3.5 Step 5: Data extraction and synthesis
Depending on your research aims and question, at least, there could be
two phases of this exercise. It is the act of locating and
acquiring/accessing appropriate materials deemed relevant for the study
and all sources of information well documented. There are many
referencing systems that help in organizing and documenting information,
for example, EndNote. First, specific characteristics of studies among
others such as geographical location, study objectives, methods, study
design, population, and theory where relevant will be looked at. This
step is about bringing ideas and information together for the purpose of
identifying the overall pattern and how each pattern fits into the
whole. The outcome sought here is an overview of the research focus.
This outcome crucial in confirming/or refining formulated research
questions. Attention is paid to the connections among the extracted
materials in the context of agreements and disagreement, flow among
relevant materials for the purpose of drawing conclusion as organizing
proposition for the synthesis The second phase could be extracting the
actual results/findings of IS implemented as an intervention Inclusion
and exclusion criteria.