Sure! Here's a step-by-step guide for setting up a review project and establishing eligibility criteria for your systematic review screening using Covidence or Rayyan.

Step 1: Define Your Research Question

Before setting up your project, ensure you have a clearly defined research question. This will guide your eligibility criteria.

Step 2: Define Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility criteria are divided into two major groups: inclusion criteria (what studies you will include) and exclusion criteria (what studies you will leave out). Here’s how to define them:

• Population: Specify the participants or subjects of the studies.


• Example: Adults aged 18-65, patients with disease X, etc.


• Intervention: Describe the interventions or exposures being studied.


• Example: Specific drug, therapy, or program.


• Comparison: If applicable, state what the interventions will be compared against.


• Example: Placebo, standard care, or no treatment.


• Outcome: Define the primary and secondary outcomes of interest.


• Example: Reduction in symptoms, improvement in quality of life, etc.


• Study Design: Specify the types of study designs you will include.


• Example: Randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, etc.


• Time Frame: Define any time frame related to the studies.


• Example: Studies published between 2000 and 2023.


• Language: Decide if you'll include studies in a specific language.


• Example: English language studies only.


• Publication Type: Determine if you’ll include certain types of publications.


• Example: Peer-reviewed articles, conference abstracts, etc.

Step 3: Setting Up Your Project in Covidence or Rayyan

A. Using Covidence

• Create an Account/Log In: Go to Covidence and create an account or log in.


• Start a New Review:


• Click on “Create a new review.”


• Fill in your review title and a brief description.


• Set Up Eligibility Criteria:


• Go to the “Review Settings” or “Eligibility Criteria” section.


• Enter your inclusion and exclusion criteria based on what you've defined.


• Import References: If you have databases (e.g., PubMed, Scopus), export your references and import them into Covidence.


• Begin Screening: Start with the title and abstract screening phase, followed by full-text screening.

B. Using Rayyan

• Create an Account/Log In: Visit Rayyan and create an account or log in.


• Create a New Review:


• Click on “Create New Review.”


• Name your project appropriately.


• Set Up Eligibility Criteria:


• Define the inclusion and exclusion criteria using the text boxes provided.


• You can also use tags or labels to categorize studies during screening.


• Import References: Upload your references in supported formats (e.g., PDF, BibTeX).


• Screening Process:


• Start screening by applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria to titles and abstracts.


• Use Rayyan’s "blind screening" feature to minimize bias.

Step 4: Collaboration

If you're working as part of a team, ensure that all team members understand the eligibility criteria. In both tools, you can invite collaborators to help with the screening process.

Step 5: Documentation

Document your criteria clearly and keep track of any adjustments made to the criteria during the review process. This is important for maintaining transparency in your systematic review.

Conclusion

Once your project is set up and you've defined your eligibility criteria, you can begin the screening process. Make sure to monitor progress, discuss any disagreements among reviewers, and continually refer back to your eligibility criteria. Good luck with your systematic review! If you need further assistance, feel free to ask.