A Look at the Research Process: Research Syntheses
Research Update from Nuremberg
A Look at the Research Process: Research Syntheses
December 2025
The research team at FAU Erlangen–Nuremberg provides insights into how it reviews, analyzes, and synthesizes the international state of research related to the Integration through Education research initiative through comprehensive literature reviews and research syntheses.
The Research Process at a Glance
Scoping Review as a Key Publication Format
The scoping review approach used by FAU Erlangen–Nuremberg can:
- Systematically identify studies on a broad topic
- Compile key theories and concepts
- Summarize existing knowledge (empirical evidence)
- Identify research gaps and areas for future investigation (research desiderata)
What Do You Think?
Which terms should be used to find all relevant research on education?
- Only education and learning?
- Also students, extracurricular activities, and related terms?
- Or perhaps literacy, motivation, and beliefs?
The Answer
A search strategy should be as broad as possible to avoid excluding relevant studies from the outset.
What Happens Next
We will continue screening the identified studies against our inclusion criteria. Those deemed relevant will then be examined in greater detail: What findings do they provide, and to what extent can these be transferred to other contexts? Which design principles for educational processes can be derived? And which research gaps still remain?
Infographic for Download
The infographic illustrating the process of developing a research synthesis is also available for download here.
Your Contact for Further Questions
Prof. Dr. Stephan Kröner
Dr. Lisa Birnbaum
Sponsors
The project “Meta-project Migration, Integration, and Participation in Education” is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education, Family, Seniors, Women, and Youth and the European Union through the European Social Fund Plus (ESF Plus) as part of the “Integration through Education” program.
