Literature Review & Synthesis Flashcards

During title/abstract screening for a systematic review, what is the recommended practice to reduce selection errors?

Answer: Two reviewers screen independently and resolve disagreements

Independent dual screening with a consensus or third-reviewer process reduces errors and bias in study selection.

Which statistic is often used to measure agreement between two reviewers screening studies, beyond chance?

Answer: Cohen's kappa

Cohen's kappa quantifies inter-rater agreement for categorical decisions while correcting for chance agreement.

What does the PRISMA flow diagram primarily document?

Answer: The number of records identified, screened, excluded and included at each stage

The PRISMA flow diagram tracks records through identification, screening, eligibility and inclusion with reasons for exclusion.

Eligibility criteria for a review should ideally be defined at which point?

Answer: Before the search, in a written protocol

Defining criteria a priori in a protocol prevents results-driven decisions about which studies to include.

Where is a systematic review protocol commonly registered to promote transparency?

Answer: PROSPERO

PROSPERO is an international prospective register for systematic review protocols.

A research assistant finds two publications reporting the same participants from one trial. How should these be handled in a review?

Answer: Link them as a single study to avoid double-counting participants

Multiple reports of the same study should be collated so participants are not counted twice in the synthesis.

What is the main purpose of a standardized data extraction form?

Answer: To collect the same information consistently from every included study

A piloted extraction form ensures consistent, complete, and comparable data capture across studies and reviewers.