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.
Comments
0 comments
Please sign in to leave a comment.