Research insights and guides
Learn about systematic reviews, AI-powered research tools, and best practices for medical evidence synthesis.
Single-Reviewer vs Dual-Reviewer Screening: When Each Is Methodologically Defensible
The Cochrane Handbook's dual-reviewer screening rule is being challenged by rapid-review methodology and AI-assisted single-reviewer designs. A working summary of the empirical evidence and what each approach defensibly looks like in 2026.
How Long Does a Systematic Review Actually Take in 2026? (With and Without AI)
Realistic timelines for a 2026 systematic review, broken down by phase, with and without AI assistance. Drawn from published time-on-task studies, recent Borah et al. data, and live numbers from AI-assisted reviews running this year.
Cohen's Kappa, Gwet's AC1, and What to Report for Screening Reliability
A working stats explainer on inter-rater reliability for systematic review screening: when Cohen's kappa fails (the kappa paradox), why Gwet's AC1 fixes it, and what to report in the methods section to satisfy a 2026 reviewer.
The PRESS Checklist: Why Search-Strategy Peer Review Catches What Reviewers Miss
PRESS (Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies) is the methodology gate every systematic review search should clear before screening starts. The seven evaluation criteria, the empirical evidence behind them, and how to operationalize PRESS — with or without a librarian.
Where to Register a Systematic Review Protocol: PROSPERO vs OSF vs Cochrane Protocols
A practical comparison of the three main registration paths for systematic review protocols. Eligibility, turnaround, scope, amendment policy, and which one to choose for your review type.
Why 99% Recall Is the Floor for Screening Automation (And What Precision Buys You)
A working explainer on the metrics that govern AI-assisted screening: why recall is the dominant constraint, why 99% has become the de facto floor, and what the precision/specificity numbers actually buy in workload reduction.
When Is AI Appropriate in a Systematic Review? A Three-Axis Decision Framework
A practical framework for deciding which AI-assisted tasks belong in your systematic review. Plot every candidate task on impact of error, oversight mode, and required performance — then commit to the result before screening starts.
Responsible AI in Systematic Reviews: What the 2025 Cochrane Position and RAISE Actually Require
A working guide to the 2025 Cochrane AI position statement and the RAISE recommendations: what they require for transparency, validation, and reproducibility in evidence synthesis — and how to operationalize them in a 2026 review.
Living Systematic Reviews: Keeping Evidence Current in a Fast-Moving World
An introduction to living systematic reviews — continuously updated evidence syntheses for rapidly evolving research areas. Learn when they are warranted, how they work, and what infrastructure they require.
PRISMA 2020 vs PRISMA-ScR vs PRISMA-DTA vs PRISMA-NMA: Which Reporting Guideline Do You Need?
A side-by-side comparison of all four PRISMA reporting guidelines. Learn the key differences in checklists, flow diagrams, and when each variant applies to your systematic review.
How to Choose the Right Study Type for Your Systematic Review
Choosing between intervention, prognostic, DTA, NMA, and scoping study types determines your entire systematic review workflow. This guide explains how each study type shapes your methodology.
The GRADE Framework: Rating Evidence from Very Low to High
A complete guide to the GRADE framework for rating the certainty of evidence in systematic reviews. Learn the five downgrade domains, three upgrade factors, and how to build Summary of Findings tables.
Risk of Bias Assessment: Choosing Between RoB 2, ROBINS-I, NOS, and QUADAS-2
A practical guide to selecting the right risk of bias assessment tool for your systematic review. Covers RoB 2 for RCTs, ROBINS-I for non-randomized studies, NOS for cohort and case-control designs, and QUADAS-2 for diagnostic accuracy studies.
Network Meta-Analysis Explained: When and How to Compare Multiple Treatments
A practical introduction to network meta-analysis (NMA) for researchers. Learn when NMA is appropriate, how it works, and what makes it different from standard pairwise meta-analysis.
Scoping Reviews: A Complete Guide to PRISMA-ScR in 2026
Learn when to conduct a scoping review instead of a systematic review, how to apply the PCC framework, and how to report your findings using the PRISMA-ScR checklist.
The Complete Guide to Systematic Reviews in 2026
Learn everything you need to know about systematic reviews, from the fundamentals to advanced methodologies, and discover how AI is revolutionizing the process.
mapped vs Covidence: A Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Compare mapped and Covidence side-by-side. See why mapped offers a complete 8-step workflow with AI assistance, while Covidence focuses only on screening and extraction.
How AI is Transforming Systematic Reviews in 2026
Explore how artificial intelligence, including Claude, Gemini, and GPT, is revolutionizing systematic reviews through intelligent screening, automated extraction, and AI-assisted analysis.