Hi walminskipeasucker

I am currently doing the same thing as you - trying to create a review of the state-of-the-art in my area and I have approx 50 papers to include - firstly when you say that half are based on one set of developmental procedures then this could be your first division - there may be more within each group - I have divided my papers by the various dimensions that they deal with and summarised this in a number of tables - would it be possible for you to cut down on the complexity of the descriptions by doing something similar?

When you say it is a general readership if there are certain terms that are only applicable in your area then you could have a section to specifically explain these.

How long are you allowed for the review paper?

Try doing a skeleton outline of the paper and include only the topics of most importance - from what you have written the dataset / population, the questionnaires and the dimensions that make them different or similar, the terms that need explained for the general readership, and the developmental procedures.

A picture says a thousand words so if you can sum up anything in a graph or diagram then that would cut your word count.

These are just a few ideas - and I hope they help - sometimes shortening one paragraph at a time can help then try piecing it all together at the end.

Good Luck
JenNorth