Narrative Synthesis

CORE DEFINITION

Narrative synthesis is an established approach in systematic review methodology, formalized by Popay and colleagues for reviews where studies are too heterogeneous to pool statistically. Its core proposition is that findings can be integrated through thematic coding and structured cross-study comparison, producing an explanation that preserves context rather than a single pooled estimate. The key qualification is that the method must remain systematic: the search and inclusion rules still need to be pre-specified and reported, or narrative synthesis becomes a vehicle for selecting the studies that support a preferred conclusion.