Skip to Main Content

Library Subject Guides

Systematic Reviews: PRISMA & other reporting guidelines

PRISMA - reporting guideline for systematic reviews

PRISMA  is the reporting guideline for systematic reviews of clinical trials. It consists of a 27-item checklist and flow diagram for transparent reporting of a systematic review.

Use the PRISMA process to record and report on the number of articles found and the process used to make decisions at each stage of the systematic review.  It is important to document decisions for excluding and including records throughout the process. 

Page, M. J., Moher, D., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hrobjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., . . . McKenzie, J. E. (2021). PRISMA 2020 explanation and elaboration: Updated guidance and exemplars for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n160

Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M,. Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., & Mulrow, C. D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372(71). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71 

PRISMA-S - best practices for reporting search strategies

Rethlefsen, M. L., Kirtley, S., Waffenschmidt, S., Ayala, A. P., Moher, D., Page, M. J., & Koffel, J. B. (2021). PRISMA-S: an extension to the PRISMA statement for reporting literature searches in systematic reviews. Systematic reviews10, 1-19.

Reporting guidelines for other study types

The Equator Network (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research) is an excellent source of resources for systematic reviews.

MOOSE - reporting guideline for observational studies

Stroup, D. F., Berlin, J. A., Morton, S. C., Olkin, I., Williamson, G. D., Rennie, D., ... & Thacker, S. B. (2000). Meta-analysis of observational studies in epidemiology: a proposal for reporting. JAMA283(15), 2008-2012.

STROBE - reporting guideline observational studies

Vandenbroucke JP, von Elm E, Altman DG, Gøtzsche PC, Mulrow CD, Pocock SJ, et al. (2007) Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE): Explanation and Elaboration. PLoS Med 4(10): e297. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.0040297