Research knowledge base
Plan a systematic review you can trace
Build the review around a defined question, a defensible method and an auditable record. Choose software after agreeing the decisions the team needs to record.
01
Define the review before choosing the tools
Agree the review type, eligibility rules, search scope, screening process and planned synthesis. The Cochrane Handbook provides methodological guidance for intervention reviews; use guidance suited to the actual review type and field. Record protocol amendments with their reasons rather than silently changing eligibility during screening.
02
Retain the search and screening trail
Keep the database or platform, full search strategy, search date, exported records and any limits. Work with a research librarian where the question or search complexity warrants specialist input. Use a reference library to organise citations, then retain the relationship between imported records, deduplication decisions and the review’s screening set.
Rayyan can help organise screening. Agree reviewer roles, conflict resolution and the information needed for exclusions before starting. Pilot eligibility rules on a small set of records and resolve inconsistent interpretations. Software suggestions do not remove the need for reviewer judgement.
03
Separate extraction from interpretation
Design and pilot an extraction form. Record the source location for each extracted item and distinguish reported results from conversions or assumptions. Choose appraisal methods suited to the included designs. Where synthesis is not appropriate, explain why rather than forcing a pooled estimate.
04
Report what actually happened
Use PRISMA reporting guidance and the appropriate extension to guide transparent reporting. A reporting checklist is not a substitute for a sound method. Reconcile the flow diagram with the saved screening record and explain deviations from the protocol.
05
Make the handover usable
Keep the protocol, search strategies, screening exports, extraction records, analysis and reporting checklist together, with access appropriate to the material. The worked audit-trail example shows how the pieces connect. Where the project needs methodological help, systematic review and meta-analysis support can be scoped around unresolved review decisions.
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Sources and tools
- Cochrane Handbook — Consult methodological guidance for intervention reviews.
- PRISMA reporting guidance — Find the reporting checklist and extension appropriate to the review.
- Rayyan — Organise review screening and record reviewer decisions.
- Zotero — Collect, organise and cite references; verify imported metadata.
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Continue with your research
External resources reviewed 22 October 2026. Check the current instructions for the selected journal, tool or institution before acting. These links identify independent resources and do not imply an affiliation with or endorsement by their providers.