Why is it important to have a plan?
A major cause of bias in a systematic review is answering a different question to that being originally asked. This is why it is important to develop a review plan or protocol.
The benefits of having a protocol before the beginning of a review:
The protocol should include:
Registering your protocol in a publicly accessible way will avoid other people duplicating your review. Similarly, it is always a good idea to check these sources ahead of starting out just in case someone else has lodged a review protocol on the same topic.
A good place to register a health review is PROSPERO. Once you register your review will:
You can publish your protocol:
Protocols for Cochrane and Joanna Briggs Institute reviews are published on their websites:
Many other journals will allow you to publish your protocol. You should also look for relevant journals within your discipline area.
Edith Cowan University acknowledges and respects the Noongar people, who are
the traditional custodians of the land upon which its campuses stand and its programs
operate.
In particular ECU pays its respects to the Elders, past and present, of the Noongar
people, and embrace their culture, wisdom and knowledge.