Step 4 Screening

Screening process

The final search results obtained via databases etc are screened in accordance with the eligibility criteria for the review.

Ideally, this should be done independently by two reviewers to reduce bias.

All database results are exported into a tool such as EndNote where duplicates are removed.

Screening consists of two stages:

First Pass (Title/Abstract)
- Examine titles and abstracts to remove any clearly irrelevant studies.
Second Pass (Full text)
- Read the full text of the items left over/included after 'first pass' and check for compliance with eligibility criteria. Reasons for exclusion must be provided.

Results are compared and disagreements resolved among reviewers.

Prisma flow diagram

A PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses) diagram is used to show the steps involved in the review process, recording the number of records identified and then excluded at each stage of the screening process.

You can also use the PRISMA Flow Diagram Generator to produce a detailed diagram in a number of output formats.

Review software and screening tools

Search the SR Tool Box for systematic review software and tools.

Colandr (free)
Colandr is a machine-learning assisted tool for conducting systematic reviews and evidence synthesis. It uses machine learning, natural language processing, and text-mining functions to partially automate finding relevant citations and extracting data from PDF articles.
Covidence (subscription)
Covidence is an online systematic review program developed by, and for, systematic reviewers. It can import citations from reference managers like EndNote, facilitate the screening of abstracts and full-text, populate risk of bias tables, assist with data extraction, and export to all common formats. QUT has an institutional licence for Covidence. Be sure to use your QUT email address to request access.
DistillerSR (subscription)
DistillerSR provides screening, data extraction and reporting functionality.
JBI Sumari (subscription)
The System for the Unified Management, Assessment and Review of Information (SUMARI) is the Joanna Briggs Institute's premier software for the systematic review of literature.
QUT Library provides access to SUMARI via Ovid. To access SUMARI click EBP Tools - SUMARI and enter your Ovid account details.
Rayyan (free for basic functionality)
Rayyan is a tool for screening and selecting studies. See the following guide: https://libraryguides.mcgill.ca/rayyan
RevMan (free)
Review Manager 5 (RevMan 5) is the software used for preparing and maintaining Cochrane Reviews.
Systematic Review Accelerator (free)
The SR-Accelerator is a suite of tools designed to speed up steps in the Systematic Review process, such as;
SearchRefiner improves the precision of search statements.
Polyglot translates searches across databases.
Deduplicator identifies and deletes duplicate articles.

Step 4 Screening

Screening process

Prisma flow diagram

Review software and screening tools

Global links and information

Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners