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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JBI Checklist for Qualitative Research: A Full Walkthrough
A full item-by-item walkthrough of the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research, with guidance on applying each question.
Aug 2026 · 4 min read · By Dr. Elena Kowalski
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.
Aug 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.
Aug 2026 · 5 min read · By Dr. Amara Chen
SUCRA in Network Meta-Analysis: What It Means and How to Report It
A clear explanation of SUCRA scores in network meta-analysis, what they do and don't tell you, and how to report them correctly.
Aug 2026 · 3 min read · By Dr. Samuel Osei
Trial Sequential Analysis Explained: When and Why to Use It
What trial sequential analysis is, when it strengthens a meta-analysis, and how to interpret the output correctly.
Aug 2026 · 3 min read · By Dr. Samuel Osei
How to Write an Umbrella Review: A Practical Guide
How an umbrella review differs from a standard systematic review, and a practical walkthrough of appraising and synthesizing existing reviews.
Aug 2026 · 3 min read · By Dr. Lauren Ito
How to Read (and Build) a Forest Plot
A plain-language guide to reading a forest plot, choosing the right pooling model, and avoiding the most common meta-analysis mistakes.
Aug 2026 · 3 min read · By Dr. Samuel Osei
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.
Aug 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.
Aug 2026 · 5 min read · By Dr. Samuel Osei
AI and Evidence Synthesis: Where It Helps, Where It Can't Replace Methodology
An honest breakdown of where AI tools genuinely speed up a systematic review workflow, and where methodological judgment still can't be automated.
Aug 2026 · 3 min read · By James Okafor
How to Write a Systematic Review: A Step-by-Step Guide
A stage-by-stage walkthrough of writing a systematic review, from PICO framing and protocol registration through PRISMA-compliant reporting.
Aug 2026 · 4 min read · By Dr. Amara Chen
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.
Aug 2026 · 2 min read · By Dr. Samuel Osei
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