Systematic Review & Evidence Synthesis Information Guide (UAHSL-Tucson)

Before beginning any type of review project, spend some time determining whether someone else has conducted or plans to conduct a similar review. This will save you time and disappointment in the long run!

To determine whether someone else is currently working on a similar review, search for registered or published systematic review protocols on your potential topic:

• PROSPERO (Protocol registration platform, systematic reviews only)
• Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Run search then click on tab for "Cochrane Protocols")
• Open Science Framework (After running a search limit results to "Registration" from left menu)
• Systematic Reviews (Journal that publishes SR protocols)
• Campbell Collaboration (Search by topic and the word "protocol")
• AHRQ Evidence Based Practice Center Reports

To determine whether someone has published a similar review, search for systematic reviews on your potential topic:

• PubMed
• Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
• Campbell Collaboration (Social sciences)
• Centre for Reviews and Dissemination - Reports
• AHRQ Evidence Based Practice Center Reports
• AHRQ Systematic Review Data Repository (SRDR+)
• Epistemonikos (Database of systematic reviews)
• TRIP Database (Contains 'high quality clinical research evidence')
• Google
• Google Scholar 

If you find a published systematic or scoping review or protocol on your exact topic, it may be possible to update the review.
See the Cochrane Handbook for information about updating a systematic review: Cumpston M, Chandler J. Chapter IV: Updating a review. In: Higgins JPT, Thomas J, Chandler J, Cumpston M, Li T, Page MJ, Welch VA (editors). Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions version 6.3 (updated February 2022). Cochrane, 2022: https://training.cochrane.org/handbook/current/chapter-iv. 

You may also consider a modified research question for your topic. For example, revising the population, age group, intervention or inclusion/exclusion criteria may provide additional and valuable insights into the topic.