The PRISMATIC project: protocol for a research programme on novel methods to improve reporting and peer review of systematic reviews of health evidence
Abstract Background Incomplete reporting about what systematic reviewers did and what they found prevents users of the report from being able to fully interpret the findings and understand the limitations of the underlying evidence. Reporting guidelines such as the PRISMA statement and its extension...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Systematic Reviews |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-023-02363-6 |
| _version_ | 1797577849241075712 |
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| author | Matthew J. Page David Moher Sue Brennan Joanne E. McKenzie |
| author_facet | Matthew J. Page David Moher Sue Brennan Joanne E. McKenzie |
| author_sort | Matthew J. Page |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Incomplete reporting about what systematic reviewers did and what they found prevents users of the report from being able to fully interpret the findings and understand the limitations of the underlying evidence. Reporting guidelines such as the PRISMA statement and its extensions are designed to improve reporting. However, there are important inconsistencies across the various PRISMA reporting guidelines, which causes confusion and misinterpretation. Coupled with this, users might need to consult multiple guidelines to gain a full understanding of the guidance. Furthermore, the current passive strategy of implementing PRISMA has not fully brought about needed improvements in the completeness of systematic review reporting. Methods The PRISMATIC (‘PRISMA, Technology, and Implementation to enhance reporting Completeness’) project aims to use novel methods to enable more efficient and effective translation of PRISMA reporting guidelines into practice. We will establish a working group who will develop a unified PRISMA statement that harmonises content across the main PRISMA guideline and several of its extensions. We will then develop a web application that generates a reporting template and checklist customised to the characteristics and methods of a systematic review (‘PRISMA-Web app’) and conduct a randomised trial to evaluate its impact on authors’ reporting. We will also develop a web application that helps peer reviewers appraise systematic review manuscripts (‘PRISMA-Peer app’) and conduct a diagnostic accuracy study to evaluate its impact on peer reviewers’ detection of incomplete reporting. Discussion We anticipate the novel guidance and web-based apps developed throughout the project will substantively enhance the completeness of reporting of systematic reviews of health evidence, ultimately benefiting users who rely on systematic reviews to inform health care decision-making. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:13:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dfab18fe42e442e69bd49659c69f1b47 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2046-4053 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:13:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Systematic Reviews |
| spelling | doaj.art-dfab18fe42e442e69bd49659c69f1b472023-11-19T12:31:00ZengBMCSystematic Reviews2046-40532023-10-011211810.1186/s13643-023-02363-6The PRISMATIC project: protocol for a research programme on novel methods to improve reporting and peer review of systematic reviews of health evidenceMatthew J. Page0David Moher1Sue Brennan2Joanne E. McKenzie3Methods in Evidence Synthesis Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash UniversityCentre for Journalology, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research InstituteSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash UniversityMethods in Evidence Synthesis Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash UniversityAbstract Background Incomplete reporting about what systematic reviewers did and what they found prevents users of the report from being able to fully interpret the findings and understand the limitations of the underlying evidence. Reporting guidelines such as the PRISMA statement and its extensions are designed to improve reporting. However, there are important inconsistencies across the various PRISMA reporting guidelines, which causes confusion and misinterpretation. Coupled with this, users might need to consult multiple guidelines to gain a full understanding of the guidance. Furthermore, the current passive strategy of implementing PRISMA has not fully brought about needed improvements in the completeness of systematic review reporting. Methods The PRISMATIC (‘PRISMA, Technology, and Implementation to enhance reporting Completeness’) project aims to use novel methods to enable more efficient and effective translation of PRISMA reporting guidelines into practice. We will establish a working group who will develop a unified PRISMA statement that harmonises content across the main PRISMA guideline and several of its extensions. We will then develop a web application that generates a reporting template and checklist customised to the characteristics and methods of a systematic review (‘PRISMA-Web app’) and conduct a randomised trial to evaluate its impact on authors’ reporting. We will also develop a web application that helps peer reviewers appraise systematic review manuscripts (‘PRISMA-Peer app’) and conduct a diagnostic accuracy study to evaluate its impact on peer reviewers’ detection of incomplete reporting. Discussion We anticipate the novel guidance and web-based apps developed throughout the project will substantively enhance the completeness of reporting of systematic reviews of health evidence, ultimately benefiting users who rely on systematic reviews to inform health care decision-making.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-023-02363-6Systematic reviewsMeta-analysisReportingTransparencyMethodology |
| spellingShingle | Matthew J. Page David Moher Sue Brennan Joanne E. McKenzie The PRISMATIC project: protocol for a research programme on novel methods to improve reporting and peer review of systematic reviews of health evidence Systematic Reviews Systematic reviews Meta-analysis Reporting Transparency Methodology |
| title | The PRISMATIC project: protocol for a research programme on novel methods to improve reporting and peer review of systematic reviews of health evidence |
| title_full | The PRISMATIC project: protocol for a research programme on novel methods to improve reporting and peer review of systematic reviews of health evidence |
| title_fullStr | The PRISMATIC project: protocol for a research programme on novel methods to improve reporting and peer review of systematic reviews of health evidence |
| title_full_unstemmed | The PRISMATIC project: protocol for a research programme on novel methods to improve reporting and peer review of systematic reviews of health evidence |
| title_short | The PRISMATIC project: protocol for a research programme on novel methods to improve reporting and peer review of systematic reviews of health evidence |
| title_sort | prismatic project protocol for a research programme on novel methods to improve reporting and peer review of systematic reviews of health evidence |
| topic | Systematic reviews Meta-analysis Reporting Transparency Methodology |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-023-02363-6 |
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