Literature search protocol: Mapping country-based early childhood development research outputs by researchers located in sub-Saharan Africa

Summary

This protocol provides an overview of the literature search criteria and methodology as part of the ‘Mapping education research in sub-Saharan Africa’ project.

It presents the methodology and search criteria for mapping and evaluating research outputs on early childhood development conducted by researchers from sub-Saharan Africa in the following countries: Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Uganda.

This protocol complements two additional literature search protocols:

a) Mapping publications related to foundational literacy and numeracy in sub-Saharan Africa in English and French (Binesse, H., Rose, P., & Silva, R. (2023); and

b) Mapping African-led Early Childhood Development research in four academic databases: Dimensions, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed (Iddrisu et al, 2024).

Highlights

The protocol includes six key components of ECD identified in the Mapping African-led Early Childhood Development research protocol (Iddrisu et al, 2024):

• Health

• Early education/learning

• Responsive caregiving/parenting

• Nutrition 

• Play

A significant amount of research by sub-Saharan African researchers may be found in national and regional journals and institutional repositories rather than international journals or databases.

The protocol also outlines approaches for mapping ECD research outputs from in-country and regional sources.

It is hoped that mapping research and researchers of ECD will enhance the knowledge of relevant institutions, individual practitioners, and so support policy makers to make evidence-informed decisions on these issues.

Download the Literature Search Protocol

Authors

The writing of this mapping protocol was led by Eunice Mueni Williams, who developed the protocol, adapting it from the overall mapping protocol co-developed with Daniel Hawkins Iddrisu. Pauline Rose provided oversight of the process, together with guidance and review of the protocol.

This work on mapping Early Childhood Development (ECD) publications is undertaken in partnership with the Research for Equitable Access and Learning at University of Cambridge, with funding from Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.

The authors are grateful to Stephen Acquah, Laté Lawson, Pauline Essah and Samuel Asare (ESSA) for their valuable inputs in the protocol development and review of previous drafts.