Group 1 and Group 2, and Group 1 and Group 3. The first t test showed no significant difference ( p > .05) between the number of hours for Group 1 ( M = 7.8, SD = 0.6) and Group 2 ( M = 7.0, SD = 0.8). The second t test showed a significant difference ( p < .01) between the average difference for Group 1 ( M = 7.8, SD = 0.6) and Group 3 ( M = 6.1, SD = 1.5).

This shows that teens sleep fewer hours a night if they use their phone for over an hour before bedtime, compared to teens who use their phone for 0 to 1 hours.

Peer review is an established and hallowed process in academia, dating back hundreds of years. It provides various fields of study with metrics, expectations, and guidance to ensure published work is consistent with predetermined standards.

Protects the quality of published research

Peer review can stop obviously problematic, falsified, or otherwise untrustworthy research from being published. Any content that raises red flags for reviewers can be closely examined in the review stage, preventing plagiarized or duplicated research from being published.

Gives you access to feedback from experts in your field

Peer review represents an excellent opportunity to get feedback from renowned experts in your field and to improve your writing through their feedback and guidance. Experts with knowledge about your subject matter can give you feedback on both style and content, and they may also suggest avenues for further research that you hadn’t yet considered.

Helps you identify any weaknesses in your argument

Peer review acts as a first defense, helping you ensure your argument is clear and that there are no gaps, vague terms, or unanswered questions for readers who weren’t involved in the research process. This way, you’ll end up with a more robust, more cohesive article.

While peer review is a widely accepted metric for credibility, it’s not without its drawbacks.

Reviewer bias

The more transparent double-blind system is not yet very common, which can lead to bias in reviewing. A common criticism is that an excellent paper by a new researcher may be declined, while an objectively lower-quality submission by an established researcher would be accepted.

Delays in publication

The thoroughness of the peer review process can lead to significant delays in publishing time. Research that was current at the time of submission may not be as current by the time it’s published. There is also high risk of publication bias , where journals are more likely to publish studies with positive findings than studies with negative findings.

Risk of human error

By its very nature, peer review carries a risk of human error. In particular, falsification often cannot be detected, given that reviewers would have to replicate entire experiments to ensure the validity of results.

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Normal distribution
Measures of central tendency
Chi square tests
Confidence interval
Quartiles & Quantiles
Cluster sampling
Stratified sampling
Thematic analysis
Discourse analysis
Cohort study
Ethnography

Research bias

Implicit bias
Cognitive bias
Conformity bias
Hawthorne effect
Availability heuristic
Attrition bias
Social desirability bias

Peer review is a process of evaluating submissions to an academic journal. Utilizing rigorous criteria, a panel of reviewers in the same subject area decide whether to accept each submission for publication. For this reason, academic journals are often considered among the most credible sources you can use in a research project– provided that the journal itself is trustworthy and well-regarded.

In general, the peer review process follows the following steps:

Reject the manuscript and send it back to author, or
Send it onward to the selected peer reviewer(s)
Next, the peer review process occurs. The reviewer provides feedback, addressing any major or minor issues with the manuscript, and gives their advice regarding what edits should be made.
Lastly, the edited manuscript is sent back to the author. They input the edits, and resubmit it to the editor for publication.

Peer review can stop obviously problematic, falsified, or otherwise untrustworthy research from being published. It also represents an excellent opportunity to get feedback from renowned experts in your field. It acts as a first defense, helping you ensure your argument is clear and that there are no gaps, vague terms, or unanswered questions for readers who weren’t involved in the research process.

Peer-reviewed articles are considered a highly credible source due to this stringent process they go through before publication.

Many academic fields use peer review , largely to determine whether a manuscript is suitable for publication. Peer review enhances the credibility of the published manuscript.

A credible source should pass the CRAAP test and follow these guidelines:

The information should be up to date and current.
The author and publication should be a trusted authority on the subject you are researching.
The sources the author cited should be easy to find, clear, and unbiased.
For a web source, the URL and layout should signify that it is trustworthy.

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Writing the Literature Review: Common Mistakes and Best Practices

First Online: 21 November 2023

Cite this chapter

peer reviewed journals in literature review

Kelly Heider 3

Part of the book series: Springer Texts in Education ((SPTE))

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The literature review is an essential component of academic research writing, providing a comprehensive overview of existing research and informing the development of new studies. However, writing an effective literature review can be a challenging task for many authors, particularly those new to academic writing. This chapter aims to guide authors through the process of writing a literature review by highlighting common mistakes and best practices. The chapter begins with three short narratives that describe difficulties both novice and prolific authors encounter when writing the literature review. A chapter activity follows with steps that guide authors through the process of developing a research question to frame the literature review. Authors are then prompted to complete a self-assessment activity which includes a series of questions designed to build their skills as academic research writers. The body of the chapter recommends strategies and techniques to help authors locate and evaluate sources that will serve as the building blocks for a literature review that is thorough, current, and well-written. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the threats and benefits of artificial intelligence-based text production in relationship to academic research writing. Overall, this chapter provides practical guidance for authors looking to improve their literature review writing skills and enhance the quality of their research output.

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Issue: AI-Based Text Production in Academic Research Writing

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a relatively new technological development that can be used to support academic research writing, particularly reviews of research. Although it holds promise as a research tool, there are also concerns that AI-based scholarly writing could threaten not only the integrity but also the creativity of academic research writing. ChatGPT, an advanced chatbot developed by OpenAI (a nonprofit research company founded by Elon Musk and Sam Altman in 2015) has been at the center of much controversy as of late because of its ability to produce academic papers using artificial intelligence-based text production that have fooled academics and academic journal publishers (Hern, 2022 ; Lucey & Dowling, 2023 ; TechTarget, 2023 ). To demonstrate ChatGPT’s capabilities, consider its response to the question, “What is artificial intelligence-based text production?”.

Artificial Intelligence-Based Text Production is a process where machine learning algorithms are used to generate written content such as articles, product descriptions, social media posts, and more. It involves training machine learning models with vast amounts of data to learn how to generate human-like text automatically. The process can involve different techniques such as Natural Language Processing (NLP), deep learning, and neural networks to analyze and understand language patterns, grammar, context, and semantics. The resulting AI-generated text can be used for a wide range of applications, including content marketing, chatbots, language translation, and more. One of the main benefits of AI-based text production is that it can help businesses and organizations automate their content creation process, saving time and resources while producing high-quality content. However, it is important to note that AI-generated text may not always be perfect and may require human editing and review to ensure accuracy and coherence.

This response was produced by ChatGPT in about ten seconds. According to Anson ( 2022 ), “cutting and pasting all or part of this auto-generated text into a new text box can continue to prompt further content. The material is not plagiarized from existing sources but freshly composed. For this reason, it usually evades plagiarism-detection programs like Turnitin” (p. 40).

How Might AI-Based Text Production Threaten Academic Research Writing?

Obviously, computer-generated text that evades plagiarism-detection programs threatens the integrity of academic research writing. Some academic publishers have already banned or limited the use of AI-generated text in papers submitted to their journals (Lucey & Dowling, 2023 ). However, that is easier said than done. OpenAI recently developed a tool that attempts to distinguish between human-written and AI-generated text to prevent chatbots like ChatGPT from being abused, but it is only 26% effective (Wiggers, 2023 ).

Lucey and Dowling ( 2023 ) tested the credibility of ChatGPT by having expert reviewers examine papers produced by the chatbot. First, they asked ChatGPT to generate four parts of a research study: (1) research idea, (2) literature review, (3) dataset, and (4) suggestions for testing and examination. They chose a broad subject and instructed the chatbot to create a paper that could be published in “a good finance journal” (para. 6). Second, they pasted 200 relevant abstracts into the ChatGPT search box and asked the chatbot to consider the abstracts when generating the four-part research study. Finally, they asked academic researchers to read both versions of the AI-generated text and make suggestions for improvement. A panel of thirty-two reviewers read all versions of the four-part research study and rated them. In all cases, the papers were considered acceptable by the reviewers, although the chatbot-created papers that also included input from academic researchers were rated higher. However, “a chatbot was deemed capable of generating quality academic research ideas. This raises fundamental questions around the meaning of creativity and ownership of creative ideas—questions to which nobody yet has solid answers” (Lucey & Dowling, 2023 , para. 10).

How Might AI-Based Text Production Benefit Academic Research Writing?

Despite several publishers deciding to ban the inclusion of AI-based text production in submissions, some researchers have already listed ChatGPT as a co-author on their papers (Lucey & Dowling, 2023 ). There are many who believe there is no difference between the way ChatGPT produces text and the way authors synthesize studies in their literature reviews. In fact, the chatbot’s review is much more exhaustive because it can analyze “billions of existing, human-produced texts and, through a process akin to the creation of neural networks, generate new text based on highly complex predictive machine analysis” (Anson, 2022 , p. 39).

There are other advantages to using AI-based text production. It has the potential to aid groups of researchers who lack funding to hire human research assistants such as emerging economy researchers, graduate students, and early career researchers. According to Lucey and Dowling ( 2023 ), AI-based text production “could help democratize the research process” (para. 18). Anson ( 2022 ) also sees the potential in AI-based text production to “spark some new human-generated ideas” (p. 42), extract keywords, and create abstracts. The development of AI-based text production might also force instructors to change the way they teach academic writing. Instead of trying to detect or prevent the use of chatbots like ChatGPT, “a more sensible approach could involve embracing the technology, showing students what it can and can’t do, and asking them to experiment with it” (Anson, 2022 , p. 44). In other words, students could be asked to write about writing which leads to a deeper understanding of the writing process and the ability to transfer that understanding to any writing project (Wardle & Downs, 2019 ).

The Responsible Use of AI-Based Text Production in Academic Research Writing

The responsible use of AI-based text production in academic research writing involves understanding the technology's capabilities and limitations, as well as considering its potential impact on the research process. Researchers must carefully evaluate the intended purpose and context of using AI-generated text and make certain they are not compromising the authenticity and integrity of their research work. To ensure responsible use, it is essential to balance the benefits of increased efficiency and new insights with the need for originality and critical thinking in academic research writing. Researchers must also be transparent in disclosing the use of AI-generated text when submitting their work for publication. By adopting a responsible and thoughtful approach to the use of AI-based text production, researchers can maximize the benefits of the technology while maintaining the quality and authenticity of their research.

Applications of Technology

How to Write a Paper in a Weekend : https://youtu.be/UY7sVKJPTMA

Note : University of Minnesota Chemistry Professor, Peter Carr is not advocating for procrastination. This video outlines a strategy for generating a first draft after you have all your reading and notes assembled.

Research Gap 101: What Is a Research Gap & How to Find One : https://youtu.be/Kabj0u8YQ4Y

Using Google Scholar for Academic Research : https://youtu.be/t8_CW6FV8Ac .

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Heider, K. (2023). Writing the Literature Review: Common Mistakes and Best Practices. In: Renck Jalongo, M., Saracho, O.N. (eds) Scholarly Writing. Springer Texts in Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-39516-1_3

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Chapter 5: The Literature Review

5.3 Acceptable sources for literature reviews

Following are a few acceptable sources for literature reviews, listed in order from what will be considered most acceptable to less acceptable sources for your literature review assignments:

Peer reviewed journal articles.
Edited academic books.
Articles in professional journals.
Statistical data from government websites.
Website material from professional associations (use sparingly and carefully). The following sections will explain and provide examples of these various sources.

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles (Papers)

A peer reviewed journal article is a paper that has been submitted to a scholarly journal, accepted, and published. Peer review journal papers go through a rigorous, blind review process of peer review. What this means is that two to three experts in the area of research featured in the paper have reviewed and accepted the paper for publication. The names of the author(s) who are seeking to publish the research have been removed (blind review), so as to minimize any bias towards the authors of the research (albeit, sometimes a savvy reviewer can discern who has done the research based upon previous publications, etc.). This blind review process can be long (often 12 to 18 months) and may involve many back and forth edits on the behalf of the researchers, as they work to address the edits and concerns of the peers who reviewed their paper. Often, reviewers will reject the paper for a variety of reasons, such as unclear or questionable methods, lack of contribution to the field, etc. Because peer reviewed journal articles have gone through a rigorous process of review, they are considered to be the premier source for research. Peer reviewed journal articles should serve as the foundation for your literature review.

The following link will provide more information on peer reviewed journal articles. Make sure you watch the little video on the upper left-hand side of your screen, in addition to reading the material at the following website: http://guides.lib.jjay.cuny.edu/c.php?g=288333&p=1922599

Edited Academic Books

An edited academic book is a collection of scholarly scientific papers written by different authors. The works are original papers, not published elsewhere (“Edited volume,” 2018). The papers within the text also go through a process of review; however, the review is often not a blind review because the authors have been invited to contribute to the book. Consequently, edited academic books are fine to use for your literature review, but you also want to ensure that your literature review contains mostly peer reviewed journal papers.

Articles in Professional Journals

Articles from professional journals should be used with caution for your literature review. This is because articles in trade journals are not usually peer reviewed, even though they may appear to be. A good way to find out is to read the “About Us” section of the professional journal, which should state whether or not the papers are peer reviewed. You can also find out by Googling the name of the journal and adding “peer reviewed” to the search.

Statistical Data from Governmental Websites

Governmental websites can be excellent sources for statistical data, e.g, Statistics Canada collects and publishes data related to the economy, society, and the environment.

Website Material from Professional Associations

Material from other websites can also serve as a source for statistics that you may need for your literature review. Since you want to justify the value of the research that interests you, you might make use of a professional association’s website to learn how many members they have, for example. You might want to demonstrate, as part of the introduction to your literature review, why more research on the topic of PTSD in police officers is important. You could use peer reviewed journal articles to determine the prevalence of PTSD in police officers in Canada in the last ten years, and then use the Ontario Police Officers´ Association website to determine the approximate number of police officers employed in the Province of Ontario over the last ten years. This might help you estimate how many police officers could be suffering with PTSD in Ontario. That number could potentially help to justify a research grant down the road. But again, this type of website- based material should be used with caution and sparingly.

Research Methods for the Social Sciences: An Introduction Copyright © 2020 by Valerie Sheppard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Writing a Literature Review

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A literature review is a document or section of a document that collects key sources on a topic and discusses those sources in conversation with each other (also called synthesis ). The lit review is an important genre in many disciplines, not just literature (i.e., the study of works of literature such as novels and plays). When we say “literature review” or refer to “the literature,” we are talking about the research ( scholarship ) in a given field. You will often see the terms “the research,” “the scholarship,” and “the literature” used mostly interchangeably.

Where, when, and why would I write a lit review?

There are a number of different situations where you might write a literature review, each with slightly different expectations; different disciplines, too, have field-specific expectations for what a literature review is and does. For instance, in the humanities, authors might include more overt argumentation and interpretation of source material in their literature reviews, whereas in the sciences, authors are more likely to report study designs and results in their literature reviews; these differences reflect these disciplines’ purposes and conventions in scholarship. You should always look at examples from your own discipline and talk to professors or mentors in your field to be sure you understand your discipline’s conventions, for literature reviews as well as for any other genre.

A literature review can be a part of a research paper or scholarly article, usually falling after the introduction and before the research methods sections. In these cases, the lit review just needs to cover scholarship that is important to the issue you are writing about; sometimes it will also cover key sources that informed your research methodology.

Lit reviews can also be standalone pieces, either as assignments in a class or as publications. In a class, a lit review may be assigned to help students familiarize themselves with a topic and with scholarship in their field, get an idea of the other researchers working on the topic they’re interested in, find gaps in existing research in order to propose new projects, and/or develop a theoretical framework and methodology for later research. As a publication, a lit review usually is meant to help make other scholars’ lives easier by collecting and summarizing, synthesizing, and analyzing existing research on a topic. This can be especially helpful for students or scholars getting into a new research area, or for directing an entire community of scholars toward questions that have not yet been answered.

What are the parts of a lit review?

Most lit reviews use a basic introduction-body-conclusion structure; if your lit review is part of a larger paper, the introduction and conclusion pieces may be just a few sentences while you focus most of your attention on the body. If your lit review is a standalone piece, the introduction and conclusion take up more space and give you a place to discuss your goals, research methods, and conclusions separately from where you discuss the literature itself.

Introduction:

An introductory paragraph that explains what your working topic and thesis is
A forecast of key topics or texts that will appear in the review
Potentially, a description of how you found sources and how you analyzed them for inclusion and discussion in the review (more often found in published, standalone literature reviews than in lit review sections in an article or research paper)
Summarize and synthesize: Give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole
Analyze and interpret: Don’t just paraphrase other researchers – add your own interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole
Critically Evaluate: Mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources
Write in well-structured paragraphs: Use transition words and topic sentence to draw connections, comparisons, and contrasts.

Conclusion:

Summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance
Connect it back to your primary research question

How should I organize my lit review?

Lit reviews can take many different organizational patterns depending on what you are trying to accomplish with the review. Here are some examples:

Chronological : The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time, which helps familiarize the audience with the topic (for instance if you are introducing something that is not commonly known in your field). If you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order. Try to analyze the patterns, turning points, and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred (as mentioned previously, this may not be appropriate in your discipline — check with a teacher or mentor if you’re unsure).
Thematic : If you have found some recurring central themes that you will continue working with throughout your piece, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic. For example, if you are reviewing literature about women and religion, key themes can include the role of women in churches and the religious attitude towards women.
Qualitative versus quantitative research
Empirical versus theoretical scholarship
Divide the research by sociological, historical, or cultural sources
Theoretical : In many humanities articles, the literature review is the foundation for the theoretical framework. You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts. You can argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach or combine various theorical concepts to create a framework for your research.

What are some strategies or tips I can use while writing my lit review?

Any lit review is only as good as the research it discusses; make sure your sources are well-chosen and your research is thorough. Don’t be afraid to do more research if you discover a new thread as you’re writing. More info on the research process is available in our "Conducting Research" resources .

As you’re doing your research, create an annotated bibliography ( see our page on the this type of document ). Much of the information used in an annotated bibliography can be used also in a literature review, so you’ll be not only partially drafting your lit review as you research, but also developing your sense of the larger conversation going on among scholars, professionals, and any other stakeholders in your topic.

Usually you will need to synthesize research rather than just summarizing it. This means drawing connections between sources to create a picture of the scholarly conversation on a topic over time. Many student writers struggle to synthesize because they feel they don’t have anything to add to the scholars they are citing; here are some strategies to help you:

It often helps to remember that the point of these kinds of syntheses is to show your readers how you understand your research, to help them read the rest of your paper.
Writing teachers often say synthesis is like hosting a dinner party: imagine all your sources are together in a room, discussing your topic. What are they saying to each other?
Look at the in-text citations in each paragraph. Are you citing just one source for each paragraph? This usually indicates summary only. When you have multiple sources cited in a paragraph, you are more likely to be synthesizing them (not always, but often
Read more about synthesis here.

The most interesting literature reviews are often written as arguments (again, as mentioned at the beginning of the page, this is discipline-specific and doesn’t work for all situations). Often, the literature review is where you can establish your research as filling a particular gap or as relevant in a particular way. You have some chance to do this in your introduction in an article, but the literature review section gives a more extended opportunity to establish the conversation in the way you would like your readers to see it. You can choose the intellectual lineage you would like to be part of and whose definitions matter most to your thinking (mostly humanities-specific, but this goes for sciences as well). In addressing these points, you argue for your place in the conversation, which tends to make the lit review more compelling than a simple reporting of other sources.

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Scholarly Articles: How can I tell?

Journal Information

Literature Review

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The literature review section of an article is a summary or analysis of all the research the author read before doing his/her own research. This section may be part of the introduction or in a section called Background. It provides the background on who has done related research, what that research has or has not uncovered and how the current research contributes to the conversation on the topic. When you read the lit review ask:

Does the review of the literature logically lead up to the research questions?
Do the authors review articles relevant to their research study?
Do the authors show where there are gaps in the literature?

The lit review is also a good place to find other sources you may want to read on this topic to help you get the bigger picture.

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Peer Reviewed Literature

What is peer review, terminology, peer review what does that mean, what types of articles are peer-reviewed, what information is not peer-reviewed, what about google scholar.

How do I find peer-reviewed articles?
Scholarly vs. Popular Sources

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For more help on this topic, please contact our Research Help Desk: [email protected] or 781-768-7303. Stay up-to-date on our current hours . Note: all hours are EST.

This Guide was created by Carolyn Swidrak (retired).

Research findings are communicated in many ways. One of the most important ways is through publication in scholarly, peer-reviewed journals.

Research published in scholarly journals is held to a high standard. It must make a credible and significant contribution to the discipline. To ensure a very high level of quality, articles that are submitted to scholarly journals undergo a process called peer-review.

Once an article has been submitted for publication, it is reviewed by other independent, academic experts (at least two) in the same field as the authors. These are the peers. The peers evaluate the research and decide if it is good enough and important enough to publish. Usually there is a back-and-forth exchange between the reviewers and the authors, including requests for revisions, before an article is published.

Peer review is a rigorous process but the intensity varies by journal. Some journals are very prestigious and receive many submissions for publication. They publish only the very best, most highly regarded research.

The terms scholarly, academic, peer-reviewed and refereed are sometimes used interchangeably, although there are slight differences.

Scholarly and academic may refer to peer-reviewed articles, but not all scholarly and academic journals are peer-reviewed (although most are.) For example, the Harvard Business Review is an academic journal but it is editorially reviewed, not peer-reviewed.

Peer-reviewed and refereed are identical terms.

From Peer Review in 3 Minutes [Video], by the North Carolina State University Library, 2014, YouTube (https://youtu.be/rOCQZ7QnoN0).

Peer reviewed articles can include:

Original research (empirical studies)
Review articles
Systematic reviews
Meta-analyses

There is much excellent, credible information in existence that is NOT peer-reviewed. Peer-review is simply ONE MEASURE of quality.

Much of this information is referred to as "gray literature."

Government Agencies

Government websites such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) publish high level, trustworthy information. However, most of it is not peer-reviewed. (Some of their publications are peer-reviewed, however. The journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, published by the CDC is one example.)

Conference Proceedings

Papers from conference proceedings are not usually peer-reviewed. They may go on to become published articles in a peer-reviewed journal.

Dissertations

Dissertations are written by doctoral candidates, and while they are academic they are not peer-reviewed.

Many students like Google Scholar because it is easy to use. While the results from Google Scholar are generally academic they are not necessarily peer-reviewed. Typically, you will find:

Peer reviewed journal articles (although they are not identified as peer-reviewed)
Unpublished scholarly articles (not peer-reviewed)
Masters theses, doctoral dissertations and other degree publications (not peer-reviewed)
Book citations and links to some books (not necessarily peer-reviewed)
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Peer Review in Scientific Publications: Benefits, Critiques, & A Survival Guide

Affiliations.

1 Clinical Biochemistry, Department of Pediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto , Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
2 Clinical Biochemistry, Department of Pediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Chair, Communications and Publications Division (CPD), International Federation for Sick Clinical Chemistry (IFCC), Milan, Italy.
PMID: 27683470
PMCID: PMC4975196

Peer review has been defined as a process of subjecting an author's scholarly work, research or ideas to the scrutiny of others who are experts in the same field. It functions to encourage authors to meet the accepted high standards of their discipline and to control the dissemination of research data to ensure that unwarranted claims, unacceptable interpretations or personal views are not published without prior expert review. Despite its wide-spread use by most journals, the peer review process has also been widely criticised due to the slowness of the process to publish new findings and due to perceived bias by the editors and/or reviewers. Within the scientific community, peer review has become an essential component of the academic writing process. It helps ensure that papers published in scientific journals answer meaningful research questions and draw accurate conclusions based on professionally executed experimentation. Submission of low quality manuscripts has become increasingly prevalent, and peer review acts as a filter to prevent this work from reaching the scientific community. The major advantage of a peer review process is that peer-reviewed articles provide a trusted form of scientific communication. Since scientific knowledge is cumulative and builds on itself, this trust is particularly important. Despite the positive impacts of peer review, critics argue that the peer review process stifles innovation in experimentation, and acts as a poor screen against plagiarism. Despite its downfalls, there has not yet been a foolproof system developed to take the place of peer review, however, researchers have been looking into electronic means of improving the peer review process. Unfortunately, the recent explosion in online only/electronic journals has led to mass publication of a large number of scientific articles with little or no peer review. This poses significant risk to advances in scientific knowledge and its future potential. The current article summarizes the peer review process, highlights the pros and cons associated with different types of peer review, and describes new methods for improving peer review.

Keywords: journal; manuscript; open access; peer review; publication.

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Reviews of Peer-Reviewed Journals in the Humanities and Social Sciences

We give you the scuttlebutt on academic journals—aiding you in selecting the right journal for publication—in reviews that are sometimes snarky, sometimes lengthy, always helpful. Written by Princeton University graduate students and Wendy Laura Belcher.

Journal Article Prize Competitions
Journal Disciplines
Journals Reviewed
Journals Ranking

Identifying the best journal to publish in is not easy. However, it is essential to select correctly, since you can only send your article to one journal at a time, never simultaneously. Based on the advice in Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks: A Guide to Academic Publishing Success , below are some of the ways to find the information you need to make your decision. Here’s how you can find out about:

All journals in your field or discipline. For brief, online, up-to-date information about journals, Ulrich’s Periodicals Directory is the most comprehensive. Do not use the search on the home page, but go to advanced search, select the limiters “Active,” “Journal,” “Academic/Scholarly,” and “ Refereed / Peer-reviewed” and then enter your keyword (e.g., film, gender, African history). A list of peer-reviewed journals will appear. Under each journal, you can find such information as the journal’s website, publisher, frequency, and a brief review from Magazines for Libraries . Unfortunately, this directory is not free; your library needs to own a subscription to access it.

Journal efficiency (or, gossip about journals) . For detailed information about individuals’ experiences with submitting articles to various journals, including comments on length of backlog and turnaround time, editorial promptness, and peer reviewer helpfulness, see the excellent Humanities Journal Wiki . Not all journals are there, but many are. The entries have to be read with a grain of salt (like any comment system, it is biased toward the negative), but trends in the behavior of the journal can become visible if enough scholars comment.

Journal prestige . Statistical information about which humanities journals are considered better than other journals is not easy to find and is not especially trustworthy. However, two places you can check rankings are the European Reference Index for the Humanities (ERIH) and the ranking of journals in JStor alone. You can also check out the meta-list of rankings, Harzing’s Journal Quality List (the Harzing 2015 list specifically). which includes many of the websites that provide rankings of journals: outside the United States, many universities compile their own rankings. Academics generally hate humanities lists, see the Guardian article on the topic. The ranking of social science journals can be found in a variety of places, including SCImago , ISI Journal Citation Reports , and so on.

Journal impact . For information on journals that are cited frequently, use Harzing’s Publish or Perish software. It’s outstanding and free. To find a specific journal’s most cited articles, find its ISSN and insert it in “the Phrase” field.

Acceptance rates . Information about acceptance rates and circulation for peer-reviewed journals in the humanities is often tough to find at their websites. The best source of this information on literary scholarship journals is the MLA Directory of Periodicals , which provides a wealth of other information as well. However, since the information there about acceptance rates and circulation are reported by the journal, these are often slightly inflated. That is, they say their circulation rate is higher than it is and their acceptance rate is lower than it is. MLA doesn’t provide an acceptance rate directly; you have to calculate it by dividing the number of accepted submissions by the number of total submissions (e.g., 40 articles accepted for publication/ 100 articles submitted, equals 40 percent acceptance rate).

Topic trends . The following article analyzed 21,367 scholarly articles in literary journals from 1889–2013 to depict trends in topics over time. “ The Quiet Transformations of Literary Studies: What Thirteen Thousand Scholars Could Tell Us ” by Andrew Goldstone and Ted Underwood in New Literary History (summer 2014).

Our rankings. Using Harzing’s Publish or Perish software, we found the most highly cited articles in specific journals and list those articles on the journal page. We would like to post something here about which journals, therefore, are the most cited, but we haven’t done that yet. It is interesting to note that perhaps the most cited article in the humanities published since 2010 is Homi Bhabha’s two-page (!) introduction to the Simone de Beauvoir special issue in French Politics, Culture and Society , which has been cited 1,182 times.

Questions? Email the webmaster Wendy Laura Belcher.

Literature Reviews, Theoretical Frameworks, and Conceptual Frameworks: An Introduction for New Biology Education Researchers

Julie a. luft.

† Department of Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science Education, Mary Frances Early College of Education, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7124

Sophia Jeong

‡ Department of Teaching & Learning, College of Education & Human Ecology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210

Robert Idsardi

§ Department of Biology, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA 99004

Grant Gardner

∥ Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN 37132

Associated Data

To frame their work, biology education researchers need to consider the role of literature reviews, theoretical frameworks, and conceptual frameworks as critical elements of the research and writing process. However, these elements can be confusing for scholars new to education research. This Research Methods article is designed to provide an overview of each of these elements and delineate the purpose of each in the educational research process. We describe what biology education researchers should consider as they conduct literature reviews, identify theoretical frameworks, and construct conceptual frameworks. Clarifying these different components of educational research studies can be helpful to new biology education researchers and the biology education research community at large in situating their work in the broader scholarly literature.

INTRODUCTION

Discipline-based education research (DBER) involves the purposeful and situated study of teaching and learning in specific disciplinary areas ( Singer et al. , 2012 ). Studies in DBER are guided by research questions that reflect disciplines’ priorities and worldviews. Researchers can use quantitative data, qualitative data, or both to answer these research questions through a variety of methodological traditions. Across all methodologies, there are different methods associated with planning and conducting educational research studies that include the use of surveys, interviews, observations, artifacts, or instruments. Ensuring the coherence of these elements to the discipline’s perspective also involves situating the work in the broader scholarly literature. The tools for doing this include literature reviews, theoretical frameworks, and conceptual frameworks. However, the purpose and function of each of these elements is often confusing to new education researchers. The goal of this article is to introduce new biology education researchers to these three important elements important in DBER scholarship and the broader educational literature.

The first element we discuss is a review of research (literature reviews), which highlights the need for a specific research question, study problem, or topic of investigation. Literature reviews situate the relevance of the study within a topic and a field. The process may seem familiar to science researchers entering DBER fields, but new researchers may still struggle in conducting the review. Booth et al. (2016b) highlight some of the challenges novice education researchers face when conducting a review of literature. They point out that novice researchers struggle in deciding how to focus the review, determining the scope of articles needed in the review, and knowing how to be critical of the articles in the review. Overcoming these challenges (and others) can help novice researchers construct a sound literature review that can inform the design of the study and help ensure the work makes a contribution to the field.

The second and third highlighted elements are theoretical and conceptual frameworks. These guide biology education research (BER) studies, and may be less familiar to science researchers. These elements are important in shaping the construction of new knowledge. Theoretical frameworks offer a way to explain and interpret the studied phenomenon, while conceptual frameworks clarify assumptions about the studied phenomenon. Despite the importance of these constructs in educational research, biology educational researchers have noted the limited use of theoretical or conceptual frameworks in published work ( DeHaan, 2011 ; Dirks, 2011 ; Lo et al. , 2019 ). In reviewing articles published in CBE—Life Sciences Education ( LSE ) between 2015 and 2019, we found that fewer than 25% of the research articles had a theoretical or conceptual framework (see the Supplemental Information), and at times there was an inconsistent use of theoretical and conceptual frameworks. Clearly, these frameworks are challenging for published biology education researchers, which suggests the importance of providing some initial guidance to new biology education researchers.

Fortunately, educational researchers have increased their explicit use of these frameworks over time, and this is influencing educational research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. For instance, a quick search for theoretical or conceptual frameworks in the abstracts of articles in Educational Research Complete (a common database for educational research) in STEM fields demonstrates a dramatic change over the last 20 years: from only 778 articles published between 2000 and 2010 to 5703 articles published between 2010 and 2020, a more than sevenfold increase. Greater recognition of the importance of these frameworks is contributing to DBER authors being more explicit about such frameworks in their studies.

Collectively, literature reviews, theoretical frameworks, and conceptual frameworks work to guide methodological decisions and the elucidation of important findings. Each offers a different perspective on the problem of study and is an essential element in all forms of educational research. As new researchers seek to learn about these elements, they will find different resources, a variety of perspectives, and many suggestions about the construction and use of these elements. The wide range of available information can overwhelm the new researcher who just wants to learn the distinction between these elements or how to craft them adequately.

Our goal in writing this paper is not to offer specific advice about how to write these sections in scholarly work. Instead, we wanted to introduce these elements to those who are new to BER and who are interested in better distinguishing one from the other. In this paper, we share the purpose of each element in BER scholarship, along with important points on its construction. We also provide references for additional resources that may be beneficial to better understanding each element. Table 1 summarizes the key distinctions among these elements.

Comparison of literature reviews, theoretical frameworks, and conceptual reviews

	Literature reviews	Theoretical frameworks	Conceptual frameworks
Purpose	To point out the need for the study in BER and connection to the field.	To state the assumptions and orientations of the researcher regarding the topic of study	To describe the researcher’s understanding of the main concepts under investigation
Aims	A literature review examines current and relevant research associated with the study question. It is comprehensive, critical, and purposeful.	A theoretical framework illuminates the phenomenon of study and the corresponding assumptions adopted by the researcher. Frameworks can take on different orientations.	The conceptual framework is created by the researcher(s), includes the presumed relationships among concepts, and addresses needed areas of study discovered in literature reviews.
Connection to the manuscript	A literature review should connect to the study question, guide the study methodology, and be central in the discussion by indicating how the analyzed data advances what is known in the field.	A theoretical framework drives the question, guides the types of methods for data collection and analysis, informs the discussion of the findings, and reveals the subjectivities of the researcher.	The conceptual framework is informed by literature reviews, experiences, or experiments. It may include emergent ideas that are not yet grounded in the literature. It should be coherent with the paper’s theoretical framing.
Additional points	A literature review may reach beyond BER and include other education research fields.	A theoretical framework does not rationalize the need for the study, and a theoretical framework can come from different fields.	A conceptual framework articulates the phenomenon under study through written descriptions and/or visual representations.

This article is written for the new biology education researcher who is just learning about these different elements or for scientists looking to become more involved in BER. It is a result of our own work as science education and biology education researchers, whether as graduate students and postdoctoral scholars or newly hired and established faculty members. This is the article we wish had been available as we started to learn about these elements or discussed them with new educational researchers in biology.

LITERATURE REVIEWS

Purpose of a literature review.

A literature review is foundational to any research study in education or science. In education, a well-conceptualized and well-executed review provides a summary of the research that has already been done on a specific topic and identifies questions that remain to be answered, thus illustrating the current research project’s potential contribution to the field and the reasoning behind the methodological approach selected for the study ( Maxwell, 2012 ). BER is an evolving disciplinary area that is redefining areas of conceptual emphasis as well as orientations toward teaching and learning (e.g., Labov et al. , 2010 ; American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2011 ; Nehm, 2019 ). As a result, building comprehensive, critical, purposeful, and concise literature reviews can be a challenge for new biology education researchers.

Building Literature Reviews

There are different ways to approach and construct a literature review. Booth et al. (2016a) provide an overview that includes, for example, scoping reviews, which are focused only on notable studies and use a basic method of analysis, and integrative reviews, which are the result of exhaustive literature searches across different genres. Underlying each of these different review processes are attention to the s earch process, a ppraisa l of articles, s ynthesis of the literature, and a nalysis: SALSA ( Booth et al. , 2016a ). This useful acronym can help the researcher focus on the process while building a specific type of review.

However, new educational researchers often have questions about literature reviews that are foundational to SALSA or other approaches. Common questions concern determining which literature pertains to the topic of study or the role of the literature review in the design of the study. This section addresses such questions broadly while providing general guidance for writing a narrative literature review that evaluates the most pertinent studies.

The literature review process should begin before the research is conducted. As Boote and Beile (2005 , p. 3) suggested, researchers should be “scholars before researchers.” They point out that having a good working knowledge of the proposed topic helps illuminate avenues of study. Some subject areas have a deep body of work to read and reflect upon, providing a strong foundation for developing the research question(s). For instance, the teaching and learning of evolution is an area of long-standing interest in the BER community, generating many studies (e.g., Perry et al. , 2008 ; Barnes and Brownell, 2016 ) and reviews of research (e.g., Sickel and Friedrichsen, 2013 ; Ziadie and Andrews, 2018 ). Emerging areas of BER include the affective domain, issues of transfer, and metacognition ( Singer et al. , 2012 ). Many studies in these areas are transdisciplinary and not always specific to biology education (e.g., Rodrigo-Peiris et al. , 2018 ; Kolpikova et al. , 2019 ). These newer areas may require reading outside BER; fortunately, summaries of some of these topics can be found in the Current Insights section of the LSE website.

In focusing on a specific problem within a broader research strand, a new researcher will likely need to examine research outside BER. Depending upon the area of study, the expanded reading list might involve a mix of BER, DBER, and educational research studies. Determining the scope of the reading is not always straightforward. A simple way to focus one’s reading is to create a “summary phrase” or “research nugget,” which is a very brief descriptive statement about the study. It should focus on the essence of the study, for example, “first-year nonmajor students’ understanding of evolution,” “metacognitive prompts to enhance learning during biochemistry,” or “instructors’ inquiry-based instructional practices after professional development programming.” This type of phrase should help a new researcher identify two or more areas to review that pertain to the study. Focusing on recent research in the last 5 years is a good first step. Additional studies can be identified by reading relevant works referenced in those articles. It is also important to read seminal studies that are more than 5 years old. Reading a range of studies should give the researcher the necessary command of the subject in order to suggest a research question.

Given that the research question(s) arise from the literature review, the review should also substantiate the selected methodological approach. The review and research question(s) guide the researcher in determining how to collect and analyze data. Often the methodological approach used in a study is selected to contribute knowledge that expands upon what has been published previously about the topic (see Institute of Education Sciences and National Science Foundation, 2013 ). An emerging topic of study may need an exploratory approach that allows for a description of the phenomenon and development of a potential theory. This could, but not necessarily, require a methodological approach that uses interviews, observations, surveys, or other instruments. An extensively studied topic may call for the additional understanding of specific factors or variables; this type of study would be well suited to a verification or a causal research design. These could entail a methodological approach that uses valid and reliable instruments, observations, or interviews to determine an effect in the studied event. In either of these examples, the researcher(s) may use a qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods methodological approach.

Even with a good research question, there is still more reading to be done. The complexity and focus of the research question dictates the depth and breadth of the literature to be examined. Questions that connect multiple topics can require broad literature reviews. For instance, a study that explores the impact of a biology faculty learning community on the inquiry instruction of faculty could have the following review areas: learning communities among biology faculty, inquiry instruction among biology faculty, and inquiry instruction among biology faculty as a result of professional learning. Biology education researchers need to consider whether their literature review requires studies from different disciplines within or outside DBER. For the example given, it would be fruitful to look at research focused on learning communities with faculty in STEM fields or in general education fields that result in instructional change. It is important not to be too narrow or too broad when reading. When the conclusions of articles start to sound similar or no new insights are gained, the researcher likely has a good foundation for a literature review. This level of reading should allow the researcher to demonstrate a mastery in understanding the researched topic, explain the suitability of the proposed research approach, and point to the need for the refined research question(s).

The literature review should include the researcher’s evaluation and critique of the selected studies. A researcher may have a large collection of studies, but not all of the studies will follow standards important in the reporting of empirical work in the social sciences. The American Educational Research Association ( Duran et al. , 2006 ), for example, offers a general discussion about standards for such work: an adequate review of research informing the study, the existence of sound and appropriate data collection and analysis methods, and appropriate conclusions that do not overstep or underexplore the analyzed data. The Institute of Education Sciences and National Science Foundation (2013) also offer Common Guidelines for Education Research and Development that can be used to evaluate collected studies.

Because not all journals adhere to such standards, it is important that a researcher review each study to determine the quality of published research, per the guidelines suggested earlier. In some instances, the research may be fatally flawed. Examples of such flaws include data that do not pertain to the question, a lack of discussion about the data collection, poorly constructed instruments, or an inadequate analysis. These types of errors result in studies that are incomplete, error-laden, or inaccurate and should be excluded from the review. Most studies have limitations, and the author(s) often make them explicit. For instance, there may be an instructor effect, recognized bias in the analysis, or issues with the sample population. Limitations are usually addressed by the research team in some way to ensure a sound and acceptable research process. Occasionally, the limitations associated with the study can be significant and not addressed adequately, which leaves a consequential decision in the hands of the researcher. Providing critiques of studies in the literature review process gives the reader confidence that the researcher has carefully examined relevant work in preparation for the study and, ultimately, the manuscript.

A solid literature review clearly anchors the proposed study in the field and connects the research question(s), the methodological approach, and the discussion. Reviewing extant research leads to research questions that will contribute to what is known in the field. By summarizing what is known, the literature review points to what needs to be known, which in turn guides decisions about methodology. Finally, notable findings of the new study are discussed in reference to those described in the literature review.

Within published BER studies, literature reviews can be placed in different locations in an article. When included in the introductory section of the study, the first few paragraphs of the manuscript set the stage, with the literature review following the opening paragraphs. Cooper et al. (2019) illustrate this approach in their study of course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs). An introduction discussing the potential of CURES is followed by an analysis of the existing literature relevant to the design of CUREs that allows for novel student discoveries. Within this review, the authors point out contradictory findings among research on novel student discoveries. This clarifies the need for their study, which is described and highlighted through specific research aims.

A literature reviews can also make up a separate section in a paper. For example, the introduction to Todd et al. (2019) illustrates the need for their research topic by highlighting the potential of learning progressions (LPs) and suggesting that LPs may help mitigate learning loss in genetics. At the end of the introduction, the authors state their specific research questions. The review of literature following this opening section comprises two subsections. One focuses on learning loss in general and examines a variety of studies and meta-analyses from the disciplines of medical education, mathematics, and reading. The second section focuses specifically on LPs in genetics and highlights student learning in the midst of LPs. These separate reviews provide insights into the stated research question.

Suggestions and Advice

A well-conceptualized, comprehensive, and critical literature review reveals the understanding of the topic that the researcher brings to the study. Literature reviews should not be so big that there is no clear area of focus; nor should they be so narrow that no real research question arises. The task for a researcher is to craft an efficient literature review that offers a critical analysis of published work, articulates the need for the study, guides the methodological approach to the topic of study, and provides an adequate foundation for the discussion of the findings.

In our own writing of literature reviews, there are often many drafts. An early draft may seem well suited to the study because the need for and approach to the study are well described. However, as the results of the study are analyzed and findings begin to emerge, the existing literature review may be inadequate and need revision. The need for an expanded discussion about the research area can result in the inclusion of new studies that support the explanation of a potential finding. The literature review may also prove to be too broad. Refocusing on a specific area allows for more contemplation of a finding.

It should be noted that there are different types of literature reviews, and many books and articles have been written about the different ways to embark on these types of reviews. Among these different resources, the following may be helpful in considering how to refine the review process for scholarly journals:

Booth, A., Sutton, A., & Papaioannou, D. (2016a). Systemic approaches to a successful literature review (2nd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage. This book addresses different types of literature reviews and offers important suggestions pertaining to defining the scope of the literature review and assessing extant studies.
Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., Williams, J. M., Bizup, J., & Fitzgerald, W. T. (2016b). The craft of research (4th ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. This book can help the novice consider how to make the case for an area of study. While this book is not specifically about literature reviews, it offers suggestions about making the case for your study.
Galvan, J. L., & Galvan, M. C. (2017). Writing literature reviews: A guide for students of the social and behavioral sciences (7th ed.). Routledge. This book offers guidance on writing different types of literature reviews. For the novice researcher, there are useful suggestions for creating coherent literature reviews.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS

Purpose of theoretical frameworks.

As new education researchers may be less familiar with theoretical frameworks than with literature reviews, this discussion begins with an analogy. Envision a biologist, chemist, and physicist examining together the dramatic effect of a fog tsunami over the ocean. A biologist gazing at this phenomenon may be concerned with the effect of fog on various species. A chemist may be interested in the chemical composition of the fog as water vapor condenses around bits of salt. A physicist may be focused on the refraction of light to make fog appear to be “sitting” above the ocean. While observing the same “objective event,” the scientists are operating under different theoretical frameworks that provide a particular perspective or “lens” for the interpretation of the phenomenon. Each of these scientists brings specialized knowledge, experiences, and values to this phenomenon, and these influence the interpretation of the phenomenon. The scientists’ theoretical frameworks influence how they design and carry out their studies and interpret their data.

Within an educational study, a theoretical framework helps to explain a phenomenon through a particular lens and challenges and extends existing knowledge within the limitations of that lens. Theoretical frameworks are explicitly stated by an educational researcher in the paper’s framework, theory, or relevant literature section. The framework shapes the types of questions asked, guides the method by which data are collected and analyzed, and informs the discussion of the results of the study. It also reveals the researcher’s subjectivities, for example, values, social experience, and viewpoint ( Allen, 2017 ). It is essential that a novice researcher learn to explicitly state a theoretical framework, because all research questions are being asked from the researcher’s implicit or explicit assumptions of a phenomenon of interest ( Schwandt, 2000 ).

Selecting Theoretical Frameworks

Theoretical frameworks are one of the most contemplated elements in our work in educational research. In this section, we share three important considerations for new scholars selecting a theoretical framework.

The first step in identifying a theoretical framework involves reflecting on the phenomenon within the study and the assumptions aligned with the phenomenon. The phenomenon involves the studied event. There are many possibilities, for example, student learning, instructional approach, or group organization. A researcher holds assumptions about how the phenomenon will be effected, influenced, changed, or portrayed. It is ultimately the researcher’s assumption(s) about the phenomenon that aligns with a theoretical framework. An example can help illustrate how a researcher’s reflection on the phenomenon and acknowledgment of assumptions can result in the identification of a theoretical framework.

In our example, a biology education researcher may be interested in exploring how students’ learning of difficult biological concepts can be supported by the interactions of group members. The phenomenon of interest is the interactions among the peers, and the researcher assumes that more knowledgeable students are important in supporting the learning of the group. As a result, the researcher may draw on Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural theory of learning and development that is focused on the phenomenon of student learning in a social setting. This theory posits the critical nature of interactions among students and between students and teachers in the process of building knowledge. A researcher drawing upon this framework holds the assumption that learning is a dynamic social process involving questions and explanations among students in the classroom and that more knowledgeable peers play an important part in the process of building conceptual knowledge.

It is important to state at this point that there are many different theoretical frameworks. Some frameworks focus on learning and knowing, while other theoretical frameworks focus on equity, empowerment, or discourse. Some frameworks are well articulated, and others are still being refined. For a new researcher, it can be challenging to find a theoretical framework. Two of the best ways to look for theoretical frameworks is through published works that highlight different frameworks.

When a theoretical framework is selected, it should clearly connect to all parts of the study. The framework should augment the study by adding a perspective that provides greater insights into the phenomenon. It should clearly align with the studies described in the literature review. For instance, a framework focused on learning would correspond to research that reported different learning outcomes for similar studies. The methods for data collection and analysis should also correspond to the framework. For instance, a study about instructional interventions could use a theoretical framework concerned with learning and could collect data about the effect of the intervention on what is learned. When the data are analyzed, the theoretical framework should provide added meaning to the findings, and the findings should align with the theoretical framework.

A study by Jensen and Lawson (2011) provides an example of how a theoretical framework connects different parts of the study. They compared undergraduate biology students in heterogeneous and homogeneous groups over the course of a semester. Jensen and Lawson (2011) assumed that learning involved collaboration and more knowledgeable peers, which made Vygotsky’s (1978) theory a good fit for their study. They predicted that students in heterogeneous groups would experience greater improvement in their reasoning abilities and science achievements with much of the learning guided by the more knowledgeable peers.

In the enactment of the study, they collected data about the instruction in traditional and inquiry-oriented classes, while the students worked in homogeneous or heterogeneous groups. To determine the effect of working in groups, the authors also measured students’ reasoning abilities and achievement. Each data-collection and analysis decision connected to understanding the influence of collaborative work.

Their findings highlighted aspects of Vygotsky’s (1978) theory of learning. One finding, for instance, posited that inquiry instruction, as a whole, resulted in reasoning and achievement gains. This links to Vygotsky (1978) , because inquiry instruction involves interactions among group members. A more nuanced finding was that group composition had a conditional effect. Heterogeneous groups performed better with more traditional and didactic instruction, regardless of the reasoning ability of the group members. Homogeneous groups worked better during interaction-rich activities for students with low reasoning ability. The authors attributed the variation to the different types of helping behaviors of students. High-performing students provided the answers, while students with low reasoning ability had to work collectively through the material. In terms of Vygotsky (1978) , this finding provided new insights into the learning context in which productive interactions can occur for students.

Another consideration in the selection and use of a theoretical framework pertains to its orientation to the study. This can result in the theoretical framework prioritizing individuals, institutions, and/or policies ( Anfara and Mertz, 2014 ). Frameworks that connect to individuals, for instance, could contribute to understanding their actions, learning, or knowledge. Institutional frameworks, on the other hand, offer insights into how institutions, organizations, or groups can influence individuals or materials. Policy theories provide ways to understand how national or local policies can dictate an emphasis on outcomes or instructional design. These different types of frameworks highlight different aspects in an educational setting, which influences the design of the study and the collection of data. In addition, these different frameworks offer a way to make sense of the data. Aligning the data collection and analysis with the framework ensures that a study is coherent and can contribute to the field.

New understandings emerge when different theoretical frameworks are used. For instance, Ebert-May et al. (2015) prioritized the individual level within conceptual change theory (see Posner et al. , 1982 ). In this theory, an individual’s knowledge changes when it no longer fits the phenomenon. Ebert-May et al. (2015) designed a professional development program challenging biology postdoctoral scholars’ existing conceptions of teaching. The authors reported that the biology postdoctoral scholars’ teaching practices became more student-centered as they were challenged to explain their instructional decision making. According to the theory, the biology postdoctoral scholars’ dissatisfaction in their descriptions of teaching and learning initiated change in their knowledge and instruction. These results reveal how conceptual change theory can explain the learning of participants and guide the design of professional development programming.

The communities of practice (CoP) theoretical framework ( Lave, 1988 ; Wenger, 1998 ) prioritizes the institutional level , suggesting that learning occurs when individuals learn from and contribute to the communities in which they reside. Grounded in the assumption of community learning, the literature on CoP suggests that, as individuals interact regularly with the other members of their group, they learn about the rules, roles, and goals of the community ( Allee, 2000 ). A study conducted by Gehrke and Kezar (2017) used the CoP framework to understand organizational change by examining the involvement of individual faculty engaged in a cross-institutional CoP focused on changing the instructional practice of faculty at each institution. In the CoP, faculty members were involved in enhancing instructional materials within their department, which aligned with an overarching goal of instituting instruction that embraced active learning. Not surprisingly, Gehrke and Kezar (2017) revealed that faculty who perceived the community culture as important in their work cultivated institutional change. Furthermore, they found that institutional change was sustained when key leaders served as mentors and provided support for faculty, and as faculty themselves developed into leaders. This study reveals the complexity of individual roles in a COP in order to support institutional instructional change.

It is important to explicitly state the theoretical framework used in a study, but elucidating a theoretical framework can be challenging for a new educational researcher. The literature review can help to identify an applicable theoretical framework. Focal areas of the review or central terms often connect to assumptions and assertions associated with the framework that pertain to the phenomenon of interest. Another way to identify a theoretical framework is self-reflection by the researcher on personal beliefs and understandings about the nature of knowledge the researcher brings to the study ( Lysaght, 2011 ). In stating one’s beliefs and understandings related to the study (e.g., students construct their knowledge, instructional materials support learning), an orientation becomes evident that will suggest a particular theoretical framework. Theoretical frameworks are not arbitrary , but purposefully selected.

With experience, a researcher may find expanded roles for theoretical frameworks. Researchers may revise an existing framework that has limited explanatory power, or they may decide there is a need to develop a new theoretical framework. These frameworks can emerge from a current study or the need to explain a phenomenon in a new way. Researchers may also find that multiple theoretical frameworks are necessary to frame and explore a problem, as different frameworks can provide different insights into a problem.

Finally, it is important to recognize that choosing “x” theoretical framework does not necessarily mean a researcher chooses “y” methodology and so on, nor is there a clear-cut, linear process in selecting a theoretical framework for one’s study. In part, the nonlinear process of identifying a theoretical framework is what makes understanding and using theoretical frameworks challenging. For the novice scholar, contemplating and understanding theoretical frameworks is essential. Fortunately, there are articles and books that can help:

Creswell, J. W. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage. This book provides an overview of theoretical frameworks in general educational research.
Ding, L. (2019). Theoretical perspectives of quantitative physics education research. Physical Review Physics Education Research , 15 (2), 020101-1–020101-13. This paper illustrates how a DBER field can use theoretical frameworks.
Nehm, R. (2019). Biology education research: Building integrative frameworks for teaching and learning about living systems. Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research , 1 , ar15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43031-019-0017-6 . This paper articulates the need for studies in BER to explicitly state theoretical frameworks and provides examples of potential studies.
Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice . Sage. This book also provides an overview of theoretical frameworks, but for both research and evaluation.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS

Purpose of a conceptual framework.

A conceptual framework is a description of the way a researcher understands the factors and/or variables that are involved in the study and their relationships to one another. The purpose of a conceptual framework is to articulate the concepts under study using relevant literature ( Rocco and Plakhotnik, 2009 ) and to clarify the presumed relationships among those concepts ( Rocco and Plakhotnik, 2009 ; Anfara and Mertz, 2014 ). Conceptual frameworks are different from theoretical frameworks in both their breadth and grounding in established findings. Whereas a theoretical framework articulates the lens through which a researcher views the work, the conceptual framework is often more mechanistic and malleable.

Conceptual frameworks are broader, encompassing both established theories (i.e., theoretical frameworks) and the researchers’ own emergent ideas. Emergent ideas, for example, may be rooted in informal and/or unpublished observations from experience. These emergent ideas would not be considered a “theory” if they are not yet tested, supported by systematically collected evidence, and peer reviewed. However, they do still play an important role in the way researchers approach their studies. The conceptual framework allows authors to clearly describe their emergent ideas so that connections among ideas in the study and the significance of the study are apparent to readers.

Constructing Conceptual Frameworks

Including a conceptual framework in a research study is important, but researchers often opt to include either a conceptual or a theoretical framework. Either may be adequate, but both provide greater insight into the research approach. For instance, a research team plans to test a novel component of an existing theory. In their study, they describe the existing theoretical framework that informs their work and then present their own conceptual framework. Within this conceptual framework, specific topics portray emergent ideas that are related to the theory. Describing both frameworks allows readers to better understand the researchers’ assumptions, orientations, and understanding of concepts being investigated. For example, Connolly et al. (2018) included a conceptual framework that described how they applied a theoretical framework of social cognitive career theory (SCCT) to their study on teaching programs for doctoral students. In their conceptual framework, the authors described SCCT, explained how it applied to the investigation, and drew upon results from previous studies to justify the proposed connections between the theory and their emergent ideas.

In some cases, authors may be able to sufficiently describe their conceptualization of the phenomenon under study in an introduction alone, without a separate conceptual framework section. However, incomplete descriptions of how the researchers conceptualize the components of the study may limit the significance of the study by making the research less intelligible to readers. This is especially problematic when studying topics in which researchers use the same terms for different constructs or different terms for similar and overlapping constructs (e.g., inquiry, teacher beliefs, pedagogical content knowledge, or active learning). Authors must describe their conceptualization of a construct if the research is to be understandable and useful.

There are some key areas to consider regarding the inclusion of a conceptual framework in a study. To begin with, it is important to recognize that conceptual frameworks are constructed by the researchers conducting the study ( Rocco and Plakhotnik, 2009 ; Maxwell, 2012 ). This is different from theoretical frameworks that are often taken from established literature. Researchers should bring together ideas from the literature, but they may be influenced by their own experiences as a student and/or instructor, the shared experiences of others, or thought experiments as they construct a description, model, or representation of their understanding of the phenomenon under study. This is an exercise in intellectual organization and clarity that often considers what is learned, known, and experienced. The conceptual framework makes these constructs explicitly visible to readers, who may have different understandings of the phenomenon based on their prior knowledge and experience. There is no single method to go about this intellectual work.

Reeves et al. (2016) is an example of an article that proposed a conceptual framework about graduate teaching assistant professional development evaluation and research. The authors used existing literature to create a novel framework that filled a gap in current research and practice related to the training of graduate teaching assistants. This conceptual framework can guide the systematic collection of data by other researchers because the framework describes the relationships among various factors that influence teaching and learning. The Reeves et al. (2016) conceptual framework may be modified as additional data are collected and analyzed by other researchers. This is not uncommon, as conceptual frameworks can serve as catalysts for concerted research efforts that systematically explore a phenomenon (e.g., Reynolds et al. , 2012 ; Brownell and Kloser, 2015 ).

Sabel et al. (2017) used a conceptual framework in their exploration of how scaffolds, an external factor, interact with internal factors to support student learning. Their conceptual framework integrated principles from two theoretical frameworks, self-regulated learning and metacognition, to illustrate how the research team conceptualized students’ use of scaffolds in their learning ( Figure 1 ). Sabel et al. (2017) created this model using their interpretations of these two frameworks in the context of their teaching.

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Conceptual framework from Sabel et al. (2017) .

A conceptual framework should describe the relationship among components of the investigation ( Anfara and Mertz, 2014 ). These relationships should guide the researcher’s methods of approaching the study ( Miles et al. , 2014 ) and inform both the data to be collected and how those data should be analyzed. Explicitly describing the connections among the ideas allows the researcher to justify the importance of the study and the rigor of the research design. Just as importantly, these frameworks help readers understand why certain components of a system were not explored in the study. This is a challenge in education research, which is rooted in complex environments with many variables that are difficult to control.

For example, Sabel et al. (2017) stated: “Scaffolds, such as enhanced answer keys and reflection questions, can help students and instructors bridge the external and internal factors and support learning” (p. 3). They connected the scaffolds in the study to the three dimensions of metacognition and the eventual transformation of existing ideas into new or revised ideas. Their framework provides a rationale for focusing on how students use two different scaffolds, and not on other factors that may influence a student’s success (self-efficacy, use of active learning, exam format, etc.).

In constructing conceptual frameworks, researchers should address needed areas of study and/or contradictions discovered in literature reviews. By attending to these areas, researchers can strengthen their arguments for the importance of a study. For instance, conceptual frameworks can address how the current study will fill gaps in the research, resolve contradictions in existing literature, or suggest a new area of study. While a literature review describes what is known and not known about the phenomenon, the conceptual framework leverages these gaps in describing the current study ( Maxwell, 2012 ). In the example of Sabel et al. (2017) , the authors indicated there was a gap in the literature regarding how scaffolds engage students in metacognition to promote learning in large classes. Their study helps fill that gap by describing how scaffolds can support students in the three dimensions of metacognition: intelligibility, plausibility, and wide applicability. In another example, Lane (2016) integrated research from science identity, the ethic of care, the sense of belonging, and an expertise model of student success to form a conceptual framework that addressed the critiques of other frameworks. In a more recent example, Sbeglia et al. (2021) illustrated how a conceptual framework influences the methodological choices and inferences in studies by educational researchers.

Sometimes researchers draw upon the conceptual frameworks of other researchers. When a researcher’s conceptual framework closely aligns with an existing framework, the discussion may be brief. For example, Ghee et al. (2016) referred to portions of SCCT as their conceptual framework to explain the significance of their work on students’ self-efficacy and career interests. Because the authors’ conceptualization of this phenomenon aligned with a previously described framework, they briefly mentioned the conceptual framework and provided additional citations that provided more detail for the readers.

Within both the BER and the broader DBER communities, conceptual frameworks have been used to describe different constructs. For example, some researchers have used the term “conceptual framework” to describe students’ conceptual understandings of a biological phenomenon. This is distinct from a researcher’s conceptual framework of the educational phenomenon under investigation, which may also need to be explicitly described in the article. Other studies have presented a research logic model or flowchart of the research design as a conceptual framework. These constructions can be quite valuable in helping readers understand the data-collection and analysis process. However, a model depicting the study design does not serve the same role as a conceptual framework. Researchers need to avoid conflating these constructs by differentiating the researchers’ conceptual framework that guides the study from the research design, when applicable.

Explicitly describing conceptual frameworks is essential in depicting the focus of the study. We have found that being explicit in a conceptual framework means using accepted terminology, referencing prior work, and clearly noting connections between terms. This description can also highlight gaps in the literature or suggest potential contributions to the field of study. A well-elucidated conceptual framework can suggest additional studies that may be warranted. This can also spur other researchers to consider how they would approach the examination of a phenomenon and could result in a revised conceptual framework.

It can be challenging to create conceptual frameworks, but they are important. Below are two resources that could be helpful in constructing and presenting conceptual frameworks in educational research:

Maxwell, J. A. (2012). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach (3rd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage. Chapter 3 in this book describes how to construct conceptual frameworks.
Ravitch, S. M., & Riggan, M. (2016). Reason & rigor: How conceptual frameworks guide research . Los Angeles, CA: Sage. This book explains how conceptual frameworks guide the research questions, data collection, data analyses, and interpretation of results.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

Literature reviews, theoretical frameworks, and conceptual frameworks are all important in DBER and BER. Robust literature reviews reinforce the importance of a study. Theoretical frameworks connect the study to the base of knowledge in educational theory and specify the researcher’s assumptions. Conceptual frameworks allow researchers to explicitly describe their conceptualization of the relationships among the components of the phenomenon under study. Table 1 provides a general overview of these components in order to assist biology education researchers in thinking about these elements.

It is important to emphasize that these different elements are intertwined. When these elements are aligned and complement one another, the study is coherent, and the study findings contribute to knowledge in the field. When literature reviews, theoretical frameworks, and conceptual frameworks are disconnected from one another, the study suffers. The point of the study is lost, suggested findings are unsupported, or important conclusions are invisible to the researcher. In addition, this misalignment may be costly in terms of time and money.

Conducting a literature review, selecting a theoretical framework, and building a conceptual framework are some of the most difficult elements of a research study. It takes time to understand the relevant research, identify a theoretical framework that provides important insights into the study, and formulate a conceptual framework that organizes the finding. In the research process, there is often a constant back and forth among these elements as the study evolves. With an ongoing refinement of the review of literature, clarification of the theoretical framework, and articulation of a conceptual framework, a sound study can emerge that makes a contribution to the field. This is the goal of BER and education research.

Supplementary Material

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Please note you do not have access to teaching notes, the current state of integrating equity, diversity and inclusion into knowledge mobilization: a systematic literature review.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

ISSN : 2040-7149

Article publication date: 15 August 2024

The purpose of this paper is to systematically review and analyze the academic literature on integrating equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) into knowledge mobilization (KMb).

Design/methodology/approach

This systematic literature review of the body of scholarly literature published on integrating EDI with KMb follows established methods and protocols proposed by Popay et al . (2006) and Page et al . (2021). Using a relevant keyword string, a search was conducted in ProQuest and SCOPUS to find peer-reviewed articles, which were then screened using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Finally, inductive and deductive analyses were conducted on the selected articles.

The findings suggest that most of the authors are based in the Global North, the majority of literature was published in the last two years, and that it is conceptual. This synthesis highlights five solution-oriented themes: acknowledging inherent bias, centering marginalized groups, promoting responsible knowledge mobilization, establishing partnerships, and advocating for transformational and systemic change. This study also identifies four broad barriers: inherent, unconscious, and implicit biases, a lack of evidence-based best practices, siloing of research and information, and a lack of institutional support and resources. Findings also highlight the value of further research into barriers, gaps and opportunities.

Originality/value

By studying the intersection of EDI and KMb, this contemporary synthesis of the state of the field presents opportunities for future research into gaps, barriers and potential solutions.

Knowledge dissemination
Knowledge sharing
Inclusive engagement
Co-production
Co-creation
Science communication
Citizen science
Participatory action research (PAR)

Cornelius-Hernandez, T. and Clarke, A. (2024), "The current state of integrating equity, diversity and inclusion into knowledge mobilization: a systematic literature review", Equality, Diversity and Inclusion , Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-04-2023-0134

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Electric vehicle adoption: a comprehensive systematic review of technological, environmental, organizational and policy impacts.

1. Introduction

2. methodology.

Literature Retrieval: We conducted a comprehensive search in the Scopus database using a specific set of keywords to identify publications relevant to EV adoption. The search, adhering to PRISMA 2020 guidelines, was completed in August 2024. The search strategy was designed to cover the literature on EV adoption comprehensively, using a targeted query in the Scopus database. Our search string was: (“electric vehicle*” OR “EV” OR “EVs”) AND (“fleet electrification” OR “fleet management” OR “fleet operations” OR “Emission Reductions” OR “Adoption of EVs”) AND (“sustainability” OR “organizational performance” OR “Key Performance Indicators” OR “KPI” OR “energy consumption” OR “cost savings” OR “renewable energy utilization”). We restricted our search to English-language, peer-reviewed journal articles published from 2019 to 2024, ensuring a focus on the most recent and relevant research. The keywords were carefully selected to cover the complex dimensions of EV adoption research. “Electric vehicle*” and its variants broadly define the scope, while terms like “fleet electrification”, “management”, and “operations” delve into organizational impacts. Environmental effects are captured by “Emission Reductions” and “sustainability”, whereas “Organizational performance”, “KPI”, and similar phrases focus on the technological and performance-related aspects essential for understanding EV adoption’s broader implications. We chose Scopus as our primary database due to its comprehensive coverage across diverse research fields such as engineering, environmental science, and business. This strategy led to the retrieval of 802 papers, reflecting current trends and significant interest in the multifaceted impacts of EV adoption.
Literature Screening: Adhering to PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we meticulously reviewed the retrieved literature to ensure relevance and quality. Initial filtering based on publication year (2019–2024) reduced the pool to 498 papers, reflecting a surge in EV adoption research. Further refinement to include only English-language journal articles narrowed it down to 312 papers. Next, we reviewed the titles and abstracts of the remaining papers, narrowing our selection to 130 studies closely aligned with our focus on the integration of EVs with sustainability and organizational strategy. We applied strict exclusion criteria to ensure the included studies comprehensively addressed the impact of EV adoption on organizational performance, technological innovation, and sustainable infrastructure, excluding those that solely focused on the technical aspects of EVs without considering these broader impacts. The flow diagram of the search and selection process is shown in Figure 3 .

2.1. Selection Process

2.2. data collection process, 2.3. data items and outcomes sought.

Environment: Focus on GHG emissions, air quality improvements, and lifecycle environmental impacts.
Organizations: Examination of economic viability, energy efficiency, and market dynamics affected by EV adoption.
Technology: Analysis of advancements in battery technologies, energy storage solutions, and smart charging strategies.
Policy: Assessment of policy frameworks, regulatory impacts, and strategic recommendations to encourage EV adoption.
Participant Characteristics: Information about the organizations and sectors involved in adopting EVs, focusing on the scope of adoption and types of fleets, such as public transport and commercial fleets.
Intervention Characteristics: Details concerning technological and operational interventions, including the use of specific EV models, charging infrastructures, and battery management strategies.
Geographical Distribution: Analysis of regional data to understand the geographical spread and contextual impacts of EV adoption.
Data Completeness: The bibliometric data from Scopus were assumed to be complete and accurate.
Software Reliability: VOSviewer software was assumed to be reliable in producing precise visualization maps and identifying key terms.
Impact of Missing Data: Missing or unclear information was assumed not to significantly affect the overall analysis, with efforts made to clarify or supplement such data as needed.

3. Bibliometric Analysis

3.1. co-occurrence map based on text data, 3.2. co-occurrences map based on keywords, 3.3. co-occurrence map based on country of co-authorship, 3.4. co-occurrence map based on authorship, 3.5. data analysis on article sources, 4. content analysis, 4.1. impacts of ev adoption on energy, economy, and market dynamics, 4.1.1. energy efficiency and consumption, 4.1.2. analysis of energy efficiency and consumption.

Vehicle Type	Energy Consumption (Wh/pkm or MJ/km)	Conventional Vehicle Energy Consumption	Energy Savings (%)
Electric Two-Wheeler	28.67 Wh/pkm [ ]	Scooter: 139.26 Wh/pkm, Motorcycle: 155.93 Wh/pkm [ ]	80–85%
Electric Three-Wheeler	43.25 Wh/pkm [ ]	LPG Auto: 230.21 Wh/pkm, Diesel Auto: 181.40 Wh/pkm [ ]	76–81%
Full EVs (Four-Wheelers)	166 Wh/km (Nissan Leaf) [ ]	2024 Nissan Sentra: around 264 Wh/km (34 miles per gallon) [ ]	around 37%
LCVs	Mercedes-Benz eVito Tourer Long 90 kWh: 194–391 Wh/km (depends on weather and driving conditions) [ ]	Mercedes-Benz Vito 119 CDI: 660 Wh/km (21.48 liters/100 km) [ ]	up to 70%
HCV	Volvo FH Electric: 1.1 kWh/km (1100 Wh/km) [ ]	Volvo FH Diesel: 2148 Wh/km (21.48 liters/100 km) [ ]	48.8%

Impact of Power Generation Mix: The environmental benefits of EVs, particularly in terms of CO 2 emissions, are significantly influenced by the electricity generation mix. For instance, BEVs in regions with a high proportion of renewable energy sources exhibit lower lifecycle CO 2 (LCCO 2 ) emissions compared to ICEVs. In Norway, where the electricity is predominantly generated from hydropower, BEVs have much lower LCCO 2 emissions than ICEVs [ 35 ]. Conversely, in China, where coal is a major source of electricity, BEVs may have higher LCCO 2 emissions than efficient ICEVs like the Honda Insight [ 36 ]. Table 7 presents an illustrative example of LCCO 2 emissions by region and vehicle type.
Analysis of Energy Savings and CO 2 Reduction: BEVs with an energy consumption rate (ECR) of 10 kWh/100 km can meet the EU 2020 CO 2 regulations if the power generation mix LCCO 2 is around 900 g/kWh. For BEVs with an ECR of 20 kWh/100 km, the power generation mix must have LCCO 2 below 460 g/kWh to meet the same regulations [ 37 ]. Moreover, BEVs in high-mileage applications, such as ride-hailing fleets, could require 1–1.5 battery replacements over a 12-year vehicle life, impacting their overall environmental performance [ 38 ].

4.1.3. Impact of EVs on the Economy

4.1.4. strategic insights and market dynamics in ev adoption, 4.2. impact of electric transportation on the energy sector: focus on the petroleum industry, 4.3. environmental impact of ev adoption, 4.3.1. overview of carbon emissions reduction in vehicle types and technologies, 4.3.2. regional and global impacts of ev adoption, 4.3.3. analysis of carbon emissions reduction in vehicle types and technologies, 4.3.4. lifecycle environmental impacts, 4.3.5. contribution of co 2 and energy consumption in recycling ev batteries, 4.3.6. impact of tires on carbon footprint in evs.

Carbon Black vs. Silica: LCAs reveal that silica-based tires emit approximately 11,639.36 kg CO 2 eq per ton, which is a reduction of 526.78 kg CO 2 eq compared to all-carbon black systems. This transition not only reduces the Global Warming Potential (GWP) by about 4.3% but also enhances the performance of tires in terms of lower rolling resistance and better wet grip [ 120 ].
Cumulative Energy Demand (CED): Traditional tires exhibit higher energy consumption due to inefficient material use. Conversely, ecological tires made with silica have a lower energy demand, benefiting from more sustainable manufacturing processes that further contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of EVs [ 121 ].
Carbon Black vs. Graphene: Integrating graphene into tire production can decrease carbon emissions by up to 23.46% when graphene fully replaces carbon black. This potential reduction is pivotal, considering that the raw material stage of production, where carbon black is heavily used, contributes most significantly to the overall emissions. By substituting carbon black with 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% graphene, the emissions can be reduced by 5.92%, 11.62%, 17.76%, and 23.46%, respectively. Remarkably, graphene can reduce the emissions of the carbon black component itself by up to 98.81% [ 122 ].
Tire Emission Control: Advanced control strategies have been developed to reduce tire emissions in EVs effectively. For instance, the implementation of tire particle control strategies can decrease particulate emissions by over 90% while ensuring ride comfort. This reduction is critical for mitigating microplastic pollution and reducing the indirect environmental impacts of EVs [ 123 ].

4.4. Technological and Operational Challenges in EV Integration

4.4.1. battery technologies and energy storage solutions, 4.4.2. strategies for recycling batteries and recovering cobalt and lithium, 4.4.3. ev charging strategies and technologies, 4.4.4. managing and optimizing ev charging infrastructure, 4.4.5. software solutions for ev fleet management, 4.5. policy recommendations and future directions, 4.5.1. comprehensive policy frameworks, 4.5.2. specific policy studies, 4.5.3. systemic and regulatory impacts, 4.5.4. summary of research, 5. conclusions and future research, 5.1. key findings.

Technological Advancements: EV technology is advancing steadily. Improvements in battery life, charging infrastructure, and energy efficiency are driving adoption rates. However, ongoing innovation and investment are crucial to address challenges like limited battery range and the need for more robust charging networks.
Policy and Regulatory Frameworks: Strong policy support is crucial for accelerating EV adoption. Effective strategies include incentives, subsidies, and clear regulatory frameworks. While these approaches have successfully stimulated market expansion in various regions, their varying effectiveness underscores the need for tailored policies that consider local market conditions and technological maturity.
Economic and Organizational Impacts: Despite higher upfront costs compared to traditional vehicles, EVs offer potential lifecycle cost savings. Organizations, especially those with large fleets, can benefit from these cost efficiencies, improved fleet management capabilities, and a more sustainable corporate image.
Environmental Benefits: The shift to EVs, especially when coupled with a transition to renewable energy sources, significantly reduces GHG emissions. Additionally, EVs contribute to improved urban air quality and noise reduction, creating a healthier urban environment.
Challenges and Barriers: Despite clear advantages, challenges remain that impede broader EV adoption. These include the high initial cost of EVs, limitations in battery technology and charging infrastructure, and the cultural and behavioral changes needed to adapt to electric mobility.

5.2. Future Research Directions

Long-term Sustainability Assessments: Comprehensive LCAs considering the environmental impact of battery production and disposal are crucial for understanding EVs’ long-term sustainability.
Technological Integration: Research is needed to explore how EV technology can seamlessly integrate with smart grids and renewable energy systems. Focusing on technological integration can enhance overall sustainability and energy efficiency.
Economic Analyses: Detailed cost-benefit analyses comparing EVs with traditional vehicles across various operational scenarios and market conditions are necessary. These studies can inform economic forecasts and support the development of robust business models for EV adoption.
Behavioral Studies: Insights into consumer behavior and organizational change management can assist in designing effective policies and business strategies. Understanding these factors can help stakeholders create incentives and approaches that encourage broader EV adoption.
Policy Evolution: As the market for EVs evolves, so must the policies that support their adoption. Continuous monitoring and evaluation of existing policies, along with the development of new strategies to address emerging challenges, are crucial for maintaining momentum and overcoming future hurdles.
Global Comparative Studies: Expanding research to include more comparative studies across different countries and regions can provide deeper insights into the global landscape of EV adoption. Examining variables that influence adoption rates in diverse contexts can inform the development of universally applicable strategies.

5.3. Limitations

5.4. conclusions, author contributions, data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

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Click here to enlarge figure

Rank	Term	Occurrences	Relevance
1	Shared Electric Bicycles (SEB)	10	2.63
2	China	18	2.51
3	Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV)	12	1.99
4	Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles (ICEV)	20	1.67
5	Government	18	1.67
6	Carbon Emissions	45	1.57
7	Algorithm	30	1.36
8	Strategy	40	1.31
9	Framework	22	1.29
10	Challenge	19	1.24

Rank	Keyword	Occurrences	Total Link Strength
1	Electric vehicles	76	497
2	Fleet operations	53	358
3	Energy consumption	44	286
4	Sustainability	36	228
5	Charging (batteries)	29	206
6	Transportation	25	205
7	Carbon emissions	26	199
8	Economic analysis	24	197
9	Secondary batteries	25	191
10	Emissions control	24	176

Rank	Country	Documents	Citations	Total Link Strength
1	United States	24	272	12
2	China	24	325	9
3	Germany	8	166	5
4	Netherlands	4	74	5
5	Australia	5	108	3
6	Spain	4	98	3
7	Poland	4	61	3
8	Turkey	4	48	2
9	United Kingdom	4	109	2
10	Italy	4	131	1

Rank	Author	Documents	Citations
1	Bie, Yiming	1	91
2	Chen, Wen	1	91
3	Hong, Jichao	1	91
4	Ji, Jinhua	1	91
5	Lin, Peng	1	91
6	Qu, Changhui	1	91
7	Qu, Xiaobo	1	91
8	Wang, Leyi	1	91
9	Wang, Xiangyu	1	91
10	Wang, Zhenpo	1	91

Ref.	Focus	Key Findings	Implications
[ ]	Modeling and analyzing energy efficiency of EVs vs. ICEVs in Malaysia using AIMSUN software.	Significant energy savings and cost efficiencies with EVs.	Strategic advantage for fleet electrification, reducing operational costs and environmental impact.
[ ]	Analyzed a year’s worth of data from an electrified transit fleet, focusing on bus speed and seasonal energy consumption changes.	Bus speed and seasonal changes significantly influence BEV energy consumption.	Optimizing energy costs by adapting operations to seasonal variations enhances fleet electrification’s economic viability.
[ ]	Explored driver behavior patterns and route optimization for long-haul electric trucking.	Potential reductions in energy consumption and range anxiety.	Enhancing operational efficiency of electric trucks, paving the way for sustainable long-distance transportation.
[ ]	Investigated battery electric trucks for day trips in a department of transportation fleet.	High feasibility for completing day trips with battery electric trucks.	Potential for DOT fleet electrification, supporting sustainability goals without sacrificing operational efficiency.
[ ]	Developed an energy-optimized adaptive cruise control strategy for EVs at intersections.	Improved energy efficiency and traffic flow.	Technological advancements can reduce operational energy costs and contribute to sustainability objectives.

Region	ICEV Emissions (Tons)	BEV Emissions (Tons)	Comparison
Beijing	42.237	45.714	Emissions in BEV is than ICEV
Yunnan	30.280	11.962	Emissions in BEV is than ICEV

Ref.	Focus	Key Findings	Implications
[ ]	Optimizing electric bus fleet operations.	Efficiency gains and cost reductions.	Benefits for transit authorities and fleet managers.
[ ]	Evaluating electric van powertrains’ economic viability.	Cost-effective fleet composition.	Insights for logistics and transportation sectors.
[ ]	Assessing recharging business models for taxi fleets.	Viability of battery swapping and double-shift operations.	Cost benefits for the taxi industry.
[ ]	Developing energy consumption estimation models for EV fleets.	Operational cost reductions.	Tools for fleet managers to optimize operations.
[ ]	Evaluating BEVs in subarctic conditions.	Cost of ownership and battery performance impacts.	Considerations for EV adoption in various climates.
[ ]	Exploring feasibility of long-haul electric trucks.	Challenges and requirements.	Insights for logistics operations.
[ ]	Impact of driver behavior on energy consumption and costs.	Significant impact of behavior.	Importance of human factors in economic analysis.
[ ]	Analyzing trends in EV charging demand.	Demand for faster charging solutions.	Implications for energy consumption and infrastructure.
[ ]	Adaptive pricing strategy for EV charging.	Potential for grid efficiency.	Enhances grid efficiency and economic benefits.
[ ]	Dynamic pricing for EV charging.	Benefits of aligning pricing with energy and traffic conditions.	Supports renewable energy integration and traffic management.
[ ]	Policy influence on BEV adoption rates.	Critical role of infrastructure support and subsidies.	Importance of comprehensive policy frameworks.

Ref.	Focus	Key Findings	Implications
[ ]	Using game theory to study the dynamics between electric and gasoline vehicles in South Korea.	Optimization strategies for taxes and subsidies.	Highlights the need for informed policy design.
[ ]	Examining diverse business models for EV commercialization.	Innovation and service orientation drive EV adoption.	Framework for enhancing EV market penetration.
[ ]	Investigating consumer attitudes towards EVs.	Digital features, financial incentives, and environmental awareness influence decisions.	Insights for boosting EV adoption through targeted marketing and policies.
[ ]	Effects of EV penetration on Thailand’s electricity systems.	Interaction between EV adoption and energy consumption patterns.	Implications for national energy planning and GHG emissions strategies.
[ ]	Exploring biofuels’ role alongside EV adoption in Norway.	Alternative strategies for achieving climate goals.	Advocates a multi-faceted approach including both EVs and biofuels.
[ ]	Assessing the sustainability impact of conventional vs. electric fleets in Spain.	Emissions implications of varying levels of EV penetration.	Tool for evaluating fleet transitions for policymakers and fleet managers.
[ ]	Operational dynamics of medium-duty EVs in urban delivery fleets.	Economic considerations and technological needs.	Insights for electric mobility transition and leveraging subsidies.
[ ]	Stock dynamics model for fleet electrification, shared mobility, and autonomous vehicles.	Impact on energy consumption and emissions in Switzerland.	Strategic planning insights for market adoption and behavioral implications of emerging mobility trends.

Ref.	Focus	Key Findings	Implications
[ ]	Investigating electric heavy-duty trucks within industrial settings.	Substantial emissions reductions and efficiency gains.	Actionable insights for greening operations through EV integration.
[ ]	Evaluating the electrification of app-based taxi fleets in Delhi.	Notable environmental and economic gains.	Compelling case for urban mobility systems to transition towards EVs.
[ ]	Comparing vehicle technologies for taxis in Hong Kong.	EVs offer a cost-effective route to reducing carbon emissions.	Importance of selecting the right EV technologies for transport organizations.
[ ]	Evaluating the decarbonization potential of electric buses in Turkey’s urban transport.	Electrification as a profitable and sustainable approach.	Insights for integrating EVs into public transport systems.
[ ]	Analyzing city buses with various energy storage systems.	Finds EVs the most efficient, emphasizing potential for emission reductions.	Importance of EVs for sustainable public transport improvements.
[ ]	Introducing an innovative route optimization model for electric garbage trucks in Istanbul.	Valuable insights into reducing energy consumption and environmental impact.	Route optimization as a strategic tool for electric fleet management.
[ ]	Evaluating energy consumption and CO emissions of various powertrains under real-world driving conditions in Northern Thailand.	BEVs exhibited superior efficiency.	Significant influence of regional driving characteristics on the environmental benefits of EV adoption.
[ ]	Assessing the potential of BEPVs in China for electricity conservation and carbon emissions reduction.	Strong emissions reduction potential of BEPVs.	Compelling argument for integrating EVs into sustainability strategies.
[ ]	Developing an urban-scale carbon emissions estimation model based on real-world ride-hailing EV data.	Improves emissions accounting and showcases operational efficiencies.	Methodology for optimizing the environmental performance of EV fleets.

Ref.	Focus	Key Findings	Implications
[ ]	CO mitigation in China’s Yangtze River Delta.	Significant CO and health benefits.	Supports region-specific sustainable practices.
[ ]	Carbon footprint reductions in Qatar’s gas-based grid.	Substantial transportation carbon footprint cuts.	Stresses the role of government incentives in similar contexts.
[ ]	Fleet electrification in Greek urban areas.	Notable environmental and social benefits.	Advocates electrification for urban sustainability.
[ ]	Electric vs. fossil-fueled vehicles in urban delivery.	EVs are advantageous in urban delivery.	Highlights EVs’ role in urban sustainability.
[ ]	Forecasting new energy vehicle ownership in China.	EV adoption impacts the decarbonization of transport.	Necessitates strategic policies for sustainable mobility.
[ ]	GLOSA tech in PHEVs.	Technological advancements cut energy use and emissions.	Integrating smart tech with EVs amplifies benefits.
[ ]	EV rollout in China via integrated model.	Significant CO reductions with minimal economic impact.	Highlights EV adoption’s potential for sectoral emissions cuts.
[ ]	Integrating truck–drone delivery systems.	Significant last-mile emissions reductions.	Drones with EVs enhance delivery sustainability.
[ ]	Forecasting EV sales in Portugal and grid impact.	Peak power demand challenges.	EV adoption needs careful infrastructure planning.
[ ]	EV vans in Great Britain: CO /NOx reductions and savings.	Significant emissions cuts and economic savings.	Advocates rapid electric van transition for sustainability.

Lifecycle Stage	Nissan Leaf EV	Nissan ICE Vehicle (e.g., Nissan Sentra)	Notes
Production	Higher CO , water use, harmful substances, and electric energy.	Lower CO , water use, harmful substances, and electric energy.	EV production is more resource-intensive due to battery materials like nickel, manganese, cobalt.
Operation	Higher energy use; 3.21 tons CO /year; more harmful substances.	Lower energy use; 3.75 tons CO /year; fewer harmful substances.	EVs use more energy due to inefficiencies but emit less CO during use; ICE vehicles are more efficient but emit more CO .
Natural Resources	Six times more resources needed.	Significantly fewer resources needed.	EV production demands more natural resources, increasing its environmental footprint.
Waste Products	More industrial waste generated.	Less industrial waste generated.	EVs produce more waste during production due to the use of ores with low metal content.
Overall Environmental	Higher production burden, lower operational burden.	Lower production burden, higher operational burden.	EVs have a higher impact during production but lower during operation; the overall impact depends on the lifecycle stage balance.

Ref.	Focus	Key Findings	Implications
[ ]	Lifecycle energy use and GHG emissions of various vehicle types in China, highlighting EV battery production impacts.	Overall environmental benefits of EVs, especially with cleaner electricity.	Insights on lifecycle impacts and sustainability for China’s transport sector.
[ ]	Lifecycle environmental impacts of fleet electrification on asphalt concrete pavement in the U.S.	Expands LCA to include infrastructure sustainability.	Highlights the link between vehicle technology and infrastructure sustainability.
[ ]	Comparing lifecycle impacts of different bus technologies in Bolzano, Italy.	Electric buses reduce non-renewable energy demand and global warming potential.	Benefits of electric buses for sustainable urban mobility.
[ ]	LCA of shared electric bicycles in China.	Significant net GHG reduction benefits, with efficient recycling practices.	Indicates that shared electric bicycles can aid urban sustainability, important for shared mobility ecosystems.
[ ]	LCA of various vehicle technologies in India.	Emissions reductions from electrification depend on regional energy grid composition.	Need for strategic EV implementation considering local energy contexts, offering insights for policymakers.
[ ]	Assessing emissions impact of various vehicle types in China using LCA.	EVs significantly reduce CO emissions, especially with more renewable energy.	Insights for understanding the environmental benefits of transitioning to electric mobility.
[ ]	Comparative analysis of EVs and ICEVs in the US, focusing on battery degradation over time.	Provides a nuanced view of EVs’ environmental and economic benefits.	Informs stakeholders about EV performance complexities, aiding data-driven vehicle selection decisions.

Aspect	Pyrometallurgical	Hydrometallurgical	Direct Physical	Charging Infrastructure
Process	High-temp processing	Chemical leaching	Direct separation	Level 1, 2, DC fast chargers
Energy Use	7.64 kWh/pack [ ]	7.76 kWh/pack [ ]	Not specified (experimental)	1 kW (L1), 3.3–19.2 kW (L2), 50–350 kW (DC) [ ]
CO Emissions	0.224 kg CO /pack [ ]	Not specified	37.2 kg CO -eq/kWh [ ]	Varies by energy mix; higher in fossil fuel-dominant regions [ ]
Environmental Impact	2.17 × 10 (normalized) [ ]	−1.50 × 10 (normalized) [ ]	32% lower than traditional [ ]	Significant from manufacturing, operation, disposal [ ]
Advantages	High economic value	Less energy-intensive, fewer emissions	High potential for emission reduction	Quick charging (DC)
Disadvantages	High GHG emissions, energy-intensive	Toxic waste	Experimental, not for large-scale	High material and energy inputs
Charging Time	N/A	N/A	N/A	40–50 h (L1), 4–10 h (L2), 20 min–1 h (DC) [ ]
Mitigation Strategies	Improve recycling tech, use renewable energy	Renewable energy, better waste management	Tech advancements, scaling up	Solar-powered stations, renewable integration

Material Comparison	Description	GWP of Traditional Tires (kg CO eq)	GWP of Ecological Tires (kg CO eq)	CO Reduction (kg CO eq)	Cumulative Energy Demand	Notes	Source
Carbon Black vs. Silica	Lifecycle comparison of carbon black and silica in tires	12,166.14	11,639.36	526.78	Lower with silica	Silica tires reduce rolling resistance and energy use.	[ ]
Carbon Black vs. Graphene	Replacing carbon black with graphene in tire production	Similar to carbon black	Up to 23.46% reduction with full replacement	Depends on replacement level	Lower with graphene	Graphene improves strength, thermal conductivity, and tire performance.	[ ]
Tire Emission Control Strategy	Strategy to minimize tire wear emissions in EVs	Not applicable	Not applicable	Over 90% reduction in particulates	Not directly affected	Strategy improves comfort while reducing emissions.	[ ]

Ref.	Focus	Key Findings	Implications
[ ]	Battery swap technology (BST) adoption in China; user attitudes and safety concerns.	BST alleviates range anxiety.	Recommends policies to foster BST adoption for enhanced operational efficiency and user satisfaction.
[ ]	EV routing approach incorporating battery health, addressing degradation and state of charge.	Nuanced solution to routing by considering battery health.	Supports fleet longevity and reliability, aligning with sustainable operational goals.
[ ]	Predictive model for battery electric bus energy consumption; vehicular, operational, topological, and external parameters.	Optimized routing and operational strategies for greater energy efficiency.	Assists transit planners and fleet managers in designing sustainable and efficient urban transit networks.
[ ]	Deep learning for precise battery State of Health estimation under varying conditions.	Enhances safety and reliability of EV usage.	Vital for maintaining EV performance and lifecycle sustainability.
[ ]	Viability of electric heavy-duty vehicles in Icelandic conditions.	Insights into infrastructural needs for wide-scale adoption.	Highlights tailored solutions for cold climates to promote EV integration.

Ref.	Focus	Key Findings	Implications
[ ]	Integration of renewable energy sources into EV charging stations; strategic placement.	Highlights role in bolstering sustainability of EV ecosystems.	Aligns with global renewable energy goals.
[ ]	Optimization framework for EV charge scheduling.	Enhances energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness.	Emphasizes smart charging strategies for scalability and grid stability.
[ ]	Smart charging coordination framework using AI.	Improves efficiency and grid stability.	Demonstrates AI’s transformative potential in EV charging.
[ ]	V2G integration in EV sharing systems with stochastic optimization.	Enhances profitability and socio-environmental outcomes.	Highlights V2G’s potential to improve economic and environmental efficiency.
[ ]	Comprehensive review of EV fast-charging technologies and infrastructure under various conditions.	Strategic insights into charging infrastructure efficiency.	Critical need for adaptable charging technologies for cost and performance optimization.
[ ]	Tool for assessing the load shifting capabilities of EVs.	Facilitates the exploration of flexible charging opportunities.	EV fleets contribute to grid stability and energy efficiency.

Ref.	Focus	Key Findings	Implications
[ ]	Strategic fleet electrification planning integrating vehicle adoption and infrastructure.	Highlights economic and environmental benefits of coordinated efforts.	Crucial for organizations transitioning fleets to electric.
[ ]	Optimal scheduling balancing efficiency and infrastructure strain.	Model minimizes peak charging demand.	Balances technological advances with practical EV integration.
[ ]	Tailored charging for electric buses optimizing efficiency under constraints.	Personalized strategies enhance public transport efficiency.	Custom solutions boost public transport efficiency.
[ ]	Data-driven insights for tuning corporate EV fleet charging strategies.	Guides planning via analytics.	Emphasizes data in sustainable electrification strategies.
[ ]	Solutions for routing and charging in mixed fleets.	Optimizes logistics and charging tactics.	Addresses the complexities of integrating EVs in logistics.
[ ]	Operational implications of electric buses with different charging infrastructures.	Assists public transit authorities in decision-making.	Critical for advancing sustainable urban mobility.
[ ]	Integrated energy management strategy for EVs and power grid interaction.	Optimizes costs and energy use.	Highlights EVs’ positive contributions to energy systems.
[ ]	Scheduling strategy for electric buses considering travel times and energy needs.	Enhances efficiency and reduces transit delays.	Improves public transport fleet management.
[ ]	Environmental impacts of various EV charging behaviors.	Emission reduction through strategic scheduling.	Advocates charging alignment with cleaner power periods.
[ ]	Unsupervised learning for optimal placement of smart charging stations.	Enhances strategic infrastructure planning.	Supports urban planning integration of charging solutions.
[ ]	Multi-agent deep deterministic policy gradient (MADDPG) for EV charging station recommendations.	Streamlines charging process and optimizes travel time in smart environments.	Supports efficient urban mobility and smart city infrastructure development.
[ ]	Dynamic EV routing focused on mid-journey recharging needs.	Enhances routing efficiency.	Emphasizes need for adaptive urban electric mobility planning.
[ ]	Economic benefits of V2G technologies considering advanced battery models and price volatility.	Illustrates cost savings and operational benefits.	Highlights V2G’s role in economic and energy resilience.

Ref.	Focus	Key Findings	Implications
[ ]	Framework for managing electric drayage truck operations and charging at ports through dynamic programming.	Optimizes logistics and charging, reducing costs and boosting cargo efficiency.	Highlights smart software solutions’ potential in sustainable fleet management.
[ ]	Innovative routing approach for a heterogeneous electric taxi fleet to maximize profitability and consider charging needs.	Uses simulated annealing for scalability, enhancing operational efficiency and profitability.	Demonstrates the role of algorithmic strategies in sustainable urban mobility.
[ ]	Evolutionary algorithm for optimizing EV routing, addressing specific EV recharging needs.	Shows the efficiency of tailored software solutions for electric fleet management.	Points to more resilient and efficient urban transport systems.

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Case Report
Open access
Published: 14 August 2024

Tubal mesosalpinx cysts combined with adnexal torsion in adolescents: a report of two cases and review of the literature

Junzhuo Chen 1 ,
Changjun Li 2 ,
He Zhang 3 ,
Dongqi Li 2 &
Wei Wang 1

BMC Pediatrics volume 24 , Article number: 525 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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Tubal mesosalpinx cysts are paratubal cysts, that account for approximately 10% of adnexal masses, and the presence of these cysts combined with adnexal torsion is a rare acute abdominal condition, with few cases reported in the literature. We reported two cases of adolescent tubal mesosalpinx cysts combined with adnexal torsion and reviewed the literature to help improve the diagnosis of the disease.

Case reports

The first patient was an 11-year-old girl with left lower abdominal pain for 5 days and fever with nausea and vomiting for 3 days, who was found to have a cystic pelvic mass on preoperative imaging and was diagnosed intraoperatively and postoperatively on pathology as having a left tubal mesosalpinx cyst combined with adnexal torsion. The second patient was a 13-year-old girl with right lower abdominal pain for 16 h and a palpable mass in the lower and middle abdomen on examination, which was hard and tender to palpate. Preoperative imaging revealed a large cystic mass in the right adnexal region, and intraoperative and postoperative pathology revealed a right tubal mesosalpinx cyst combined with adnexal torsion.

Conclusions

Tubal mesosalpinx cysts combined with adnexal torsion are rare causes of acute lower abdominal pain. Early diagnosis and timely surgery are necessary to ensure ovarian and tubal function. Accurate preoperative imaging diagnosis is challenging, and MRI is a beneficial supplement to ultrasound and CT examinations, providing more objective imaging information and reducing the incidence of adverse outcomes.

Peer Review reports

Tubal mesosalpinx cysts are paratubal cysts, that mostly occur in women of childbearing age and are rare in children and adolescent women [ 1 ]. It may lead to acute complications, such as rare adnexal torsion, which is more difficult to diagnose preoperatively. Adnexal torsion is the twisting of the adnexa around the infundibulopelvic ligament and the ovarian ligament. It is one of the gynecological acute abdominal conditions [ 2 , 3 ]. Adnexal torsion carries certain risks to future fertility, so early diagnosis and immediate intervention are necessary to ensure ovarian and tubal function in young female patients with adnexal torsion. However, due to the lack of specificity of its clinical manifestations, preoperative diagnosis of this disease is extremely difficult and it is often misdiagnosed, leading to delayed treatment [ 4 ]. We reported two cases of adolescent girls who were diagnosed with tubal mesosalpinx cysts combined with adnexal torsion and reviewed the literature to help improve the diagnosis of the disease.

An 11-year-old girl was admitted to the hospital with “left lower abdominal pain for 5 days and fever with nausea and vomiting for 3 days”. On physical examination, the abdomen appeared flat, the abdominal wall was soft, and there was tenderness and rebound pain in the left lower abdomen. Laboratory examination revealed a leukocyte count of 1.8 × 10 4 /L with no other abnormalities. The adolescent had her menarche half a month ago and experienced no menstrual pain.

Ultrasound revealed a cystic echo approximately 6.88cmx5.03 cm in the left adnexal region, with clear borders and regular morphology, and an enlarged and twisted ovary in front of the lesion on the same side, which is closely related to the cystic lesion, and the “ovarian crescent sign” [ 5 ] can be seen. CDFI showed no blood flow signal(Fig. 1 a). CT revealed a cystic lesion on the left side of the pelvis, measuring approximately 6.80 cm x 5.07 cm with a CT value of roughly 10 HU (Fig. 1 b and c). On MRI, the lesion displayed a low signal on T1WI and a high signal on T2WI. The boundary between the lesion and the left ovary was unclear. The left ovary exhibited swollen morphology and uneven density. The uterus showed external compressive changes and had a clear boundary with the cystic lesion (Fig. 1 d).

Imaging examination. ( a ) Ultrasound revealed a cystic echo (short arrow), poorly demarcated from the left ovary (slender arrow). ( b and c ) CT showed a round-like cystic lesion (short arrow) closely related to the left ovary (slender arrow), and the uterus (yellow arrow) showed extrinsic compressive changes. ( d ) The MRI sagittal view showed a round-like high signal (short arrow), and the lesion was poorly demarcated from the left ovary (slender arrow)

Surgery: Laparoscopic surgery was performed under general anesthesia. Intraoperatively, two trocars are placed lateral to the left rectus abdomins muscles, 2 cm above and 2 cm medial to the anterior superior iliac spine, respectively. Then, another trocar was placed at the right reverse McBurney’s point. It was found that the left adnexa was significantly enlarged with purplish-blue ischemic changes, and a cyst with a diameter of approximately 8 cm was observed in the left tubal tract area. The left fallopian tube and ovary twisted 2 turns along the infundibulopelvic ligament (Fig. 2 a and b). We repositioned the left adnexa, restored its blood supply. The ovary and the cyst were completely separated, and the cyst was completely stripped.

Operative findings during laparoscopy and postoperative pathological microscopic findings. ( a and b ) The left ovary appeared enlarged and purplish-blue (black arrow). The left fallopian tube (slender arrow) and ovary (black arrow) twisted 2 turns along the pelvic funnel ligament. A mesenteric cyst (short arrow) was observed adjacent to the left fallopian tube. ( c ) Postoperative pathological microscopic findings

Postoperative pathological microscopic findings: The specimen exhibited cystic wall-like tissue without clear overlying epithelium and significant hemorrhage within the wall, consistent with a cyst (Fig. 2 c).

A 13-year-old girl was admitted to the hospital with a complaint of “16 hours of pain in the lower right abdomen.” On physical examination, there was tenderness and rebound pain in the lower right abdomen, along with the detection of a mass measuring approximately 15.00 cm x 12.00 cm in the middle and lower abdomen. The mass exhibited a hard texture, tenderness, and mobility. The adolescent had her menarche one year ago and experienced no menstrual pain.

Ultrasound revealed a large cystic mass measuring approximately 16.00 cm x 10.00 cm in the right adnexal region, which was well demarcated from the ovary, and the ovarian crescent sign was visible. Torsion of the ovary secondary to pulling by the lesion. An enlarged ischemic right ovary measuring approximately 8.40 cm x 3.80 cm was detected next to the twisted tip, with no clear blood flow signal.

CT revealed a giant cystic occupancy on the right side of the pelvis, measuring approximately 16.50 cm x 11.84 cm. The fluid in the capsule was uniform in density, with a CT value of approximately 4 HU, and the wall of the capsule was slightly hyperdense. Its upper border extended to the lower border of the liver, and its lower border adjoined the right ovary and the right horn of the uterus. The uterus was shifted to the right side. The boundary between the cyst and the ovary was still clear, and there was a close local relationship. In addition, it can be observed that the right fallopian tube has thickened and twisted (Fig. 3 a and b, and 3 c).

( a )The CT coronal view showed a large cystic mass (slender arrow) in the pelvis, whose upper border reached the inferior border of the liver. ( b )The lower border of the large mass (slender arrow) pulled the right ovary (short arrow) and the right horn of the uterus (bold arrow). ( c )The CT sagittal view showed the lower edge of the large mass (slender arrow) pulled the ovary (short arrow), causing it to deform and shift. ( d ) Postoperative pathological microscopic findings

Surgery: Laparoscopic surgery was performed under general anesthesia. Intraoperatively, the pneumoperitoneum was first estalished. Two trocars were placed lateral to the left rectus abdomins muscles, 2 cm above and 2 cm medial to the anterior superior iliac spine, respectively. A drainage needle was used to extract some of the cystic fluid to reduce the volume of the cyst and facilitate subsequent operations. Then, another trocar was placed at the right reverse McBurney’s point. Laparoscopy showed the cyst originated from the right tubal mesosalpinx, approximately 16 cm in diameter. The cyst, together with the right adnexa, was twisted for 2 turns along the infundibulopelvic ligament. The right ovary was ischemic and swollen, with a purplish-blue color, and the right adnexa was reset to restore its blood supply. The ovary and the cyst were completely separated. Then, the cyst was completely stripped away.

Postoperative pathological microscopic findings: The specimen showed a fibrous tissue capsule wall, lined with columnar epithelium, vascular dilatation and congestion, and plasma exudation in the capsule (Fig. 3 d).

Tubal mesosalpinx cysts are independent of the fallopian tubes and ovaries. They originate from the broad ligament between the fallopian tube and the ovary and are easily confused with cystic masses originating from the ovary. They are histologically derived mainly from mesonephric duct remnant tissue, and their pathologic types include paratubal cysts, mesonephric duct cysts, and mesothelial cysts [ 6 , 7 ].

Most tubal mesosalpinx cysts are small in size and have no obvious clinical symptoms. Painful symptoms occur only when the cyst becomes larger and compresses the abdominal organs and tissues, but complications such as hemorrhage, torsion, or rupture are also rare [ 6 ]. When the diameter of the cyst is larger than 5 cm, the weight of the distal end of the fallopian tube increases, and the center of gravity changes, which may lead to torsion of the mesangial root and/or ovary [ 8 , 9 ]. Blockage of the blood supply artery can cause venous reflux obstruction, and in severe cases, it may cause ischemic necrosis of the ipsilateral fallopian tubes and ovaries [ 3 ]. Tubal mesosalpinx cysts in adolescent females and pregnant women tend to increase suddenly in size. It has been suggested that it may be due to the elevated hormone levels in adolescent females and pregnant women, which cause increased secretion of epithelial cells within the cysts. Therefore, the accumulation of secretions within the cyst leads to an increase in its volume, and it easily merges with the self-torsion or accessory torsion of the cyst [ 10 , 11 ]. In this paper, both girls experienced tubal mesosalpinx cysts with adnexal torsion shortly after menarche, which may also be related to increased hormone levels leading to cyst enlargement, consistent with the above literature.

Tubal mesosalpinx cysts are mostly benign, while junctional or malignant cysts are rare. They usually present as unilocular cystic lesions with thin smooth walls. If there is a papillary protrusion inside the cyst that is larger than 5 cm, the risk of malignancy increases [ 6 , 12 ].

The fact that it is challenging to diagnose paratubal and parovarian cysts. Multiple studies have shown that only 30–44% of paratubal tube cysts are accurately diagnosed preoperatively [ 3 , 13 , 14 ]. Ultrasound is the preferred examination for detecting adnexal masses. If torsion is suspected, a color Doppler examination should be added [ 13 ]. Tubal mesosalpinx cysts are often located on one side of the adnexal region or next to the uterorectal fossa. When the cyst is larger, it may be located in the anterior upper part of one side of the uterus, appearing circular or elliptical. The wall of the capsule is mostly thin and smooth, and the capsule is characterized by anechoic liquid dark areas. There may be divisions within the cystic mass, and when combined with bleeding, weak echoes of small light spots can be observed inside the cyst, even presenting as a cystic solid or as a fluid-filled plane. If combined with tubal torsion, a thickened, twisted, and locally dilated anechoic tubular structure can be seen next to the cyst, and the torsion may display a “vortex sign”. The dilated tubes are located on the inner side of the affected ovary and gradually become thinner towards both ends, forming " beak signs” [ 3 , 6 , 15 , 16 ]. If further ovarian torsion occurs, it will manifest as significant enlargement of the affected ovary, enhanced or reduced echogenicity, and disappearance of blood flow signals within the ovary. It should be noted that the presence of blood flow signals in the ovary does not exclude the possibility of torsion [ 13 ]. However, when the boundary between the mesosalpinx cyst and surrounding tissues is unclear, ultrasound is prone to missing diagnosis. The “ovarian crescent sign(OCS)” is a marker used in ultrasound to identify the nature of adnexal masses. This phenomenon is that normal ovarian tissue can be seen next to the adnexal mass, which is of great value for preoperative differentiation of benign or malignant adnexal masses. It can help to exclude invasive ovarian malignant tumors to some extent [ 5 , 17 , 18 ]. We reviewed the ultrasound images of two patients in this study and found the presence of OCS. Unfortunately, the primary diagnosis doctor, due to the lack of experience and specialized training on how to evaluate OCS, did not accurately identify this sign. In the second case, ultrasound revealed a large cystic mass in the right adnexal region pulling the ovary secondary to torsion, and an enlarged ischemic right ovary was detected next to the torsion tip. This patient was diagnosed by ultrasound with concomitant accessory torsion.

CT manifestations of mesosalpinx cysts are mainly circular or quasi-circular cystic masses near the uterus, with a few resembling sausages or serpentine cystic shadows. Cysts are often solitary and thin-walled with smooth margins and localized thickening of the cyst wall on enhancement scans. The capsule has a homogeneous water density with no enhancement; the density may increase when infection or bleeding occurs. The typical sign of tubal mesosalpinx cysts is the " holding ball” sign of the broad ligament of the uterus. When the cyst is large, it can compress and displace the abdominal organs. The larger the cyst, the more prone it is to pedicle torsion and rotation around the vascular pedicle axis. The most direct sign is the thickening and twisting of the fallopian tubes. Multiplanar reconstruction is particularly helpful for assessing the relative positions of the ovary and uterus, with the uterus typically pulled toward the side of torsion [ 3 , 6 , 19 ]. In addition, CT can help rule out other causes of lower abdominal pain, such as appendicitis [ 13 ]. In this report, both CT scans revealed cystic masses in the pelvic cavity, but the origin of the masses was difficult to determine and it was difficult to distinguish on imaging whether the masses originated from the ovary, fallopian tubes, or mesosalpinx.

MRI, with its advantages of high soft-tissue resolution, and multidirectional and multisequence imaging, can detect smaller lesions that are insensitive to ultrasound and can initially determine the benign or malignant nature of the lesions. Tubal mesosalpinx cysts on MRI mainly appear as round or round-like cystic lesions with a watery signal that is low on T1WI and high on T2WI. After enhanced scanning, the cyst wall shows enhancement, but there is no enhancement inside the cyst [ 20 ]. Compared with ultrasound and CT, MRI can more clearly display signs such as dilated tubes, beak signs, and twisted pedicles [ 8 ]. Especially if the patient is obese and the cyst is large, it is difficult for the ultrasound to determine its position relative to the ovary. In this case, MRI compensates for the shortcomings of ultrasound with a larger field of view showing the location of the cyst to the ovary, and it is also easier to show the relative positions of the uterus and ovary, with the uterus shifted to the side of the abnormality in the event of torsion [ 3 , 21 ]. Moreover, if there is no enhancement of the ovary on MRI enhancement scans, it is strongly suspected that torsion has caused ischemic necrosis of the ovary. In the first patient of this report, preoperative MRI revealed the enlarged ovary and upward flipping of the adnexa, which ultrasound failed to clearly show. MR can compensate for missed ultrasound findings. Unfortunately, the second patient did not undergo MR examination.

The main imaging features of adnexal torsion include twisted and thickened fallopian tubes, accompanied by ovarian enlargement and displacement, and pulling of the uterus to move towards the affected ovary side [ 3 , 22 , 23 ]. In this paper, the preoperative MRI of the first case showed enlarged ovaries with upward flipping of the adnexa. The second case showed the thickened and twisted fallopian tube. The lower edge of the large cyst pulled the ovary and the right horn of the uterus, causing deformation and displacement of the ovary, and pulling the uterus towards the twisted side. Both cases in this paper were adnexal torsion due to tubal mesosalpinx cysts, with the tubal thickening and torsion being more pronounced.

Diseases predisposing to adnexal torsion include hydrosalpinx, paratubal cysts, ovarian teratomas, and cysts [ 8 , 13 ]. Preoperative imaging to identify ovarian and tubal mesosalpinx cysts is challenging. When complications such as torsion or rupture occur, a clear diagnosis is rare before surgery, and surgery and pathology are required to make a clear diagnosis. In addition, the torsion of the hematosalpinx in patients with Mayer-Rokitanskt-Kuster-Hauser (MRKH) Syndrome is rare but still possible [ 24 ]. Therefore, adolescents with adnexal torsion should be aware of the presence of MRKH syndrome.

Tubal mesosalpinx cysts combined with adnexal torsion are rare acute abdominal conditions, and improving the accuracy of preoperative imaging diagnosis is crucial. MRI, as a supplement to ultrasound and CT, provides a broader field of view and effective information, aiding in comprehensive diagnosis and treatment, and reducing adverse outcomes. Imaging examinations should be timely, convenient, and precise, facilitating rapid diagnosis and guiding treatment to avoid delays. Nonetheless, laparoscopic exploration remains the gold standard for diagnosis and treatment. Immediate surgery can prevent damage to the ovaries and fallopian tubes, preserving reproductive function.

Data availability

Data is provided within the manuscript.

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Department of Radiology, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 8 Xitoutiao, Youanmen Street, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100069, China

Junzhuo Chen & Wei Wang

Department of Radiology, Linzhou People’s Hospital, Linzhou, China

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J.C. contributed to the investigation, data curation, and writing the original draft; C.L. contributed to preparing and image analysis; H.Z. contributed to surgical management and revising the work; D.L. contributed to the investigation and data curation; and W.W. contributed to the conceptualization, methodology, validation, reviewing and editing the article, and project administration. All the authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Wei Wang .

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Chen, J., Li, C., Zhang, H. et al. Tubal mesosalpinx cysts combined with adnexal torsion in adolescents: a report of two cases and review of the literature. BMC Pediatr 24 , 525 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-05001-9

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-05001-9

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This paper is in the following e-collection/theme issue:

Published on 19.8.2024 in Vol 26 (2024)

Digital Serious Games to Promote Behavior Change in Children With Chronic Diseases: Scoping Review and Development of a Self-Management Learning Framework

Authors of this article:

Made Ary Sarasmita 1, 2 * , MClinPharm, PhD ;
Ya-Han Lee 1, 3 , MSc ;
Fan-Ying Chan 1 , MSc ;
Hsiang-Yin Chen 1, 3 * , PharmD

1 Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan

2 Program Study of Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Udayana University, Badung, Indonesia

3 Department of Pharmacy, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

*these authors contributed equally

Corresponding Author:

Hsiang-Yin Chen, PharmD

Department of Clinical Pharmacy

School of Pharmacy

Taipei Medical University

Health and Science Building, 7th Fl.

250 Wuxing Street

Taipei, 110

Phone: 886 02 2736 1661 ext 6175

Fax:886 02 2736 1661

Email: [email protected]

Background: Digital serious games (SGs) have rapidly become a promising strategy for entertainment-based health education; however, developing SGs for children with chronic diseases remains a challenge.

Objective: In this study, we attempted to provide an updated scope of understanding of the development and evaluation of SG educational tools and develop a framework for SG education development to promote self-management activities and behavior change in children with chronic diseases.

Methods: This study consists of a knowledge base and an analytical base. This study followed the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. To build the knowledge base, 5 stages of research were developed, including refining the review question (stage 1), searching for studies (stage 2), selecting relevant studies (stage 3), charting the information (stage 4), and collating the results (stage 5). Eligible studies that developed SG prototypes and evaluated SG education for children with chronic diseases were searched for in PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and peer-reviewed journals. In the analytical base, the context-mechanism-output approach and game taxonomy were used to analyze relevant behavioral theories and essential game elements. Game taxonomy included social features, presentation, narrative and identity, rewards and punishment, and manipulation and control. A total of 2 researchers selected the domains for the included behavioral theories and game elements. The intended SG framework was finalized by assembling SG fragments. Those SG fragments were appropriately reintegrated to visualize a new SG framework.

Results: This scoping review summarized data from 16 randomized controlled trials that evaluated SG education for children with chronic diseases and 14 studies on SG frameworks. It showed that self-determination theory was the most commonly used behavioral theory (9/30, 30%). Game elements included feedback, visual and audio designs, characters, narratives, rewards, challenges, competitions, goals, levels, rules, and tasks. In total, 3 phases of a digital SG framework are proposed in this review: requirements (phase 1), design and development (phase 2), and evaluation (phase 3). A total of 6 steps are described: exploring SG requirements (step 1), identifying target users (step 2), designing an SG prototype (step 3), building the SG prototype (step 4), evaluating the SG prototype (step 5), and marketing and monitoring the use of the SG prototype (step 6). Safety recommendations to use digital SG-based education for children in the post–COVID-19 era were also made.

Conclusions: This review summarizes the fundamental behavioral theories and game elements of the available literature to establish a new theory-driven step-by-step framework. It can support game designers, clinicians, and educators in designing, developing, and evaluating digital, SG-based educational tools to increase self-management activities and promote behavior change in children with chronic diseases.

Introduction

Serious game (SG) educational tools that provide constructive learning with imperative goals for behavior change [ 1 ] are increasingly being applied with children with chronic diseases. Training children to self-care for their chronic diseases is highly challenging due to insufficient cognition [ 2 ], low attendance [ 3 ], complicated treatments [ 4 ], and nonadherence to treatments [ 5 ]. A properly designed SG educational tool can allow children with chronic diseases to enjoy learning how to overcome real-life challenges [ 6 ]. A fully fledged game design provides a safe and controlled environment to experience and practice self-management skills [ 7 ]. Holtz et al [ 8 ] reported that SG education had positive impacts on self-efficacy, adherence, and knowledge, which drove improvements in behavior and health outcomes over time. Directing the design and application of SGs as an educational intervention to positively support children with chronic diseases could help improve therapeutic outcomes [ 9 ].

Behavioral sciences offer insights into how to design effective SG educational tools for children with chronic diseases to achieve the dual goals of internal enjoyment and confidence while promoting their self-care abilities. To understand changes in children’s behaviors, basic principles and theories of learning, behavior, and mindset should be identified. The most commonly used theories explaining behavior change include social cognitive theory [ 10 ], self-determination theory (SDT) [ 11 ], and the mindset theory [ 12 ]. Social cognitive theory defines how behavior change can be achieved depending on personal factors, including cognition, capability, self-control, experiences, and expectations, and environmental factors, including emulation, reinforcement, and observation [ 10 ]. SDT addresses motivation and influences children to put themselves in situations in which they are exposed to SG education [ 13 ]. A growth mindset enhances greater resilience and positivity than a fixed mindset when dealing with challenges and failures [ 12 ]. Children with chronic diseases require continuous, specific self-management tasks to achieve levels of their mindset and cognitive development [ 12 ]. Incorporating behavioral theories and instructional learning into game mechanics, including practice tasks and challenges, can facilitate the changing process of a growth mindset and enhance motivation [ 14 ].

SG educational tools require a sophisticated design to avoid several potential negative consequences for children. The World Health Organization has articulated increased screen media use as a major concern due to the risk of addictive behaviors [ 15 ]. Higher gaming behavior is associated with higher levels of social, health, and behavioral problems in children and adolescents [ 16 , 17 ]. Playing SG interventions can promote behavior changes; however, uncontrolled excessive gaming may lead to gaming disorders [ 18 ] when games are used above the level of a child’s age and mindset [ 19 ]. It has also been reported that a large proportion of electronic games may have violent content such as fighting, hitting, destroying, and killing [ 19 ], which increases the risk of aggressive behaviors in children. Inappropriate visual designs and game elements may distract from the educational purposes [ 18 ].

An SG framework that promotes positive behavior change in children is specifically needed because children’s capabilities to respond to emotions and act when encountering difficulties differ from those of adults. Frameworks have been established for developing SG prototypes for adults [ 20 , 21 ]; however, only limited attention has been paid to creating a well-established theoretical SG framework for children. Children are more vulnerable to influences of digital games during their cognitive, social, and emotional development stages [ 2 ]. A stepwise SG framework is warranted to guide researchers in designing and evaluating SG educational tools for children with chronic diseases to maximize advantages and avoid unintended effects. This requires pivotal attention by researchers to creatively develop and design appropriate SG educational tools for children that balance the cornerstones of learning and playing.

The study purpose was to offer an updated scoping review of SG education focused on delivering self-management activities and promoting behavior change for children with chronic diseases. It provided a scope of understanding of the development and evaluation of SG educational tools and developed a systematic methodological SG-based framework for children with chronic diseases. The intended SG framework was designed according to the methodology of scoping reviews Levac et al [ 22 ] and the context-mechanism-output (CMO) approach [ 23 ]. The specific aims were to create two bases: (1) to build a knowledge base that covers all the resources required to design and develop an SG framework and (2) to construct an analytical base by integrating behavioral theories and game elements from the knowledge base to design and visualize the intended SG framework through the CMO approach. The findings of this review can benefit researchers developing and evaluating SG-based learning educational tools for children with chronic diseases.

Study Design

Figure 1 [ 24 - 26 ] describes the process of developing an SG framework for children with chronic diseases using knowledge and analytical bases. This study followed the guidelines of the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) [ 27 ]. For the knowledge base, relevant studies on developing an SG framework and evaluation of SG educational tools for children with chronic diseases were searched and collated throughout 5 stages to cover all the SG resources required. The analytical base used the CMO approach and game taxonomy to build a theory-based foundation for the proposed SG framework. Relevant behavioral theories and essential game elements from relevant studies were appropriately divided into fragments, compared, and assembled to create a visualization of the proposed SG framework. Discussions were conducted throughout the study to resolve any discrepancies among researchers.

Knowledge Base

There were five stages for building the knowledge base: (1) refining the initial question, (2) identifying relevant studies, (3) selecting relevant studies, (4) charting the information, and (5) collating the results [ 22 ].

Refining the Review Question (Stage 1)

SGs are digital games that blend concepts of learning and performing attitudes and are enjoyable to play, with challenging goals [ 28 ]. On the basis of the literature, we began exploring the idea of how to develop an SG framework to improve self-management and promote behavior changes in children with chronic diseases. To develop an SG framework, a scientific foundation should be built supported by documented relevant evidence.

Identifying Relevant Studies (Stage 2)

Databases and search strategy.

Relevant studies that had developed and published established SG frameworks and SG prototypes for children with chronic diseases were searched for using electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar. A hand searching method was also used to obtain additional relevant articles in peer-reviewed journals that focused on game research and were indexed in Web of Science, such as Games for Health Journal and JMIR Serious Games . We searched for articles using keywords obtained from Medical Subject Heading terms, such as “computer game,” “video game,” and “children,” with no restriction on publication year (1980-2024). The panel in Multimedia Appendix 1 shows keyword term variations, and detailed search strategies are described in Table S1 in Multimedia Appendix 1 . Reference lists of articles found through the electronic database searching were hand searched to obtain additional relevant information.

Inclusion Criteria

The inclusion criteria were (1) studies involving children aged 5 to 14 years, (2) studies that developed an SG framework for children with chronic diseases, and (3) studies that applied and evaluated the use of SG education for children with chronic diseases. Relevant articles were classified into two groups: (1) studies that focused on developing an SG framework and (2) studies that focused on evaluating SG educational tools for children with chronic diseases. Review or original articles explaining learning theories, behavioral theories, game theories, and game elements or presenting a general or specific SG model or framework that focused on behavior changes in children were included in the “SG framework studies” group. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that implemented and evaluated SG-based educational tools for children with chronic diseases were included in the “SG education studies/RCTs” group.

SG-based education is described as the use of SG prototypes or interventions, which are also known as computer games, for educational health and promotion of treatments, health education, patient adherence, therapeutic and side effect monitoring, and patient engagement. In this study, any changes in health-related outcomes in an RCT were descriptively reported. Clinical outcomes referred to any reduction in symptoms of chronic diseases and risks of complications, emergency visits, and hospitalizations. Humanistic outcomes were considered to be any condition that affected physical and social functions [ 29 ], including changes in attitudes and behaviors, adherence to treatment and medication, knowledge, quality of life, and patient satisfaction.

Selecting Relevant Studies (Stage 3)

The collected articles were initially imported into reference manager software (EndNote version 20; Clarivate Analysis). After removing duplicates, 2 researchers (MAS and YHL) independently assessed the articles using the inclusion criteria by examining titles and abstracts. Abstracts that met the inclusion criteria were retained for full-text review.

Charting the Information (Stage 4)

Characteristics of SG education for children with chronic diseases that were evaluated in RCTs were charted into a table, including authors’ information, conditions, target ages, interventions, comparators, sample sizes, study duration, length of the study, and health-related outcomes. Data were summarized by 2 authors (MAS and YHL). Disagreements were resolved through discussion involving a third reviewer (HYC).

Collating the Results (Stage 5)

The components of SGs were collated from the included studies using the CMO approach [ 23 ]. According to the CMO approach, “context” consists of any fundamental principles that enhance the efficacy of SG education to induce behavior changes, including behavioral theories, learning theories, and game theories. “Mechanism” refers to rules of how a game works, the dynamics through which children interact in response to the game, and the game’s appearance. It includes game elements to actively engage and motivate target users to perform self-management activities and positive behaviors. “Output” is related to any outcomes, study output, or study prototype.

Analytical Base

Identifying sg components.

Components of SG educational tools comprise behavioral theories, learning theories, game theories (context), and game taxonomy (mechanism). Behavioral theories and game elements were identified after collating all the included studies. Details of the identified SG components based on the CMO approach are presented in Tables S2 and S3 in Multimedia Appendix 1 . The most often used behavioral theories were selected for inclusion in the analysis (n=9), as shown in Table S4 in Multimedia Appendix 1 . Detailed categories of the game taxonomy are shown in Table S5 in Multimedia Appendix 1 . Table S4 in Multimedia Appendix 1 presents SDT domains, consisting of the psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness to boost motivation. The autonomy domain refers to how users make decisions and boost the sense of control, such as adjusting choices, levels, and difficulties [ 11 ]. The sense of control evokes autonomy and fuels users’ willingness to continue playing. Competence refers to achieving targeted goals of successful actions, such as challenges, learning tasks, competitions, and rewards [ 11 ]. Relatedness expresses how children interact and how their interactions affect others within the game, such as avatars, feedback, and emotions [ 11 ]. Game taxonomy was applied to identify game elements in all studies, including social features, presentation, narrative, identity, rewards and punishments, and manipulation and control [ 30 ]. A total of 3 domains of SDT and 5 categories of game taxonomy intersected based on similar characteristics. Those elements were reintegrated to build new, appropriate game elements for children with chronic diseases. These SG components are reviewed and discussed throughout the analysis.

Assembling SG Fragments and Visualizing an SG Framework

SG fragments describe the strategies or systematic procedures for designing, developing, and evaluating SG educational tools for children with chronic diseases. After identifying SG components through SDT and game taxonomy, 2 researchers (MAS and YHL) individually analyzed SG framework studies (n=14) based on their step-by-step procedural techniques (fragments). The collected fragments were appropriately assembled into 5 steps following the method by Khaleghi et al [ 24 ]: objective definitions (step 1); users’ needs and game element identification (step 2); game concept generation, game mechanics selection, and prototyping (step 3); implementation (step 4); and monitoring (step 5). Fragments of SG development were appropriately reintegrated to build a new SG framework.

Fragments for building up a new SG framework were established and consisted of 3 main phases (requirements, design and development, and evaluation). Each main phase was redesigned to formulate 2 procedural steps and generate output materials. A proposed SG framework was visualized by one researcher (MAS) and then carefully reviewed by 2 other authors (YHL and HYC). Following the method by Carvalho et al [ 25 ], a game structure was designed to supplement the SG framework to explain the actions, tools, and achieved goals of learning and gaming (Figure S1 in Multimedia Appendix 1 ). The process of assembling the SG fragments and then visualizing the SG framework and game structure were discussed among the 3 researchers throughout the study.

We retrieved 1947 articles from PubMed (n=451, 23.16%), Embase (n=131, 6.73%), Google Search (n=512, 26.3%), Google Scholar (n=130, 6.68%), JMIR Serious Games (n=272, 13.97%), and Games for Health Journal (n=451, 23.16%). After removing duplicates, 738 full-text articles were reviewed. In total, 30 articles were included in the scoping review, consisting of 16 (53%) RCTs that evaluated SG educational tools for children with chronic diseases and 14 (47%) studies on SG frameworks ( Figure 2 ).

Charting the Information

Table 1 describes the included 16 RCTs that evaluated the use of SG educational tools for children with chronic diseases. SG educational tools that blended the concepts of learning and gaming were developed for children with asthma (7/16, 44%) [ 31 - 37 ], obesity and risk of diabetes or only diabetes (4/16, 25%) [ 38 - 41 ], cancer (2/16, 13%) [ 42 , 43 ], cystic fibrosis (1/16, 6%) [ 44 ], cerebral palsy (1/15, 6%) [ 45 ], and HIV or AIDS (1/15, 6%) [ 46 ]. The number of study participants ranged from 10 to 375; however, 60% (9/15) of the studies had <100 participants, as shown in Table 1 . SG educational tools were delivered to children whose ages ranged from 3 to 17 years, with an average duration of play of approximately 40 minutes.

A total of 47% (7/15) of the studies reported improvements in clinical outcomes, including improved energy expenditure, heart rate, and blood pressure [ 31 ], or reduced symptoms, such as dyspnea and fatigue [ 31 - 33 , 44 ], as well as fewer hospitalizations [ 32 ] and unscheduled physician visits [ 38 ]. Regarding humanistic outcomes, 87% (13/15) of the RCTs evaluated behavioral outcomes. In total, 47% (7/15) of the studies presented improvements in knowledge, and 40% (6/15) reported improvements in behaviors, including asthma self-management [ 32 , 33 ], healthy dietary habits [ 39 ], communication with parents [ 38 ], disease-related risk communication [ 46 ], and lower medication use [ 34 ]. A total of 100% (15/15) of the studies evaluated users’ acceptance and satisfaction, resulting in 100% (15/15) of the RCTs showing positive acceptance toward SG educational tools and consideration of SG educational tools as enjoyable strategies for learning and practicing self-management tasks. None of the 15 RCTs evaluated economic outcomes.

Study, year	Condition	Age of users (y)	Intervention	Control	Sample size, N	Health outcomes
Rubin et al [ ], 1986	Asthma	7-12	Asthma Command	Nonasthma computer game	65	Lower asthma-related acute visits, improved asthma knowledge, and improved asthma management–related behaviors
Bartholomew et al [ ], 2000	Asthma	7-17	Watch, Discover, Think, and Act	Usual care	133	Fewer symptoms and hospitalizations, increased asthma knowledge, improved correct decision-making in the game scenario (62%) and engagement in the game (84%), and children felt satisfied (97%)
Yawn et al [ ], 2000	Asthma	3-12	Air Academy	Usual health education	87	Improved asthma knowledge, and children and teachers felt satisfied
Huss et al [ ], 2003	Asthma	7-12	Wee Willie Wheezie	Written asthma education	101	Children felt that the game could have been more esthetic.
Shames et al [ ], 2004	Asthma	5-12	Bronkie’s Asthma Adventure	Usual care and video game	119	Increased asthma knowledge, and children had a high interest in the program.
McPherson et al [ ], 2005	Asthma	7-14	The Asthma Files	Asthma booklet	101	Lower oral steroid use, improved asthma knowledge, improved internal locus of control, high interest in the program (35/37, 95%), children felt that the game helped them gain asthma knowledge (32/37, 87%), and fewer school absences
Gomes et al [ ], 2015	Asthma	5-9	Reflex Ridge from The Kinect Adventures Program	Treadmill session	36	Lower level of FeNO , improved asthma control and exercise capacity, higher energy expenditure, higher motivation, and high endurance with the game
Salonini et al [ ], 2015	Cystic fibrosis	8-17	The Kinect Adventures Program	Stationary cycle training	30	Less frequent dyspnea and fatigue and high enjoyment of the game
Kato et al [ ], 2008	Cancer	13-29	Remission	Noncancer computer game	375	Improved adherence to the use of cancer medications, increased self-efficacy, and greater knowledge
Hamari et al [ ], 2019	Cancer	3-16	Nintendo WiiFit	Usual care	36	High acceptability and participation (77%), but the game was not followed as recommended.
Brown et al [ ], 1997	Diabetes	8-16	Packy and Marlon	Video games with no health education content	59	Improved self-efficacy, better self-care behavior, increased diabetes-related communication with parents, and fewer unscheduled visits to the physician
Baranowski et al [ ], 2011	Obesity and risk of diabetes	10-12	Escape from Diab and Nanoswarm	Knowledge-based internet game	133	Increased habit of eating healthy foods and high enjoyment of the game (80%-90%)
Baranowski et al [ ], 2019	Obesity and risk of diabetes	10-12	Escape from Diab and Nanoswarm	Knowledge-based internet game	200	Increased expectations for gameplay
Weiland et al [ ], 2022	Obesity and risk of diabetes	9-12	Kids Obesity Prevention or family intervention	Child intervention	23	Increased knowledge gain in children and parents, maintenance of knowledge in parents, and high acceptance of the game
Winskell et al [ ], 2018	HIV or AIDS	11-14	Tumaini	Usual care	60	Improved sexual health–related knowledge, greater self-efficacy, and improved intention for risk avoidance strategies and sexual risk communication
Pin and Butler [ ], 2019	Cerebral palsy	6-14	Interactive game	Usual care	18	High enjoyment of the game

a FeNO: fractional exhaled nitric oxide.

Collating SG Components

Table 2 describes essential components of the SG-based education for developing the proposed SG framework based on the CMO approach (N=30). For context, several studies applied behavioral theories (23/30, 77%) and game theories (22/30, 73%). Regarding mechanisms , several aspects were concerned with embedding social features or feedback (28/30, 93%); presentation or esthetics (30/30, 100%); personalization, including narratives (24/30, 80%), characters (23/30, 77%), and rewards and punishments (26/30, 87%); and manipulation and control, including game genre or rules (23/30, 77%), game goals (28/30, 93%), and challenges (27/30, 90%). Regarding output, 27% (8/30) of the studies generated specific SG frameworks for children with chronic illnesses, including children with diabetes [ 39 , 40 , 47 , 48 ], children with cystic fibrosis [ 49 ], and children who needed physical rehabilitation [ 24 , 50 , 51 ]. The most commonly used behavioral theory in the studies was SDT (9/30, 30%). Relevant studies that used SDT as the behavioral theory foundation are identified in Table S6 in Multimedia Appendix 1 . Game elements from all the included studies (N=30) are described in Table S7 in Multimedia Appendix 1 .

			SG framework studies (n=14), n (%)		Randomized clinical trials (n=16), n (%)		Total studies, n (%)

Behavioral theories			12 (86)		11 (69)		23 (77)
Game theories			13 (93)		9 (56)		22 (73)

Social (feedback)			13 (93)		15 (94)		28 (97)
Presentation (esthetic)			14 (100)		15 (94)		29 (100)

	Narrative (story and narrative)	13 (93)		11 (69)		24 (83)
	Identity (characters and avatars)	12 (86)		11 (69)		23 (79)
Rewards and punishments			13 (93)		13 (81)		26 (90)

	Game genre and rules	10 (71)		13 (81)		23 (79)
	Game goals	14 (100)		15 (94)		29 (97)
	Challenges	12 (86)		15 (94)		27 (93)


	Behavioral outcomes	—		14 (88)		14 (47)
	Learning outcomes	—		12 (75)		12 (40)
	Clinical outcomes	—		11 (69)		11 (38)

	A specific framework for children	8 (57)		—		8 (28)
	General framework	6 (43)		—		6 (21)

a Not applicable.

Table 3 summarizes the intersection of the 3 domains of SDT and 5 categories of game taxonomy (n=9). On the basis of our findings, game elements that should be inserted in a proposed SG framework for children with chronic diseases include feedback, such as tailored messages and links to social media (social); visual designs, such as images, videos, animations, and cartoons, and audio designs, such as music and sounds (presentation); avatars, characters, and emotions (identity); storyline (narrative); rewards and progress bar (rewards and punishments); and challenges, choices, competitions, goals, rules, levels, and tasks (manipulation and control). Details of the intersection of SDT and game taxonomy (n=9) are described in Table S8 in Multimedia Appendix 1 .

Self-determination theory of the proposed SD framework	Game taxonomy
	Social features	Presentation	Narrative and identity	Rewards and punishments	Manipulation and control
Competence	—	Educative materials [ , ]: learning content and learning instructions	—	Rewards [ , , , , - ]: points, progress bar, badges, and stars; punishments: NR	Challenges [ , , , , - ]: competitions [ , , , , , , ], levels [ , , , , , , ], tasks [ , , , ], game rules [ , , , ], and goals [ , , , , ]
Autonomy	—	Presentation: visual design [ , , , , - ]: images, videos, animations, cartoons, and attractive layout; audio design [ , , , - ]: music and sounds	—	—	Choices [ , , , , , ] and difficulty adjustment [ , , , , ]
Relatedness	Feedback [ , , , , - ]: tailored messages [ , , ] and social media [ , ]	—	Narrative [ , , , , , ]: storyline; identity [ , , , , - ]: avatars, characters, and emotions	—	Motivation [ ]

b NR: not reported.

Assembling SG Fragments and Visualizing the Framework

Table 4 presents the determination of SG fragments from the included studies (14/30, 47%) and then assembles those SG fragments into a proposed SG framework. Each existing study offered different procedural steps for developing an SG prototype, yet the game elements and behavioral theories complemented each other. Only 50% (7/14) of the studies created SG prototypes [ 24 , 25 , 40 , 47 , 49 , 52 , 53 ]. Of the 14 SG framework studies, 3 (21%) specifically targeted self-management activities [ 21 , 41 , 47 ]. On the basis of these findings, we reintegrated those fragments into 3 main phases with 6 step-by-step procedural techniques.

In phase 1 (requirements), there are 2 important steps, including exploring the idea and SG requirements (step 1) using literature reviews and identifying target users’ needs (step 2) using iterative discussions or interviews. The outputs of phase 1 are relevant theories, game taxonomy, and children’s needs and preferences. In phase 2 (design and development), 2 steps should be considered by designers, including designing the game elements and educative materials (step 3) and building an SG prototype (step 4) using appropriate software programs and hardware equipment. The output of phase 2 is the SG prototype with a game structure. The final phase is phase 3 (evaluation), which is concerned with evaluating the SG prototype using a clinical trial design (step 5) and marketing the SG and monitoring its use (step 6) throughout clinic-based practice. Outputs of phase 3 are health outcome results and the final SG prototype with recommendations for its use.

Study, year	Step 1 (objective definition)	Step 2			Step 3			Step 4 (implementation)		Step 5 (monitoring)
		Users’ needs	Game element identification	Game mechanic		Prototyping
AlMarshedi et al [ ], 2016	+	NR	+	+		NR	NR		NR
Baranowski et al [ ], 2011	+	+	+	+		+	+		+
Carvalho et al [ ], 2015	+	+	+	+		+	+		+
Beristain-Colorado et al [ ], 2021	+	NR	+	+		NR	NR		NR
Dörrenbächer et al [ ], 2014	+	+	+	+		+	+		+
Epstein et al [ ], 2021	+	+	+	+		NR	NR		NR
Hansen [ ], 2017	+	+	+	+		+	+		+
Jaccard et al [ ], 2021	+	NR	+	+		NR	NR		NR
Khaleghi et al [ ], 2021	+	+	+	+		+	NR		NR
Mummah et al [ ], 2016	+	NR	+	+		NR	NR		NR
Starks [ ], 2014	+	+	+	+		NR	NR		NR
Thompson et al [ ], 2010	+	+	+	+		+	+		+
Verschueren et al [ ], 2019	+	+	+	+		+	+		+
Wattanasoontorn et al [ ], 2013	+	NR	+	+		NR	NR		NR

a Present or reported.

The Proposed SG Framework

On the basis of our knowledge base and analytical base, we propose a new SG-based framework that integrates the principles of SDT and game elements into self-management practices, titled Self-Management Interactive Learning and Entertainment for children with chronic diseases, as presented in Figure 3 . It consists of 3 main phases, starting from the requirements of SG educational tools (phase 1), design and development (phase 2), and evaluation of the SG educational tools (phase 3). In total, 2 procedural steps are included in each phase, resulting in 6 procedural steps. Each step has input materials as the foundation to support the actions and process and to produce output materials. Output materials in the first phase (phase 1) can be used as the input for the next phase (phase 2), and so forth. Each phase has critical points, revisions, and adjustments that should be considered by any game designer, researcher, or health care provider who would like to create an SG educational tool. Each game should be suitable for target users and their conditions; for example, an SG educational tool for children with asthma should have specific learning materials (asthma action plans and asthma medications), target goals (improved quality of life), and tasks and challenges (asthma self-management activities, breathing technique, and proper asthma medication use) that might differ from those of other diseases. Figure S1 in Multimedia Appendix 1 shows the gaming and learning structure of an SG prototype that blends SDT domains and game elements. The mechanism of how players achieve the target goal by accomplishing challenges should be set in clear game rules. Children will make their first choice by selecting an avatar or character, directly engaging with the game. Learning materials will help children understand their disease management, yet the game instructions will help them simultaneously observe challenges and tasks. After completing the tasks, their performance should be rewarded through points or a performance meter.

Exploring SG Requirements (Step 1)

A robust theoretical SG-based foundation should be established using literature reviews that gather principles of learning theories, behavioral theories, and game theories. This step is aimed at exploring SG requirements by searching for evidence related to game-based behavior change programs for children using electronic databases, for example, behavioral and game theories. If such evidence is not available, it is recommended to consult established game developers and collect perspectives from target audiences regarding obstacles in their daily lives [ 21 ]. According to Bramer et al [ 56 ], critical points include how to determine a clear and focused research question, how to choose databases and interfaces to begin, how to use an appropriate search technique, and how to document and translate collected documents. After determining relevant SG literature, game elements and behavioral theories should be translated and adopted for use by children with chronic diseases. Relevant articles can be used as inputs to conduct iterative discussions to identify users’ needs.

Identifying Target Users (Step 2)

Step 2 began through iterative discussions with a multidisciplinary, collaborative team. The iterative approach refers to the iterative process of refining, creating, and revising a project until agreement is achieved, and it is commonly used for agile software development [ 57 ]. The aim of this step is to collect perspectives on identifying users’ profiles and needs, their daily difficulties and barriers related to their chronic conditions, and target outcomes [ 7 ]. In this step, critical points emphasize what the players’ backgrounds are, what age groups are considered, to which chronic conditions would the SG educational tool be applied, how many users would be involved in the game, and what outcomes need to be achieved [ 53 ]. A multidisciplinary team consisting of pediatricians, child psychologists, child educators, game prototype designers, and multimedia experts [ 54 ] needs to identify resilient attitudes and consistent stimuli that suit children’s characteristics. Designers should carefully identify users’ cultures, beliefs, mindset, and literacy to concisely adopt those preferences into the game’s elements [ 24 ]. Directly involving children through focus group discussions or in-depth interviews will help the team gamify self-management tasks based on their needs and level of understanding, including medication adherence, physical exercise, and maintenance of healthy dietary habits.

Designing the SG Prototype (Step 3)

A key driver for successful SG education is consolidating a balance between self-management tasks (serious) and game elements (entertainment) [ 6 , 58 ]. This step aims to design the mechanism and user interface of the game itself by consolidating the most appropriate behavioral theories, learning materials, and game elements. Designers begin to create a prototype after establishing selected relevant theories, game elements, and users’ needs and outcomes (input). First, designers should elucidate selected, well-established behavioral and learning theories into educational materials and game taxonomy into appropriate game elements for children. Game designers should consider several critical points, including what topics are inserted into the learning materials, which game elements are best suited to achieve the desired outcomes, and how interacting with the game can lead to targeted behaviors [ 49 ]. The educational materials should contain disease information, including its pathophysiology, signs and symptoms, treatments and medications, self-management, side effects, the importance of adherence, and daily practices.

It is recommended to insert game elements that offer enjoyment to stimulate children to play, at the same time directly motivating them to learn [ 51 ]. Cartoon characters, genres, and stories represent personalization for children [ 52 ]. To grow children’s mindset, challenges should be designed with competitive levels and rewards provided when a mission is accomplished [ 12 ]. A role model with a positive attitude should be inserted into the SG design to encourage children to become masters of practicing self-management activities. Adding these elements facilitates children responding when confronted with conflicts [ 50 ] and enhances their sense of resilience. It is important to design an SG prototype that mimics real-world circumstances by setting precise goals and instructing players to perform targeted skills over time [ 25 ]. It is also suggested to embed the features of feedback, a progress bar, or trend alerts to evaluate their performance after completing the challenges.

Building the SG Prototype (Step 4)

Step 4 aims to develop an actual prototype based on the selected behavioral theories and game elements. It requires extensive discussions with researchers, multimedia experts, and the game industry to integrate the technology into a game console. A graphic user interface should be built to present the set of game rules. Designers may consider facilitating level adjustments if children fail to win to maintain the developed mindset. Critical points are how the prototype can be built for efficient learning and playing, how to perform such tasks, and how to rapidly respond regarding those performances. Esthetics is an essential aspect to be considered. Game visuals can be appropriately created using 2D or 3D formats [ 55 ]. Music and animation can be added to enhance excitement and enjoyment. To effectively promote self-management tasks, virtual reality SGs should be equipped with body movement tools that specifically target childhood chronic diseases that involve physical disabilities [ 50 ]. Moreover, privacy should be protected because SG prototypes can be used in multiplayer settings, and the accessibility to enter measured data should be restricted [ 13 ].

Evaluating the SG Prototype (Step 5)

Step 5 focuses on evaluating the efficacy of the SG educational tools and unexpected effects after implementation. This step allows researchers to gather feedback from experts and children for further improvements [ 20 , 59 ]. A pilot test, followed by a clinical trial, is recommended, which quantitatively analyzes how the prototype achieves the intended outcomes and qualitatively explores users’ experiences. An RCT study design is preferred due to its high quality. The ability to perform a task at an expected level and with minimal adverse events may be set as the intended outcome. It should be carefully determined how long participants will be engaged in the game, how many sessions a child needs to reach the goals, and how long it takes to complete a session. A short duration is associated with unfamiliarity with the tasks, whereas a long duration leads to boredom [ 60 ].

Moreover, health outcomes, including clinical, humanistic, and economic outcomes, should be periodically evaluated [ 61 ]. Clinical outcomes may include symptom improvement and reduction of morbidity, whereas humanistic outcomes may include knowledge and attitudes, behavior changes, and an improved mindset. As no economic outcomes were available in the studies in this review, researchers are encouraged to evaluate economic outcomes when using the prototype. Possible unexpected impacts of SG interventions on aggressive behaviors should also be evaluated, especially for SG interventions that encompass violent elements [ 62 , 63 ]. Continued discussions with clinicians are still relevant to ensure that the game world setting can be applied to the real world.

Marketing and Monitoring Use of the Prototype (Step 6)

Disseminating and promoting a well-evaluated SG educational tool can enhance access to a broader population that may benefit the most and promptly inform the game industry to invest in such interventions. Commercialization of an SG educational tool for children remains a challenge due to the need for high-end technologies, animated multimedia design, artists, illustrators, and other consoles. Gameplay is rapidly changing due to advances in technology, and it should be developed in line with current modalities to minimize the obsolescence of software and hardware [ 39 ]. To ensure market readiness, business experts should be consulted and involved throughout the process. It is recommended for researchers to accelerate partnerships with the gaming industry for sustainable SG maintenance.

Specific practice skills can be designed in a modest simulation. For example, children with type 1 diabetes should be able to use insulin regularly, exercise, maintain a healthy diet, and be aware of the signs of hypoglycemia. Modest instruction will help clinicians in applying SG education for children with chronic diseases in the real world. It is important to underline that an excellent performance in the game world is not directly associated with mastery in the real world. Practicing self-management skills, such as physical activities and medication use, should regularly be guided by health care professionals. It may be relevant to consult with policy makers and health care associations regarding the establishment of policies and recommendations for appropriate uses of SG educational tools in clinical practice. Postmarketing feedback should continually be collected to improve the SG’s quality.

Principal Findings

This scoping review proposed a digital framework to design SG educational tools for children with chronic diseases. The SG framework consists of 3 main strategies to guide the planning, design and development, and implementation of SG educational tools to allow children to practice self-management skills for their chronic condition. Major considerations of how each step is conceptualized, including a theory-driven foundation, contents of health education, joyful reinforcement, and use of technology, were discussed. The game elements and game structure should engage children’s attention and support them in performing gamified self-management tasks, changing their mindset, and increasing their self-care abilities.

Comparison With Prior Work and Considerations for Using the Proposed Framework

Implementation of SG educational tools for children with chronic diseases has been demonstrated in several previous works [ 8 , 9 , 58 ], specifically concerning health education [ 55 , 64 ], physical activities [ 65 , 66 ], and self-management [ 9 , 67 , 68 ]; however, none of them offer a theory-driven framework for behavior change. It has been suggested that researchers articulate a scientific framework for the design of SG educational tools [ 65 ]. Although behavioral and self-management interventions can be delivered to children from 5 to 18 years of age [ 67 , 68 ], the health educational content is not applicable to the entire age range. Educational materials for children should be supplemented with communication skills, whereas activities for adolescents should focus on self-monitoring and problem-solving [ 69 ]. Multidisciplinary teamwork from conception to marketing is strongly emphasized [ 64 ], which was accommodated in this framework throughout the proposed phases.

As game-based interventions are continually growing, researchers are considering developing SG educational tools for children, but questions about how to get started have been raised. Developing an SG educational tool is expensive; therefore, several aspects should be carefully considered before initiating development of SG educational tools, including securing funding and building a collaborative team [ 69 ]. Developing SG educational tools for children with chronic diseases differs from entertainment-only video games due to their unique components of behavioral theories and learning materials to boost self-management practices and promote positive behavior changes. For example, children with asthma may need knowledge about preventing asthma triggers and adhering to medication, whereas children with cystic fibrosis may need more physical rehabilitation activities than children with other chronic respiratory diseases. Some of them may need specific, scheduled physical activities, whereas others may need the efforts of encouragement or psychological support and companionship. That is why the game design should be able to address those needs.

Establishing a solid team, which involves experienced game developers or game companies, should be noted. Once members are chosen, clear ground responsibilities and expectations regarding the prototype design should be established. The health care professional team can develop appropriate health learning contents and discuss those materials with the game developer team to analyze and resolve potential problems before programming and prototyping. As there is no reimbursement for SG use as a medical treatment [ 69 ], acquiring available funding and resources should be prioritized.

Challenges and Pitfalls of SG Design and Development

Developing appropriate SG educational tools for the specific needs of children with chronic diseases remains a challenge due to the huge investment from ideas to implementation. As the market for SG-based interventions expands across health conditions, there is a trend for SG education to be included as a supportive intervention rather than merely as pure entertainment [ 23 ].

On the basis of our heterogeneous results, the procedure through which SG educational tools deliver content might not be the only key contributor to achieve the targeted goals because the intervention should be focused not only on the learning materials but also on the intertwined mechanism of game elements and the elements of behavioral theory. In the context of game-based learning, self-management practices will be correctly performed if users are enjoying themselves, which means having the propensity to engage, blend, and learn. From this perspective, we raised several considerations on the potential of game elements to enhance intrinsic motivation, including how much autonomy (videos, animations or cartoons, choices, and difficulty adjustments of the challenges) must be given to children during play, how can relatedness (narrative or storyline, avatars, characters, and tailored messages) between children and the game be built into SG educational tools, and how can a child’s level of competence be defined to challenge them.

Several critical points in each step were pointed out for game designers to avoid failure. First, there can be failure to define suitable educative materials and targeted behaviors for children with specific difficulties. Second, one can fail to generate a dynamic between players and the game while, at the same time, players have to obtain new learning from the SG educational tools. Game levels were revealed to engage players with a positive learning effect; however, this should be in line with the player’s skills and cognitive development. A high-challenge game with low-skill, fixed-mindset users may induce frustration; meanwhile, a low-challenge game for users with high skills and a growth mindset may generate feelings of triviality [ 6 ]. Given rapid trends in digital technology, SG prototypes should be continually adjusted to prevent them from becoming hackneyed by the time the evaluation trial is finished.

Safety Concerns for Children in the Post–COVID-19 Era

Safety aspects of SG educational tools should be of general concern because these tools are considered a persuasive technology for changing human behaviors. Game-based interventions appear to be most effective in users aged <18 years [ 23 ]; nevertheless, children and adolescents vary in their ability to master a mission. Children may feel engaged with customizable avatars, but some of these may contain violent characters [ 19 ]. Game designers should ensure that the SG intervention is not dangerous or does not increase risks to children, such as by promoting sedentary or aggressive behaviors [ 47 ] or increasing the risk of physical injuries due to practicing skills. Several harmful risks are associated with sleep disorders and internet gaming disorders, such as anxiety, unsuccessful attempts at control, and jeopardizing environments [ 19 , 70 ].

The American Academy of Pediatrics has stated concerns about the influence of digital media on the health and cognitive development of children at the ages of 0 to 5 years, and it has proposed limiting screen use to 1 hour per day for children aged 2 to 5 years [ 71 ]. It is also recommended to avoid screen time 1 to 2 hours before bedtime for children and adolescents. In 2020, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommended the 20-20-20 rule, described as a 20-second break every 20 minutes by looking 20 feet away to prevent and relieve digital eyestrain [ 72 ].

The COVID-19 pandemic intensified gaming behaviors among children, especially during school closures, and this garnered the concern of policy makers and health care professionals [ 15 ]. Sedentary time in children with chronic diseases might have increased [ 73 ] as parents were not well prepared for it due to their attention being focused on social and economic burdens caused by the pandemic. Several SG educational tools were developed during the pandemic to stimulate in-home physical rehabilitation [ 74 , 75 ] and improve anxiety and mood disorders in adolescents [ 76 ], and those positive behavioral outcomes should be maintained. Even though the pandemic situation has improved, some parents are continuing to work remotely while simultaneously caring for children, leading to obstacles to maintaining children’s learning, especially in households of a low socioeconomic status [ 77 ].

Educational, game-based interventions for the post–COVID-19 era should be integrated with appropriate recommendations for their use. Individualized family media use plans are strongly recommended; hence, parental control is central when exposing children to digital media [ 70 ]. It is considered important for parents to accompany their children during screen use to foster an effective learning process by understanding the game structure, supporting children in controlling playing times, and monitoring their activities. Instead of giving punishment as a disciplinary matter, by playing together, parents can understand more about SG educational tools and how they can facilitate parent-child interactions. As parents become familiar with their children’s games, they will be able to encourage their children to achieve the intended outcomes and avoid addictive behaviors [ 78 ].

Limitations

This scoping review has a few limitations. This framework was developed based on a review of the most relevant SG educational tools in several RCTs and SG framework studies instead of a direct participatory approach involving health care professionals and children. When comparing the effects of SG educational tools, most RCTs (9/16, 56%) only captured improvements in humanistic outcomes, such as knowledge [ 57 ] and enjoyment. Studies on improving clinical outcomes were limited, and none provided economic outcome evaluations. This is in line with the findings of a previous review that presented a lack of clinical evidence of the implementation of SG educational tools in children with neurodevelopmental disorders [ 79 ]. Several studies (5/16, 31%) evaluated changes in knowledge over a relatively short duration on beneficial effects on behaviors. Exploration is still needed as to which game elements can have higher effects on self-management and behavior changes. Moreover, issues of maintenance of intended behaviors after exposure to SG interventions should be carefully addressed. With the limitations of the available literature, this framework should be tested in further studies.

Implications of the Study and Further Research

This framework provides a theory-driven step-by-step approach to help health educators, clinicians, game developers, and policy makers more efficiently develop SG educational tools for children with chronic diseases. Understanding how to integrate the power of SG educational tools offers significant promise for promoting health behavior changes. Only 4% of the top-rated health apps apply the concepts of gamification [ 80 ], indicating that the opportunity to develop high-quality SG educational tools for children with chronic diseases is still wide open. Further research should explore the needs for culture-specific SG educational tools and investigate the mediators of behavior change.

Conclusions

A framework of SG-based educational tools promoting self-management activities and behavior changes in children with chronic diseases was developed by incorporating behavioral principles and mechanisms of SGs. It expedites the translation of fundamental behavioral theories and game elements into a scaled-up industrial level in which digital-based game interventions are being created to enhance children’s participation and motivation. The effectiveness of SG educational tools in achieving targeted behaviors depends on key designs and elements of how they address problems and mindsets of children with difficulties. Underpinning appropriate behavioral theories, learning materials, game elements, esthetics, and technology should be considered in all phases of research. The design, development, and evaluation of SG educational tools for children with chronic diseases need to be broadly explored with the support of a well-validated game-based framework and the deployment of advanced technologies.

Acknowledgments

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Authors' Contributions

MAS contributed to the conceptualization, methodology, software, validation, formal analysis, writing—original draft, and visualization. YHL contributed to formal analysis and writing—review and editing. FYC contributed to visualization and writing—review and editing. HYC contributed to conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, resources, writing—review and editing, supervision, project administration, and funding acquisition. All authors contributed to data interpretation and manuscript preparation. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Conflicts of Interest

None declared.

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Abbreviations

context-mechanism-output

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews

randomized controlled trial

self-determination theory

serious game

Edited by S Ma; submitted 06.06.23; peer-reviewed by R Gorantla, K Spruyt, T Baranowski; comments to author 20.12.23; revised version received 13.04.24; accepted 25.06.24; published 19.08.24.

©Made Ary Sarasmita, Ya-Han Lee, Fan-Ying Chan, Hsiang-Yin Chen. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 19.08.2024.

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (ISSN 1438-8871), is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on https://www.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.

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(PDF) Writing Narrative Literature Reviews for Peer-Reviewed Journals
(PDF) How to Write a Scholarly Book Review for Publication in a Peer
Peer-Reviewed Literature
Terms To Use In Literature Review
How to Identify a Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed Journal Article
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COMMENTS

Approaching literature review for academic purposes: The Literature Review Checklist
Selecting documents for inclusion: Generally, the most recent literature will be included in the form of published peer-reviewed papers. Assess books and unpublished material, such as conference abstracts, academic texts and government reports, are also important to assess since the gray literature also offers valuable information.
A practical guide to data analysis in general literature reviews
This article is a practical guide to conducting data analysis in general literature reviews. The general literature review is a synthesis and analysis of published research on a relevant clinical issue, and is a common format for academic theses at the bachelor's and master's levels in nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, public health and other related fields.
Writing a literature review
Writing a literature review requires a range of skills to gather, sort, evaluate and summarise peer-reviewed published data into a relevant and informative unbiased narrative. Digital access to research papers, academic texts, review articles, reference databases and public data sets are all sources of information that are available to enrich ...
Literature review as a research methodology: An ...
There are many examples of articles that have been successfully published in higher-ranked business journals using a literature review strategy as a basis. Not accounting for the quality of the review itself, there seems to be a number of ways forward. One such way is to conduct a literature review and combine it with a meta-analysis of a ...
Guidance on Conducting a Systematic Literature Review
Green B. N., Johnson C. D., Adams A. 2001. "Writing Narrative Literature Reviews for Peer-Reviewed Journals: Secrets of the Trade." Journal of Sports Chiropractic & Rehabilitation 15 (1): 5-19. ... "Wheat from Chaff: Meta-Analysis as Quantitative Literature Review." Journal of Economic Perspectives 15 (3): 131-50. Crossref. Web of ...
Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Literature Review
Reviews of the literature are normally peer-reviewed in the same way as research papers, ... A diversity of feedback perspectives on a literature review can help identify where the consensus view stands in the landscape of the current scientific understanding of an issue . Rule 9: Include Your Own Relevant Research, but Be Objective ...
Peer Review in Scientific Publications: Benefits, Critiques, & A
HISTORY OF PEER REVIEW. The concept of peer review was developed long before the scholarly journal. In fact, the peer review process is thought to have been used as a method of evaluating written work since ancient Greece ().The peer review process was first described by a physician named Ishaq bin Ali al-Rahwi of Syria, who lived from 854-931 CE, in his book Ethics of the Physician ().
Scopus
About Scopus. Scopus is the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature: scientific journals, books and conference proceedings. Delivering a comprehensive overview of the world's research output in the fields of science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and arts and humanities, Scopus features smart tools to track ...
Literature reviews as independent studies: guidelines for academic
A literature review - or a review article - is "a study that analyzes and synthesizes an existing body of literature by identifying, challenging, and advancing the building blocks of a theory through an examination of a body (or several bodies) of prior work (Post et al. 2020, p. 352).Literature reviews as standalone pieces of work may allow researchers to enhance their understanding of ...
What Is Peer Review?
The most common types are: Single-blind review. Double-blind review. Triple-blind review. Collaborative review. Open review. Relatedly, peer assessment is a process where your peers provide you with feedback on something you've written, based on a set of criteria or benchmarks from an instructor.
Writing the Literature Review: Common Mistakes and Best Practices
The bulk of the peer-reviewed journal articles included in a literature review should describe empirical research. According to Emerald Publishing ( 2023 ): Empirical research is research that is based on observation and measurement of phenomena, as directly experienced by the researcher.
5.3 Acceptable sources for literature reviews
Because peer reviewed journal articles have gone through a rigorous process of review, they are considered to be the premier source for research. Peer reviewed journal articles should serve as the foundation for your literature review. The following link will provide more information on peer reviewed journal articles.
Writing a Literature Review
A literature review is a document or section of a document that collects key sources on a topic and discusses those sources in conversation with each other (also called synthesis ). The lit review is an important genre in many disciplines, not just literature (i.e., the study of works of literature such as novels and plays).
Peer review
Abstract. Peer review has a key role in ensuring that information published in scientific journals is as truthful, valid and accurate as possible. It relies on the willingness of researchers to give of their valuable time to assess submitted papers, not just to validate the work but also to help authors improve its presentation before publication.
LibGuides: Scholarly Articles: How can I tell?: Literature Review
Literature Review. The literature review section of an article is a summary or analysis of all the research the author read before doing his/her own research. This section may be part of the introduction or in a section called Background. It provides the background on who has done related research, what that research has or has not uncovered ...
Systematic reviews: Structure, form and content
A systematic review differs from other types of literature review in several major ways. It requires a transparent, reproducible methodology which indicates how studies were identified and the criteria upon which they were included or excluded. ... If the systematic review is only including peer-reviewed, published journal articles, the ...
Literary Studies Journals
Callaloo: A Journal of African Diaspora Arts and Letters. For those interested in publishing articles that creatively and/or critically engage with the work of African Americans and peoples of African descent throughout the African Diaspora. …. Continue reading →.
What is Peer Review?
The terms scholarly, academic, peer-reviewed and refereed are sometimes used interchangeably, although there are slight differences.. Scholarly and academic may refer to peer-reviewed articles, but not all scholarly and academic journals are peer-reviewed (although most are.) For example, the Harvard Business Review is an academic journal but it is editorially reviewed, not peer-reviewed.
Peer Review in Scientific Publications: Benefits, Critiques, & A
The major advantage of a peer review process is that peer-reviewed articles provide a trusted form of scientific communication. Since scientific knowledge is cumulative and builds on itself, this trust is particularly important. Despite the positive impacts of peer review, critics argue that the peer review process stifles innovation in ...
Journals Ranking
The ranking of social science journals can be found in a variety of places, including SCImago , ISI Journal Citation Reports, and so on. Journal impact. For information on journals that are cited frequently, use Harzing's Publish or Perish software. It's outstanding and free. To find a specific journal's most cited articles, find its ISSN ...
Literature Reviews, Theoretical Frameworks, and Conceptual Frameworks
A literature review should connect to the study question, guide the study methodology, and be central in the discussion by indicating how the analyzed data advances what is known in the field. ... and peer reviewed. However, they do still play an important role in the way researchers approach their studies. The conceptual framework allows ...
Academic journal
There are different types of peer-reviewed research journals; these specific publications are about food science.. An academic journal or scholarly journal is a periodical publication in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. They serve as permanent and transparent forums for the presentation, scrutiny, and discussion of research.
The current state of integrating equity, diversity and inclusion into
The purpose of this paper is to systematically review and analyze the academic literature on integrating equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) into knowledge mobilization (KMb).,This systematic literature review of the body of scholarly literature published on integrating EDI with KMb follows established methods and protocols proposed by Popay ...
Writing a literature review
Writing a literature review requires a range of skills to gather, sort, evaluate and summarise peer-reviewed published data into a relevant and informative unbiased narrative. Digital access to research papers, academic texts, review articles, reference databases and public data sets are all sources of information that are available to enrich ...
Electric Vehicle Adoption: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of ...
This comprehensive systematic review explores the multifaceted impacts of electric vehicle (EV) adoption across technological, environmental, organizational, and policy dimensions. Drawing from 88 peer-reviewed articles, the study addresses a critical gap in the existing literature, which often isolates the impact of EV adoption without considering holistic effects.
Energy
Read the latest articles of Energy at ScienceDirect.com, Elsevier's leading platform of peer-reviewed scholarly literature. Skip to main content. ADVERTISEMENT. Journals & Books; Help. Search. My account. ... Review Article; Full Length Articles; Articles from the Special issue on SESAAU2023; Edited by Henrik Lund and Iva Ridjan Skov ...
Tubal mesosalpinx cysts combined with adnexal torsion in adolescents: a
Tubal mesosalpinx cysts are paratubal cysts, that account for approximately 10% of adnexal masses, and the presence of these cysts combined with adnexal torsion is a rare acute abdominal condition, with few cases reported in the literature. We reported two cases of adolescent tubal mesosalpinx cysts combined with adnexal torsion and reviewed the literature to help improve the diagnosis of the ...
The Ongoing Importance of Peer Review
The broader literature on peer review supports the focus of JAPNA editorials (Lu et al., 2022; Severin & Chataway, 2020).Peer review remains a vibrant part of scholarly publishing in all disciplines, marked by an increasing need for peer reviewers given the rise in scientific publication submissions (Lu et al., 2022).An ongoing theme in peer review discussions with pertinence to JAPNA involves ...
August 15, 2024
Spine is an international, peer-reviewed, bi-weekly periodical that considers for publication original articles in the field of spine. It is the leading subspecialty journal for the treatment of spinal disorders. Only original papers are considered for publication with the understanding that they are contributed solely to Spine. The Journal does not publish articles reporting material that has ...
Journal of Medical Internet Research
Eligible studies that developed SG prototypes and evaluated SG education for children with chronic diseases were searched for in PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and peer-reviewed journals. In the analytical base, the context-mechanism-output approach and game taxonomy were used to analyze relevant behavioral theories and essential game elements.

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