LibGuides: Systematic Reviews: Screening & Analysis

Critical Appraisal Worksheets

Critical Appraisal Worksheets:

Worksheets from the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine in Oxford
Worksheets from the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine in Toronto

Study Inclusion/Exclusion

The decision criteria and process must be decided before the review begins. The review of the search results is usually conducted in two phases:

Review title/abstract
Review full-text

At least two independent reviewers are needed, with a third person available to resolve conflicts.

Keep a log of excluded studies with reasons for exclusion. Simple Excel spreadsheets can be designed to track the process.

Covidence Screening and Extracting Tool

Covidence

Covidence is a web-based tool that helps you with the systematic review process by enabling researchers to work with a team to screen title/abstracts and full text for inclusion in your review, as well as extract data from included studies.

The library has a subscription that allows for unlimited reviews once researchers join institutional account.

Other Screening and Extraction Tools

Abstrackr
From Brown University. Helps you upload, organize and screen the results of a literature search for a systematic review. Register for free.
Colandr
Free machine-learning-assisted tool to partially automate screening and data extraction.
DistillerSR
Rayyan
Free screening resource from Qatar Computing Research Institute.
SRDR+ (Systematic Review Data Repository Plus)
Free resource from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and Brown University for extracting and archiving study data.
SysRev
Uses machine learning to assist in collaborative data extraction. The free platform supports open access/public projects only.
RevMan
For Cochrane reviews

Data Extraction & Quality Assessment

For studies selected for inclusion:

What data will be extracted?
What software will be used?
What are the procedures for extraction
- Number of reviewers
- Dispute resolution process
Will authors be contacted for further data?
What is the translation process?

What criteria will be used for the quality assessment of the included studies? What process will be followed for the quality assessment?

Number of reviewers
Dispute resolution

How will the quality assessment be used in analysis?

Data Analysis and Synthesis

Things to consider:

Meta-analysis and/or narrative analysis?
Measures of heterogeneity
Outcomes of interest
Effect measures to be used
Subgroup analysis plans
Publication bias analysis

For qualitative data:

ATLAS.ti to code and analyze blocks of text/audio files (fee based)