Guidance for creating your protocol can be found at PRISMA-P (link opens in new window), or by working through the online training on protocols available at the Cochrane Library (link opens in new window). Please note if you wish to use the Cochrane training materials you will have to register for a Cochrane account (link opens in new window)
A protocol is a description of your proposed systematic review, it includes:
Registering your protocol stakes your claim on the research, and it also means that you have done a significant portion of the work before you formally begin the review, as you will have written your methods section in draft form and planned what you will need to document and report by the time the protocol is finished.
There are a number of places you can register your systematic review - see eg Pieper and Rombey (2022) (opens in new window). Some of these services are free and some you need to pay a fee for. Most protocols are registered with PROSPERO (link opens in new window). Also if you are working with the Cochrane or Campbell Collaborations your review will be registered with them. It is also possible to upload your protocol on an institutional repository such as PURE (link opens in new window) at the University of the Highlands and Islands, and/or publish the protocol in a journal.
PRISMA - Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (link opens in new window) is 'an evidence-based minimum set of items for reporting in systematic reviews and meta-analyses.' The PRISMA checklist is a useful guideline of content that should be reported and included in the final write up of your systematic review, and will help when in the planning stages as well.
PRISMA-S (link opens in new window) is the reporting guidelines for systematic review search methods.
PRISMA-P (link opens in new window) is the reporting guidelines for protocols.
The EQUATOR Network (link opens in new window) lists reporting standards for multiple different types of study design. You can search for the right guideline for your type of study.
If you are undertaking a Cochrane review, please select the correct Cochrane Handbook (link opens in new window) for your review type. The Cochrane Collaboration also offers access to ReviewManager (RevMan) (opens in new window) which is Cochrane's bespoke software for writing Cochrane Reviews.
For any assistance/advice required please contact the Library Team at: hhsl@uhi.ac.uk