Standardised data files for systematic reviews


A project to improve the transparency and interoperability of systematic reviews

Systematic reviews are complex, laborious tasks that produce vast amounts of data. However, the effort required to produce these data are typically lost once a review is completed: some information is reported in the review, but often information is missing or specific details are lacking.


Even in excellent systematic reviews, data are rarely reported in formats and file types that are easily understood and can be reused or repurposed for future projects, like systematic review updates or overlapping analyses. Instead, much of the review work must be repeated.


Imagine the way you backup your mobile phone and transfer your files and settings to a new handset: if systematic reviews were accompanied by a set of standardised file types describing the methods, activities and outputs, reviews could easily be updated, verified and adapted by machines.


We recognise the wasted effort that could be saved here, and we are conducting a project to establish a set of minimum standards, file types and formats that will help to ensure that systematic reviews are as transparent and interoperable as possible (meaning that their data can be easily reused and adapted for other purposes).

Stakeholder-led process

Our methods involve carefully planned stakeholder engagement and will be driven by the needs of experts, end-users and software developers to ensure they are as relevant and usable as possible. The project has been registered with the EQUATOR Network.

Delphi-style method

We will use an anoymised approach (known as the Delphi method) to solicit suggestions of necessary information, required file types and data formats, followed by a collaborative, online workshop with a core group of stakeholders.

Validated with real reviews

We will use a set of completed systematic reviews to test, validate and refine the standards to ensure they are operationalisable (usable in practice).

Learn more

Find out more detail about the project by reading the protocol on the Open Science Framework.






The coordinating team