PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Daniel Strech AU - Neema Sofaer TI - How to write a systematic review of reasons AID - 10.1136/medethics-2011-100096 DP - 2012 Feb 01 TA - Journal of Medical Ethics PG - 121--126 VI - 38 IP - 2 4099 - http://jme.bmj.com/content/38/2/121.short 4100 - http://jme.bmj.com/content/38/2/121.full SO - J Med Ethics2012 Feb 01; 38 AB - Systematic reviews, which were developed to improve policy-making and clinical decision-making, answer an empirical question based on a minimally biased appraisal of all the relevant empirical studies. A model is presented here for writing systematic reviews of argument-based literature: literature that uses arguments to address conceptual questions, such as whether abortion is morally permissible or whether research participants should be legally entitled to compensation for sustaining research-related injury. Such reviews aim to improve ethically relevant decisions in healthcare, research or policy. They are better tools than informal reviews or samples of literature with respect to the identification of the reasons relevant to a conceptual question, and they enable the setting of agendas for conceptual and empirical research necessary for sound policy-making. This model comprises prescriptions for writing the systematic review's review question and eligibility criteria, the identification of the relevant literature, the type of data to extract on reasons and publications, and the derivation and presentation of results. This paper explains how to adapt the model to the review question, literature reviewed and intended readers, who may be decision-makers or academics. Obstacles to the model's application are described and addressed, and limitations of the model are identified.