Systematic Reviews Legacy Guide: Write the Review
Created by Health Science Librarians
Role of the librarian in this stage
A librarian can advise you on the process of organizing and writing up your systematic review, including:
- Applying the PRISMA reporting templates and the level of detail to include for each element
- How to report a systematic review search strategy and your review methodology in the completed review
- How to use prior published reviews to guide you in organizing your manuscript
Contact HSL About Your Review
Ready to start a systematic review? HSL Librarians can help!
Fill out the Systematic Review Request Form and the best-suited librarian will get back to you promptly. Our systematic review service is only available to faculty, staff, students, and others who are affiliated with UNC Chapel Hill.
Writing your review
Be sure to reference reporting standards when writing your review. This helps ensure that you communicate essential components of your methods, results, and conclusions. There are a number of tools that can be used to ensure compliance with reporting guidelines. A few review-writing resources are listed below.
PRISMA reporting templates
Now Available: PRISMA 2020
- The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviewsThe PRISMA 2020 statement replaces the 2009 statement and includes new reporting guidance that reflects advances in methods to identify, select, appraise, and synthesise studies.
- PRISMA 2020 explanation and elaboration: updated guidance and exemplars for reporting systematic reviewsThis document is intended to enhance the use, understanding and dissemination of the PRISMA 2020 Statement. Through examples and explanations, the meaning and rationale for each checklist item are presented.
The PRISMA Checklist
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) is a 27-item checklist used to improve transparency in systematic reviews. These items cover all aspects of the manuscript, including title, abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, and funding. The PRISMA checklist can be downloaded in PDF or Word files.
- PRISMA 2020 ChecklistsDownload the 2020 PRISMA Checklists in Word or PDF formats or download the expanded checklist (PDF).
- PRISMA 2009 Checklist (Word document)A downloadable Word document of the PRISMA Checklist
- PRISMA Checklist (PDF)A downloadable PDF of the PRISMA Checklist
The PRISMA Flow Diagram
The PRISMA Flow Diagram visually depicts the flow of studies through each phase of the review process. The PRISMA Flow Diagram can be downloaded in both PDF and Word files.
- PRISMA 2020 Flow DiagramsThe flow diagram depicts the flow of information through the different phases of a systematic review. It maps out the number of records identified, included and excluded, and the reasons for exclusions. Different templates are available depending on the type of review (new or updated) and sources used to identify studies.
- PRISMA 2009 Flow Diagram Template (Word document)A downloadable Word document of the PRISMA Flow Diagram
- PRISMA 2009 Flow Diagram Template (PDF)A downloadable PDF file of the PRISMA Flow Diagram
Need help with PRISMA? For a step-by-step guide to the PRISMA Flow Diagram, visit the HSL PRISMA guide.
Additional PRISMA extensions
Need help with PRISMA?
For a step-by-step guide to the PRISMA Flow Diagram, visit the HSL PRISMA guide.
Review sections
Systematic reviews follow the same structure as original research articles. Sections of your manuscript are shown as bold headings in the PRISMA checklist.
| Title | Describe your manuscript and state whether it is a systematic review, meta-analysis, or both. |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Structure the abstract and include (as applicable): background, objectives, data sources, study eligibility criteria, participants, interventions, quality assessment and synthesis methods, results, limitations, conclusions, implications of key findings, and systematic review registration number. |
| Introduction | Describe the rationale for the review and provide a statement of questions being addressed. |
| Methods | Include details regarding the protocol, eligibility criteria, databases searched, full search strategy of at least one database (often reported in appendix), and the study selection process. Describe how data were extracted and analyzed. If a librarian is part of your research team, that person may be best suited to write this section. |
| Results | Report the numbers of articles screened at each stage using a PRISMA diagram. Include information about included study characteristics, risk of bias (quality assessment) within studies, and results across studies. |
| Discussion | Summarize main findings, including the strength of evidence and limitations of the review. Provide a general interpretation of the results and implications for future research. |
| Funding | Describe any sources of funding for the systematic review. |
| Appendix | Include entire search strategy for at least one database in the appendix (include search strategies for all databases searched for more transparency). |
Refer to the PRISMA checklist for more information.
Articles and guidelines on writing systematic reviews
- The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviewsThe PRISMA 2020 statement replaces the 2009 statement and includes new reporting guidance that reflects advances in methods to identify, select, appraise, and synthesise studies.
- SQUIRE 2.0SQUIRE 2.0 is intended for reports that describe systematic work to improve the quality, safety, and value of healthcare, using a range of methods to establish the association between observed outcomes and intervention(s).
- EQUATOR Network HomeOne-stop-shop for writing and publishing high-impact health research
- STROMS Consensus StatementStrengthening The Organization and Reporting of Microbiome Studies
Doing a Systematic Review by
Great book for Masters or a PhD students conducting a systematic review for your dissertation or thesis. NOTE: If you are considering purchasing a book, buy the 2nd edition (2017).
Written by experts with years of experience in conducting systematic reviews and supervising students doing systematic reviews, the book provides a roadmap to guide you through the process. Authors answer questions posed by real students carrying out reviews. Chapter on reviewing qualitative evidence.
Call Number: HSL 1st floor reference & 3rd floor: W 20.5 D657 2014 Check availability of Doing a Systematic ReviewISBN: 9781446269688Publication Date: 2014
An Introduction to Systematic Reviews by
Particularly helpful for Policy- and Social Science-related reviews as it draws on the work of the EPPI-Centre (Evidence for Policy & Practice Information-Centre) based in the Social Science Research Unit at the Institute of Education in London. NOTE: If you are considering purchasing a book, buy the 2nd edition (2017).
Overview of the nature, logic, diversity and process of undertaking systematic reviews as part of evidence informed decision making. Covers the full breadth of approaches to reviews from statistical meta analysis to meta ethnography. Five content sections: Approaches to reviewing, Getting started, Gathering and describing research, Appraising and synthesising data, Making use of reviews/models of research use.
Call Number: Davis: H62.G68 2012ISBN: 9781849201803Publication Date: 2012-04-04
Tools for evaluating systematic reviews
- AMSTAR ChecklistA 16-question measurement tool to assess systematic reviews
- PRISMA 2009 Checklist (Word document)A downloadable Word document of the PRISMA Checklist
- CASP: Systematic Reviews10 questions to evaluate a systematic review from the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP)
- BMJ Framework for assessing systematic reviewsChecklist for assessing systematic reviews
- JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Systematic Reviews and Research SynthesesAn 11-item checklist for evaluating systematic reviews
