Methods and guidance on conducting, reporting, publishing and appraising living systematic reviews: a scoping review protocol

Claire Iannizzi; Elie A Akl; Lara A Kahale; Elena Dorando; Abina Mosunmola Aminat; James M Barker; Joanne E McKenzie; Neal R Haddaway; Vanessa Piechotta; Nicole Skoetz

doi:10.12688/f1000research.55108.1

Methods and guidance on conducting, reporting, publishing and appraising living systematic reviews: a scoping review protocol

F1000Res. 2021 Aug 13:10:802. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.55108.1. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Claire Iannizzi¹, Elie A Akl^{2

3}, Lara A Kahale⁴, Elena Dorando¹, Abina Mosunmola Aminat⁵, James M Barker⁶, Joanne E McKenzie⁷, Neal R Haddaway^{8

9

10}, Vanessa Piechotta¹, Nicole Skoetz¹

Affiliations

¹ Evidence-based Oncology, Department I of Internal Medicine, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, 50937, Germany.
² Department of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
³ Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
⁴ Editorial and Methods Department, Cochrane Central Executive, Cochrane, London, SW1Y 4QX, UK.
⁵ Rafic Hariri School of Nursing, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
⁶ F1000 Research Ltd, London, SE1 8BU, UK.
⁷ School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁸ Stockholm Environment Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
⁹ Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change, Berlin, Germany.
¹⁰ Africa Centre for Evidence, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Abstract

Background: The living systematic review (LSR) approach is based on an ongoing surveillance of the literature and continual updating. A few guidance documents address the conduct, reporting, publishing and appraisal of systematic reviews (SRs), but the methodology described is either not up-to date or not suitable for LSRs and misses additional LSR-specific considerations. The objective of this scoping review is to systematically collate methodological literature and guidance on how to conduct, report, publish and appraise the quality of LSRs. The scoping review will allow the mapping of the existing evidence on the topic to support LSRs authors seeking guidance and identify related gaps. Methods: To achieve our objectives, we will conduct a scoping review to survey and evaluate existing evidence, using the standard scoping review methodology. We will search MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane using the OVID interface. The search strategy was developed by a researcher experienced in developing literature search strategies with the help of an information specialist. As for searching grey literature, we will seek existing guidelines and handbooks on LSRs from organizations that conduct evidence syntheses using the Lens.org website. Two review authors will extract and catalogue the study data on LSR methodological aspects into a standardized and pilot-tested data extraction form. The main categories will reflect proposed methods for (i) conducting LSRs, (ii) reporting of LSRs, (iii) publishing and (iv) appraising the quality of LSRs. Data synthesis and conclusion: By collecting these data from methodological surveys and papers, as well as existing guidance documents and handbooks on LSRs, we might identify specific issues and components lacking within current LSR methodology. Thus, the systematically obtained findings of the scoping review could be used as basis for the revision of existing methods tools on LSR, for instance a PRISMA statement extension for LSRs.

Keywords: Living systematic reviews; appraisal; conducting LSRs; methods and guidance; reporting; scoping review.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Humans
MEDLINE
Publications*
Publishing
Research Design*
Research Personnel
Review Literature as Topic
Systematic Reviews as Topic

Grants and funding

This work is funded by the CEOsys project [01KX2021], a scheme issued by the Network of University Medicine (Nationales Forschungsnetzwerk der Universitätsmedizin (NUM)) by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)). JEM is supported by an NHMRC Career Development Fellowship (1143429).