BOOKS
A Step-by-Step Guide to Conducting an Integrative Review (2020). Toronto CE, Remington R (Editors). Springer, 106 Pages.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Conducting an Integrative Review is aptly named. Anyone who closely follows the carefully described steps should be able to perform a well-researched integrative review beginning with a question and ending with a manuscript and/or presentation. The book is scholarly yet very readable. It begins with an excellent description of the types of reviews, including a table that describes the differences between narrative, systematic, and integrative reviews, and makes the case for why an integrative review is a valuable contribution to the literature.
This book will be especially useful to anyone teaching students how to do an integrative review or anyone considering doing one. While the editors are nurses and the examples are from the nursing literature, the process is the same as in other disciplines, making the book especially valuable to a broad audience. Some of the strengths of the book are the clear writing, the detailed table of contents, the frequent examples using contemporary literature, and the practical advice.
Of particular interest is Chapter 3, "Searching Systematically and Comprehensively." In this chapter, there is detailed information about choosing databases, organizing the search, combining search terms using Boolean operators, and the importance of utilizing support from an experienced librarian. There is detailed information on additional searching techniques, including using gray literature and ancestry searching. As some of the defining characteristics of an integrative review are thematic analysis and descriptive and qualitative synthesis of the included research, Chapter 5 thoroughly describes how to do the analysis, including a table illustrating a review matrix. Chapter 6 provides information on interpreting the findings and discussing implications for research, practice, policy, or education.
The editors never imply that an integrative review is easy. They clearly state that it is a complex process, typically taking 6 to 12 months. However, following the steps in this book breaks the complex process into manageable steps. In the next edition, I hope that the editors will include an index and, more importantly, a glossary. While all terms are well defined in the text, a glossary would provide easy access to unfamiliar terminology.