Synthesis
Synthesis is software for conducting scoping, systematic, and regular literature reviews.
What Synthesis is
Synthesis is software for conducting scoping, systematic, and regular literature reviews. It organizes references and PDFs, searches abstracts and full-text PDFs by keyword or phrase, and automatically removes duplicate references. It supports primary and secondary reviewers screening abstracts and full text, with kappa scores calculated for both. Analysis tools include AI-assisted topic clustering, word clouds, metadata extraction, and charts.
Embedded searches are listed for PubMed, PubMed Central, IEEE, arXiv.org, and US Patents; the software can also import references from bibliographic databases such as Ovid, Web of Knowledge, ProQuest, and ACM. It can download many full-text PDFs when open or institutional access is available. References and data can be exported as RIS and CSV. The trial allows unlimited projects, but each project can import only 50 references and uses a slower, non-professional PDF viewer. Orders and downloads are temporarily suspended while the maker develops a new release. A license is tied to an individual computer; after expiration, existing projects remain usable, while new projects can import only 50 references in trial mode.
Good
- Searches abstracts and full-text PDFs
- Automatically de-duplicates imported references
- Supports dual-reviewer screening and kappa scores
- Exports references and data as RIS and CSV
Watch out
- Orders and downloads are temporarily suspended
- Trial projects are limited to 50 imported references each
- License is tied to an individual computer
- Trial uses a slower, non-professional PDF viewer
Who it suits
Synthesis is intended for literature-review work in settings such as universities, hospitals, government agencies, companies, and nongovernmental organizations. Its screening and reference-management features suit teams handling review projects.
Verdict
Synthesis combines reference management, review screening, and analysis tools for literature-review workflows. Its current order and download suspension is an important availability constraint.
The facts
Each one read from Synthesis's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Analysis
- Features include topic clustering, word clouds, metadata extraction, and charting.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Automated de-duplication
- Synthesis automatically de-duplicates imported references; the support page reports externally validated sensitivity of 98% and specificity of 99%.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Availability
- Orders are temporarily suspended while the company develops a new release.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Database imports
- It can import references from bibliographic databases including Ovid, Web of Knowledge, ProQuest, and ACM.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Database search
- Embedded searches are available for PubMed, PubMed Central, IEEE, arXiv.org, and US Patents.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Deduplication
- The site reports externally validated deduplication sensitivity of 98% and specificity of 99%.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Download status
- Downloads are temporarily suspended while the company develops a new release.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Dual reviewers
- It supports primary and secondary reviewers screening abstracts and full text, with kappa scores calculated for both.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Exports
- References can be exported as RIS for use in citation managers such as EndNote or RefWorks, and displayed data can be exported as CSV.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The site describes use in academic research, hospitals, government agencies, private corporations, and nongovernmental organizations.checked 5 Oct 2026
- License assignment
- The license is tied to an individual computer using a computer-specific Installation ID and Registration ID.checked 5 Oct 2026
- License binding
- The maker says a license is tied to an individual computer.checked 4 Oct 2026
- License limit
- After a license expires, existing projects remain usable, while new projects can import only 50 references in trial mode.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Orders and downloads
- The maker says orders and downloads are temporarily suspended while it develops a new release.checked 4 Oct 2026
- PDF access
- Synthesis can download many full-text PDFs when open access or institutional access is available.checked 5 Oct 2026
- PDF downloading
- Synthesis can automatically download many full-text PDFs available through open access or institutional access.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Synthesis is software for conducting scoping, systematic, and regular literature reviews.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Reference management
- It organizes references and PDFs and supports keyword and phrase searches across abstracts and full-text PDFs.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Reviewers
- It supports primary and secondary reviewers screening abstracts and full text, with automatic kappa score calculation.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Search sources
- Embedded search is listed for PubMed, PubMed Central, IEEE, arXiv.org, and US Patents, with imports from bibliographic databases including Ovid, Web of Knowledge, and ProQuest.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Support
- The support page offers an online reference manual, a help sheet, and YouTube tutorials.checked 4 Oct 2026
The company
- Company
- Synthesis Research Inc. describes itself as a software development company focused on literature management and analysis.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Headquarters
- The maker says Synthesis Research Inc. is located in Calgary, Canada.checked 4 Oct 2026
Money
- Trial limits
- The trial allows unlimited projects, but each project can import only 50 references and uses a slower, non-professional PDF viewer.checked 4 Oct 2026
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