A systematic review protocol describes the rationale, hypothesis, and planned methods of the review. It should be prepared before a review is started and used as a guide to carry out the review. Detailed protocols should be developed a priori, made publicly available, and registered in a registry such as PROSPERO.
PROSPERO is an international database of prospectively registered systematic reviews in health and social care, welfare, public health, education, crime, justice, and international development, where there is a health related outcome. Key features from the review protocol are recorded and maintained as a permanent record. PROSPERO aims to provide a comprehensive listing of systematic reviews registered at inception to help avoid duplication and reduce opportunity for reporting bias by enabling comparison of the completed review with what was planned in the protocol.
PROSPERO is the most common place to register a systematic review protocol. Search PROSPERO on your topic to determine if a systematic review on your topic is already in process.
Before you begin your systematic review, register your systematic review with PROSPERO.
After you register your protocol and it's approved, you will get a PROSPERO registry number and URL.
You can then publish your protocol in a journal. This lets everyone know the details of your project and that a completed systematic review will soon be published.
You will include the PROSPERO registration number in both the protocol and published systematic review.
Within the text of your published systematic review, you will cite the PROSPERO registration number and published protocol.
