The first step in the systematic review process is to understand the methods, documentation requirements, and timeline necessary to conduct a quality systematic review. If you have not conducted a systematic review before, additional training may be necessary to establish adequate understanding of these methods among all members of the review team.
Please register and attend the "So You Think You Want to Do a Systematic Review?" workshop before starting your review. Register here for future sessions: https://libcal.uthsc.edu/calendar/workshops
The systematic review process, with or without a meta-analysis, has many stages. Some aspects of the process can be accomplished simultaneously, but many will require the full review team's contributions before moving forward. The following infographic details 24 steps to the systematic review and meta-analysis process:
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1. Define research question 2. Establish review team 3. Define the search strategy 4. Define selection criteria 5. Design data collection form 6. Write the protocol and register the review 7. Run the search strategy in multiple databases 8. Collect all abstracts and references in a file |
9. Eliminate duplicates 10. Have at least 2 reviewers screen titles and abstracts. 11. Collect, compare, and select for retrieval 12. Retrieve full text and apply selection criteria 13. Contact experts 14. Search for additional references 15. Make the final selection list and complete flow chart 16. Apply data collection form (in pairs) |
17. Evaluate study quality and risk of bias 18. Prepare database for analysis 19. Conduct descriptive analysis 20. To meta-analyze or not? 21. Exploration of heterogeneity 22. Check reporting bias 23. Check the quality of the evidence 24. Update, report, and submit for publication |
Muka T, Glisic M, Milic J, et al. A 24-step guide on how to design, conduct, and successfully publish a systematic review and meta-analysis in medical research. Eur J Epidemiol. 2020;35(1):49-60. doi:10.1007/s10654-019-00576-5
According to the Cochrane Handbook, systematic reviews can take 12-18 months to complete. While it may be tempting to estimate a quicker turnaround, rarely do systematic reviews take less than 12 months to complete.
| Months | Systematic Review Activity |
|---|---|
| 1-2 | Preparation of protocol |
| 3-8 | Searches for published and unpublished studies |
| 2-3 | Pilot test of eligibility criteria |
| 3-8 | Inclusion assessments/Screening |
| 3 | Pilot test of Risk of Bias assessment |
| 3-10 | Validity assessments |
| 3 | Pilot test of data collection |
| 3-10 | Data collection |
| 3-10 | Data entry |
| 5-11 | Follow up of missing information |
| 8-10 | Analysis |
| 1-11 | Preparation of review report/manuscript |
| 12+ | Keeping the review up to date |
If you are working against an upcoming deadline, please consult with a librarian on other types of evidence synthesis that may be more appropriate to your needs.