Library Guides: Rapid Reviews: Develop a protocol

What is a protocol?

According to PRISMA, "a systematic review protocol describes the rationale, hypothesis, and planned methods of the review".

It is important to write a protocol for any type of review to set the framework for the study. However rapid review protocols are often written as internal documents for organisations and are often not published or registered. Registration is still recommended if the review is to be published.

A protocol will help:

define clear objectives for the review
execute the review
evaluate the success of the process and results of the review
prevent duplication of research by others

This should be the last stage of the planning exercise once the topic is worked out and tested and the inclusion and exclusion criteria is determined.

How to write a protocol

There are a number of guides on how to write protocols. Check any specific guidelines relevant to the discipline to see whether they provide guidelines for protocols as well as reviews.

Guidelines

Protocol templates

Registering and publishing protocols

It is a good idea to register the protocol in a publicly accessible way as this will also help avoid other people starting a review on the same topic.

Protocol registry sites

PROSPERO
Health and social care, welfare, public health, education, crime, justice, and international development, where there is a health-related outcome
Campbell Collaboration
International network that publishes systematic reviews with a social, economic, crime and education focus.
Open Science Framework
Research Registry
The Research Registry is a one-stop shop for registering all types of research studies, from ‘first in man’ case reports to observational/interventional studies to systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Journals publishing protocols

Below are some examples of journals that publish protocols.

To find more journals that publish protocols, search databases such as One Search or Scopus for your broad research field anywhere in the record and the words systematic and review and protocol in the title of the article. From the results screen, view the filter for Journal or Source Title to see which journals have published systematic review protocols.

Also visit journal websites in your field to check the aims, scope and author guidelines to find more.