From research question to traceable evidence synthesis.
A systematic review connects eligibility decisions, extracted evidence and analysis. Use these checkpoints to keep that chain clear while working with MetaWiz.
1. Define the review and eligibility rules.
Write down your research question, eligible populations, interventions or exposures, comparators, outcomes and study designs. Decide which information reviewers need to record before importing citations.
A clear protocol helps a team apply consistent decisions. Software supports those decisions; it does not replace methodological judgment.
2. Screen citations with independent reviewers.
Import your search results, review duplicates and apply the eligibility rules at title/abstract and full-text stages. Resolve reviewer disagreements explicitly and record full-text exclusion reasons.
ScreenWiz screening supports independent reviewer decisions, conflict resolution and full-text review within the connected workflow.
3. Extract evidence with the source in view.
Specify the outcomes, time points, units and study characteristics you need. Check extracted values against the original source, reconcile reviewer differences and document choices before building the analysis dataset.
See MetaWiz data extraction for source-verified extraction and reconciliation.
4. Assess bias and prepare compatible data.
Use an assessment approach appropriate to the study design. Check that effect measures, units and outcome definitions are compatible, and avoid counting overlapping cohorts more than once.
Explore risk of bias and GRADE and the validation roadmap.
5. Analyze and interpret the evidence.
Choose an analysis that fits the evidence and protocol. Inspect effect estimates, confidence intervals, heterogeneity and sensitivity analyses rather than relying only on a pooled number. Diagnostic accuracy reviews require their own data structures and methodological checks.
Learn about standard meta-analysis and diagnostic evidence synthesis.
6. Report decisions and verify outputs.
Reconcile study counts, screening decisions, extracted data and analysis outputs before preparing a report. Retain source references and document the software version and analytic decisions so others can inspect your work.
This guide describes the public MetaWiz workflow. It is not a completed validation study or a substitute for a review protocol. For a demonstration of the current interface, contact MetaWiz.