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. 2021 Jan 21;14:1178632921989734. doi: 10.1177/1178632921989734

Table 1.

Arksey and O’Malley framework stages.15,16

Arksey and O’Malley Framework Stages Description
1. Identifying the research question To identify the research question to be addressed as this guides the subsequent stages. A broad research question is crucial to guide the search strategy.
2. Identifying relevant studies To identify the relevant studies to answer the central research question. This involves a search strategy for research evidence as comprehensive as possible.
3. Study selection This involves the selection of post hoc inclusion and exclusion criteria
4. Charting the data To extract data from the included studies using a data-charting form.
5. Collating, summarizing and reporting the results This involves the presentation of an overview of all the materials reviewed but not the synthesis of the evidence. An analytical framework and thematic analysis are provided.