Methodology notes, from our own team.
Practical, specific guidance from our methodologists and consultants, not general advice you could find anywhere.
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PROSPERO Registration Guide: How to Register Your Protocol
PROSPERO registration is often treated as a formality, but the required fields demand real methodological specificity -- and getting it right the first time saves weeks.
Oct 2026 · 5 min read · By Dr. Priya Nair
Risk of Bias Assessment: RoB 2 vs. ROBINS-I
Applying the wrong risk-of-bias tool to your included studies is one of the fastest ways to draw a methods-reviewer objection. Here is how to choose correctly.
Oct 2026 · 1 min read · By Dr. Amara Chen
How to Handle Missing Data in a Systematic Review
Almost every systematic review runs into a study reporting an outcome incompletely. How you handle that gap matters as much as the rest of your methodology.
Oct 2026 · 5 min read · By Dr. Samuel Osei
GRADE Certainty of Evidence: A Practical Guide
GRADE certainty ratings tell readers how much confidence to place in your pooled findings, and getting them wrong undermines a review that may otherwise be methodologically sound.
Oct 2026 · 5 min read · By Dr. Amara Chen
Data Extraction Forms for Systematic Reviews: A Practical Guide
A poorly designed extraction form is the single most common reason reviewers end up re-reading every included study a second time.
Sep 2026 · 5 min read · By Dr. Lauren Ito
Publication Bias in Meta-Analysis: How to Detect and Address It
Studies with null or unfavorable results are less likely to get published at all, which means your pooled estimate may be systematically inflated. Here is how to actually check for it.
Sep 2026 · 5 min read · By Dr. Samuel Osei
PRISMA 2020 Checklist: A Practical Walkthrough
PRISMA 2020 is a reporting checklist, not a methodology -- but most rejected systematic reviews fail on reporting, not methods. Here is what each section actually requires.
Sep 2026 · 2 min read · By Dr. Samuel Osei
Statistical Power in Meta-Analysis: Why Small Reviews Struggle
Pooling studies together is often assumed to solve underpowered individual trials automatically. It helps, but not as much or as reliably as people expect.
Sep 2026 · 5 min read · By Dr. Samuel Osei
How to Interpret a Forest Plot (A Step-by-Step Guide)
A forest plot packs an entire meta-analysis into one image, but only if you know what each element represents. Here is how to actually read one.
Sep 2026 · 5 min read · By Dr. Samuel Osei
Cochrane vs. JBI Methodology: What’s the Real Difference?
Both are rigorous, internationally recognized systematic review methodologies, but they differ meaningfully in scope, tools, and typical use case.
Sep 2026 · 5 min read · By Dr. Amara Chen
Fixed-Effect vs. Random-Effects Meta-Analysis: How to Choose
The choice between fixed-effect and random-effects models is not a style preference. It rests on a specific, testable assumption about your included studies -- and getting it wrong is one of the fastest ways to draw a statistical reviewer objection.
Sep 2026 · 5 min read · By Dr. Samuel Osei
How to Write a Systematic Review Abstract That Gets Read
Your abstract is read far more often than your full manuscript, and PRISMA expects a specific structure most first drafts miss.
Sep 2026 · 5 min read · By James Okafor
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