Systematic reviews: Using the Covidence Flow Chart

Downloading the PRISMA flow diagram

You can download the appropriate PRISMA flow diagram from https://www.prisma-statement.org/prisma-2020-flow-diagram 

Alternatively flow diagrams can also be generated using a Shiny App available at https://www.eshackathon.org/software/PRISMA2020.html

What it will look like

The official PRISMA flow diagrams will look something like the image below, depending on the version you choose.

We have added highlights to indicate the wording used at different stages with respect to records vs reports vs studies vs duplicates.

Records vs reports vs studies vs duplicates

• The PRISMA Guidelines and official flow diagrams refer to records vs reports vs studies vs duplicates.
• These descriptions need to be used consistently throughout your paper and the flow chart.
• Please read our explanation if you do not understand the difference 

Adding your statistics

Identification section:

• If a librarian is co-authoring they will provide the number of search results from each database or trial register and duplicates removed
• If you are carrying out your own searches you will need to record these statistics yourself to add in to the PRISMA flow chat.
• If you have sourced additional records elsewhere (such as reference lists) you will need to collect and add these statistics yourself

Screening section:

• Open your review in Covidence, and click the flow chart from the Review Summary page

• Copy and paste the relevant information from the Covidence flow chart to your PRISMA flow chart. You don't need to download anything form Covidence to do this.
• The Covidence records are particularly good for the screening section, and reasons for exclusion.

Included section:

• If you have used the Covidence extraction tools you will be able to copy and paste the statistics from the Covidence flow chart
• If you have extracted data outside Covidence (for example using a spreadsheet) you will need to collect these statistics yourself to add to the PRISMA flow chart

At the end ....

MAKE SURE EVERYTHING ADDS UP AND MAKES SENSE!!!

Downloading the Covidence flow chart (only possible if you have screened in Covidence)

When logged into your review in Covidence, access the PRISMA flow chart from the Review Summary Screen.

Download the flow chart in a Word format (.dotx) so that it can be edited.

What it will look like

The Covidence flow chart will look something like this:

Amending wording re records vs reports vs studies vs duplicates

• Note that the Covidence flow chart does not use the same wording as the PRISMA Guidelines and official PRISMA flow diagrams
• If you are using wording from the PRISMA Guidelines with respect to records vs reports vs studies vs duplicates in your final paper then this needs to be reflected in the flow chart.
• Please read our explanation if you do not understand the difference 

Adding your statistics

Identification section:

• If a librarian is co-authoring they will provide the number of search results from each database or trial register and duplicates removed
• If you are running your own searches you will need to record these statistics yourself to add in to the PRISMA flow chat.
• If you have sourced additional records elsewhere (such as reference lists) you will need to add those statistics
• Consider changing "studies" and "references" to "records" in accordance with PRISMA Guidelines. 

Screening section:

• Copy and paste the relevant information collected in the Covidence flow chart. The Covidence records are particularly good for the screening section, and reasons for exclusion.
• Consider changing "Studies screened" to "Records screened" and "Studies excluded" to "Records excluded" in the top line in accordance with PRISMA Guidelines.
• Consider changing all remaining instances of "Studies" in this section to "Reports" in accordance with the PRISMA Guidelines.

Included section:

• If you have used the Covidence extraction tools you won't need to do anything else.
• If you have extracted data outside Covidence (for example using a spreadsheet) you will need to collect these statistics yourself to add to the PRISMA flow chart
• In accordance with the PRISMA Guidelines, consider adding "Reports of included studies" (n = ***)" under "Studies included"

At the end ....

MAKE SURE EVERYTHING ADDS UP AND MAKES SENSE!!!