Protocol Component

Title Title identifies the report as a protocol of a systematic review & clearly indicates the research topic 1
Rationale & Objectives Outlines the utility of this review. Provides and explicit statement of the question(s) the review will address. 3
Eligibility Criteria: Specify the study characteristics (such as PICO, study design, setting, time frame) and report characteristics (such as years considered, language, publication status) to be used as criteria for eligibility for the review 8
Search Strategy: Describe the steps to take to search for appropriate articles including databases, search limits, keywords, and study selection. 5
Data Management: Describe how the data collected will be extracted and organized in a spreadsheet and/or any other management tools. List and define all variables for which data will be sought. 5
Data Synthesis: Outline the steps that will be taken to compare, synthesize, and analyze data 8
TOTAL 30