Recently we announced the launch of NIHR Evidence Synthesis Scotland InitiativE or NESSIE. The purpose of NESSIE is to carry out a specialist type of research called evidence synthesis on topics in health or social care. You can find out more about NESSIE and evidence synthesis in our first blog which you can find here. There are lots of different ways that evidence can be brought together and in this edition of our blog we are focusing on one of these methods – evidence gap maps. 

What is an evidence gap map? 

The World Health Organisation describes evidence gap maps as interactive tools that can highlight and categorise what research has been completed within a particular area or topic.  This overview of research can be useful for both researchers and organisations who fund research to identify how much research has already been completed and where the gaps in knowledge are. This process can help to identify and inform research priorities.  

Mapping the evidence is achieved by  1. completing an in-depth search for research studies, 2. checking these studies are relevant to your topic and then 3. recording key information about the studies such as the type of research completed.  By presenting the information you find in the form of a “map” (or interactive table) we can display a wide range of information in a way that is easy to understand. The maps can include information on when (year) the research was completed and where (country) as well as who was included in the studies (adults or children), the number of participants and the focus of the research (intervention) amongst other details.  If you would like to find out more information on what an evidence gap map looks like and why they are useful, why not watch this short video or have a look at an example. 

How does an evidence gap map compare with other types of evidence synthesis? 

The Campbell Collaboration provides tips on how to complete an evidence gap map and how these differ from other types of evidence synthesis (or reviews). Compared with other methods of evidence synthesis evidence gap maps tend to include a wider focus (or research question), but don’t always provide information on the quality of the evidence found or the results of the included research studies.   

We will be using this blog site to let you know what projects we are working on (including evidence gap maps as well as other types of evidence synthesis) so why not subscribe to our blog by leaving your details on the right-hand side of the page.  

Blog written by Dr Katie Thomson

What is an evidence gap map?  / NESSIE - NIHR Evidence Synthesis Scotland InitiativE by blogadmin is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0