Is there a need? Has this work already been done? Is this work in progress?
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:
If you find a review or protocol on your potential topic
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.
