Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses

Guidelines are documents containing rules, principles, or standards researchers are expected to follow as they conduct and report research. When it comes to guidelines for systematic reviews, you will encounter several types of guidelines:

• Protocol guidelines
  • Guidelines that help researchers create a sound research plan. 
  • Example: NIRO-SR Tool
• Conducting guidelines
  • Guidelines that help researchers conduct rigorous systematic reviews
  • Example: Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Manuals
• Reporting guidelines
  • Guidelines that help researchers report the decisions that were made in data collection and analysis. 
  • Example: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Guidelines, Checklists, Flow Diagrams, & Extensions
• Combined conducting and reporting guidelines
  • There are a few guidelines that combine conducting and reporting guidelines.
  • Examples:
    • Methodological Expectations of Cochrane Intervention Reviews (MECIR) Standards for the conduct and reporting of new Cochrane Intervention Reviews
    • Methodological Expectations of Campbell Collaboration Intervention Reviews (MECCIR)  Standards for the conduct and reporting of Campbell systematic reviews. It’s complicated! two documents, both under MECCIR name.
    • Collaboration for Environmental Evidence (CEE) Guidelines for Systematic Reviews in Environmental Management. Conducting and reporting guidelines for environmental evidence
• Search guidelines
  • Guidelines for reporting literature searches
  • Example: PRISMA-S 

The guidelines you choose will depend on

• Review type (scoping review, mapping review, systematic review, meta-analysis)
• Discipline (health sciences, social sciences, environmental sciences)
• Population (e.g., trees, children, open-access articles)
• Journal requirements
• Collaborative Networks (e.g., Campbell Collaboration)
   

Get help!

Not sure which guidelines are right for you? Contact our Systematic Review Service for a consultation with one of our subject experts!

General

• PRISMA Statement

  PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) is an evidence-based minimum set of items for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses which focuses on randomized trials but can also be used interventions. The PRISMA 2020 Statement was published in 2021 and comprises a 27-item checklist addressing the introduction, methods, results, and discussion sections of a systematic review report. It consists of a checklist and a flow diagram; and is intended to be accompanied by the PRISMA 2020 Explanation and Elaboration document.

• PRISMA Elaboration and Explanation

  It is strongly recommended that the PRISMA 2020 Statement be used in conjunction with the PRISMA 2020 Explanation and Elaboration Document. This document is intended to enhance the use, understanding and dissemination of the PRISMA 2020 Statement. Through examples and explanations, the meaning and rationale for each checklist item are presented.

• PRISMA Checklist

  The PRISMA 2020 Statement includes a checklist addressing the 27 items to be reported in
  the introduction, methods, results and discussion sections of a systematic review.

• PRISMA Flow Diagram

  The flow diagram depicts the flow of information through the different phases of a systematic review. It maps out the number of records identified, included and excluded, and the reasons for exclusions. Different templates are available depending on the type of review (new or updated) and sources used to identify studies.

• PRISMA for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR)

  The PRISMA-ScR extension for scoping reviews was published in 2018. The checklist contains 20 essential reporting items and 2 optional items to include when completing a scoping review.

• PRISMA for systematic review Protocols (PRISMA-P)

  The PRISMA-P extension was published in 2015 aiming to facilitate the development and reporting of systematic review protocols.

• Campbell MECCIR Standards

  Methodological Expectations of Campbell Collaboration Intervention Reviews (MECCIR) are guides to the conduct and reporting of systematic reviews. Campbell Coordinating Groups manage the publication process in these topic areas: Aging, Business Management, Child & Young Persons Wellbeing, Climate Solutions, Crime & Justice, Disability, Education, International Development, Knowledge Translation & Implementation, Methods, and Social Welfare.

• Campbell Systematic Reviews: Policies & guidelines

  Designed to inform author teams about the requirements for Campbell evidence syntheses and guidelines for producing them.

• Campbell - Searching for Studies

  Guidance on the information retrieval process including literature sources, planning and executing searches, and documentation.

• EPPI-Centre

  Based in the U.K. at the University College London, the center offers guidance on conducting systematic reviews across many areas of social science policy, such as: education, health, social care, developing economies, sport, environment, and crime.

• What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) - Procedures & Standards Handbooks

  Includes standards and procedures handbooks for conducting systematic reviews to be submitted to WWC for publication. Also provides supplemental guides for understanding the standards and procedures. Topic areas include: Dropout Prevention, Early Childhood, Educator Excellence and School Leadership, English Learners, Literacy, School Choice, STEM, Supporting Children with Developmental Disabilities, and Supportive Learning Environments.

ROSES (RepOrting standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses in environmental research)

• ROSES forms will help review authors to ensure that all relevant methodological information is reported in their review, and will help editors and peer-reviewers to critique the reliability and validity of a review.
• Guidelines for protocols and reporting
• Recommended for systematic reviews and mapping reviews.

Collaboration for Environmental Evidence (CEE) Guidelines for Systematic Reviews in Environmental Management

• Latest guidelines for the commissioning and conduct of SR in environmental management. 

Cochrane Guides & Handbooks

• Cochrane is an international network for systematic reviews in health and medicine with headquarters in the UK. It provides access to protocols and reviews as well as guides and handbooks for conducting and reporting Cochrane systematic reviews

Cochrance MECIR (Methodological Expectations of Cochrane Intervention Reviews)

• Standards for the conduct and reporting of new Cochrane Intervention Reviews, reporting of protocols and the planning, conduct and reporting of updates

There are no formal guidelines for meta-analyses in neuroimaging. Current best practices are below. 

Ten simple rules for neuroimaging meta-analysis.

• Müller, V. I., Cieslik, E. C., Laird, A. R., Fox, P. T., Radua, J., Mataix-Cols, D., Tench, C. R., Yarkoni, T., Nichols, T. E., Turkeltaub, P. E., Wager, T. D., & Eickhoff, S. B. (2018). Ten simple rules for neuroimaging meta-analysis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 84, 151–161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.11.012