1. What is a Systematic Review?

Who this is for: Researchers across all disciplines (health, social sciences, engineering, education, etc.)
Estimated time to read: 3 minutes
Where you are in the journey: Getting Started

What this article will help you do

Understand what a Systematic Review is across multiple fields.
Learn the essential steps involved in planning a review.
Prepare the core materials you’ll need before beginning your review in Rayyan.
If you already know the basics and want to begin immediately, your next step is: Getting Started with Rayyan - A Quick Start Guide – Rayyan Help Center

1. What is a Systematic Review?

A Systematic Review (SR) is a structured research method used to identify, evaluate, and synthesize all available evidence on a specific question using a transparent and reproducible process.

Systematic Reviews are widely used in:

• Health & life sciences
• Social sciences & education
• Engineering & computer science
• Business, economics, and policy research

Regardless of discipline, the goals are the same:
→ minimize bias,
→ follow a predefined method,
→ produce reliable, evidence‑based conclusions.

2. Start with a clear and structured research question

A strong, well‑structured question is the foundation of every SR and guides your search, eligibility criteria, and screening workflow. 

Different frameworks fit different disciplines:

• PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcomes)
• PEO (Population, Exposure, Outcomes)
• SPIDER (Sample, Phenomenon, Design, Evaluation, Research type)
• Or any structured question format commonly used in your field

What matters is that the question is focused, answerable, and explicitly structured.

Why this matters in your journey:
A clear question reduces downstream ambiguity and makes screening decisions much more consistent. 

3. Define your eligibility criteria (inclusion and exclusion)

Eligibility criteria are the rules of your review — they determine which studies are relevant and why. Typical categories include:

Typical inclusion criteria

• Population or sample
• Study design
• Phenomenon, exposure, intervention, or technology
• Outcomes or variables of interest
• Context, setting, dates, languages

Typical exclusion criteria

• Wrong population or context
• Irrelevant topic
• Inappropriate study design
• Insufficient data
• Duplicates or non‑research material

Labels vs. Exclusion Reasons (core concept)

• Labels help you organize and categorize studies.
• Exclusion reasons document why a study does not fit your criteria.

They serve different purposes and should not be mixed. 

4. Build a structured search strategy (databases, strings, documentation)

A Systematic Review must be comprehensive and reproducible.
Your search strategy ensures both.

Make sure to document:

• Which databases you searched (e.g., Scopus, PubMed, ERIC, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, Google Scholar)
• Exact search strings and Boolean operators
• Filters applied (dates, languages, study types)
• When each search was run
• How many results each search returned
• How files were exported

Why this matters in your journey:
A documented search strategy allows others to evaluate and replicate your work.

5. Plan your screening workflow (roles, phases, and agreements)

A Systematic Review is a structured process whether you work alone or in a team.
A clear workflow prevents confusion and improves consistency. 

A minimal, effective screening workflow

• Title and abstract screening (broad filtering)
• Full‑text screening (confirmation stage)
• Conflict resolution rules
• Documentation of decisions

Before screening, align on:

• Your list of labels
• Your exclusion reasons and their meaning
• Who resolves conflicts and when

6. Prepare your review documentation (before importing files)

Prepare the essentials before moving into Rayyan: 

• A written version of your structured research question
• Final inclusion/exclusion criteria
• Database export files (e.g., .ris, .nbib, .csv)
• A simple naming convention (e.g., Scopus_2026‑02‑01.ris)

Why this matters in your journey:
This prevents confusion later and ensures a clean, organized start.

7. Validate your materials before you begin screening

Double‑check that:

• All database exports are intact
• Records contain necessary metadata
• Duplicates have not been removed prematurely
• File names are clear and consistent
• Your team (if applicable) is aligned on labels and reasons

This ensures a clean starting point inside Rayyan. 

8. Begin screening with consistency (method‑first, not tool‑first)

Once everything is prepared, begin screening. Apply your criteria exactly as defined:

• Include when a study fits
• Exclude when it clearly does not
• Assign exclusion reasons consistently
• Add notes when uncertain
• Track conflicts when working with collaborators

Consistency here builds trust in your final results.

Next

• Getting Started with Rayyan - A Quick Start Guide – Rayyan Help Center