Table 3.

Overview of the activities, analytical process and use of candidate theories according to the two stages of the analysis and synthesis process

Stage of the analysis and synthesis	Activities	Analytical process	Use of candidate theories
Evidence drawn from each primary study	Identification of the link between context, mechanism and outcomes Specification of CMO(s) configuration	Mix of abductive and retroductive reasoning Constant comparative analysis	To guide the analytical process
Synthesis of data within or across primary studies	Identification of potential explanatory patterns	Juxtaposition, reconciling, adjudication, consolidation of sources of evidence Situating sources of evidences	To explain at a higher level the explanatory patterns that emerged across the studies