Table 2.

Descriptions of the phases of synthesis

Phase	Description
Getting started	Research team scoped available literature and identified an appropriate area of interest that qualitative methodology can inform.
Deciding what is relevant to the initial interest	Research team decided and defined the scope of the synthesis and set eligibility criteria.
Reading the studies	Two researchers read and re‐read the studies, highlighting important phrases and themes.
Determining how the studies are related	Two researchers created lists of the key phrases and themes for each study. Draw initial assumptions about how included studies relate to one another.
Translating the studies into one another	Three researchers compared and contrasted the lists for each study and identified concepts that were encompassed across studies.
Synthesising translations	Three researchers ensured the translation encompassed key concepts and themes of included studies and compared translation to alternative interpretations. A line of argument was developed from the final translation.
Expressing the synthesis	Research team considered the potential audience of the synthesis and expressed results in an appropriate format.