# Evidence Synthesis

> Evidence synthesis brings findings from multiple studies together to answer a research question while retaining differences, limitations, and uncertainty.

Evidence synthesis brings findings from multiple studies together to answer a question. Cochrane's explainer describes this in health research; the general idea also applies to other research questions. [Cochrane](https://www.cochrane.org/about-us/news/evidence-synthesis-what-it-and-why-do-we-need-it)

A single-paper summary explains one report. A synthesis considers findings together while retaining their differences and uncertainty. A narrative synthesis can discuss those relationships without forcing one average. A systematic review requires an explicit review method; some reviews also include statistical meta-analysis. Those labels do not follow automatically from using AI.

## An illustrative comparison

Consider a **fictional workplace-learning example**, not real research findings. One selected study measures onboarding task completion; another records interviews about the experience. The first can address the measured outcome, while the second supplies a different kind of observation.

A useful synthesis explains which question each can answer and what remains unknown. It should not count two favorable summaries as interchangeable votes or turn interview impressions into a measured effect. Multiple reports of one study also do not become independent studies.

## AI's role

AI can help organize supplied evidence into a proposed table or comparison. Review the search record, eligibility judgments, original sources, and missing fields before accepting the written conclusion. A polished brief cannot establish that the search was complete.

The [AI literature-review workflow](/guides/workflow/ai-literature-review-workflow) produces a bounded brief with those records. [Elicit](/tools/elicit) is a research-workflow option to evaluate. The [Research Evidence Extractor](/skills/data/research-evidence-extractor) works from selected supplied sources; the [Literature Screening Reviewer](/agents/analytics/literature-screening-reviewer) audits proposed eligibility judgments. Their separate jobs help preserve the path from source selection to conclusion.

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_Source: https://agentscamp.com/glossary/evidence-synthesis — Term on AgentsCamp._