Library Guides: Systematic Reviews: Screen & Select

Screen and select

There are two stages to screening and selecting results to be included in the review.

Initial screening stage
Many results can be excluded in the first screening stage, which involves scanning the title and abstract of articles for relevance to the topic.
Second screening stage
This involves looking more closely at those articles that passed the first screening stage. At this stage select or exclude articles based on the inclusion or exclusion criteria determined in the planning stages. At this stage provide reasons why documents are excluded.

Abstractr: Software for Semi-Automatic Citation Screening
For optimizing the step of citation screening for systematic reviews, we are developing abstrackr: a free, open-source, web-based application for facilitating citation screening for systematic reviews. The program comprises two components; a web-based annotation tool that allows participants in a review to collaboratively screen citations for relevance, and machine learning technologies that semi-automate this process.
EndNote
Use EndNote to store and screen references.
Excel
Excel is the most basic tool for the management of the screening and data extraction stages of the systematic review process. Customized workbooks and spreadsheets can be designed for the review process, and lists of references can be exported from citation managers into Excel format for screening.
Rayyan
Rayyan helps screen studies for a systematic review by automatically identifying disagreements and allowing the use of keywords to help identify relevant studies.
Rayyan also has a mobile app for iPhone, iPad and android devices.
Systematic Review Toolbox
Use the Study Selection checkbox to find more tools for screening and selecting studies.