There isn't a single, magical number for the ideal number of papers in a systematic review. The optimal quantity depends heavily on the scope and complexity of your research question.
Narrow research questions with a well-defined focus might only need a few dozen relevant papers.
Broader research questions spanning diverse areas or requiring a deep dive into a specific field may require hundreds or even thousands of papers.
Here are some factors to consider:
- The research question: A more focused question will likely require fewer papers.
- The availability of existing research: If there's a lot of research available, you might need to include more papers.
- The quality of the research: If the existing research is of high quality, you might be able to include fewer papers.
- The time and resources available: You need to balance the number of papers included with the time and resources you have available.
Remember: The goal is to provide a comprehensive and unbiased overview of the existing research on your topic. The number of papers included is just one factor to consider.
Ultimately, the quality of your systematic review is more important than the quantity of papers included.
