# Writing a systematic review: PRISMA-aligned Methods and Results

> Chapter 8 of 8 of The Systematic Review E-book by AIPRA. Writing up turns the protocol, searches, screening decisions, extraction tables, and synthesis plan into Methods and Results sections that mirror what was actually done. The Methods section is a reproducibility blueprint: it states where the review was registered (for example PROSPERO), any material deviations from the protocol, the databases and dates searched with the full search string for at least one major database, explicit eligibility criteria, and the named risk-of-bias tool with how it was applied. Results should follow the reader's path from records identified to studies included, anchored by a PRISMA flow diagram whose numbers reconcile with the text and tables.

- Source: https://aipra.co/systematic-review-ebook/writing
- Topics: writing a systematic review; PRISMA 2020; PRISMA flow diagram; PRISMA-S; PROSPERO registration; risk of bias RoB 2; systematic review methods section
- Last updated: 2026-09-05
- Licence: free to read; cite as shown at the end of this file.

## Key points

- The manuscript must mirror what you actually did and what you prespecified in the registered protocol; material deviations should be reported with reasons.
- State the registration record (for example PROSPERO) and cite it.
- Report databases, interfaces, and search dates, and provide the full search string for at least one major database so others can reproduce it. Use PRISMA-S for search reporting.
- Name the risk-of-bias tool used (for example RoB 2 for randomized trials) and describe how many reviewers applied it and how disagreements were resolved.
- A PRISMA flow diagram is expected in most systematic reviews and must account for every record from identification through deduplication, screening, full-text decisions, and final inclusion.
- If pooling was not appropriate, follow SWiM so the narrative synthesis remains structured and auditable.
- Current expectations emphasize a reproducible audit trail: another team should be able to understand your process from the paper and its supplements alone.

## Chapter outline

1. Writing up as a transparency exercise
2. Methods — the reproducibility blueprint
3. Results — transparency through flow
4. Manuscript support in the workflow

## Questions this chapter answers

### What must a systematic review Methods section include?

At minimum: the registration record and any protocol deviations; databases, interfaces and search dates with the full search string for at least one database; explicit eligibility criteria; the screening and extraction process including number of reviewers and conflict resolution; the named risk-of-bias tool and how it was applied; and the planned synthesis approach.

### What is the current PRISMA reporting standard?

PRISMA 2020 is the current reporting standard for systematic reviews, published by Page and colleagues in 2021. PRISMA-S is the search-reporting extension. A PRISMA-AI extension has been registered with EQUATOR since 2022 but remains under development and is not yet published.

### Do I need a PRISMA flow diagram?

Yes, a PRISMA flow diagram is expected in most systematic reviews. It should account for the path of every record from initial search through deduplication, each screening stage, full-text decisions with exclusion reasons, and final inclusion, with counts that reconcile against the text and tables.

### Where should I register a systematic review protocol?

PROSPERO is the most widely used prospective register for health-related systematic reviews, though equivalent registries exist for other fields. Register before screening begins and cite the record in the manuscript.

### How should AI use be reported in a systematic review?

Report the tool name and version, which stages used AI assistance, the evidence that the tool is methodologically sound for that task, and the human oversight strategy. This follows the 2025 joint position statement on AI in evidence synthesis from Cochrane, the Campbell Collaboration, JBI, and the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence, and the associated RAISE recommendations.

## References cited

- Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ. 2021;372:n71. doi:10.1136/bmj.n71
- Rethlefsen ML, Kirtley S, Waffenschmidt S, et al. PRISMA-S: an extension to the PRISMA statement for reporting literature searches in systematic reviews. Systematic Reviews. 2021;10:39. doi:10.1186/s13643-020-01542-z
- Campbell M, McKenzie JE, Sowden A, et al. Synthesis without meta-analysis (SWiM) in systematic reviews: reporting guideline. BMJ. 2020;368:l6890. doi:10.1136/bmj.l6890

## How to cite this chapter

AIPRA. Writing a systematic review: PRISMA-aligned Methods and Results. In: The Systematic Review E-book. Updated 2026-09-05. Available from: https://aipra.co/systematic-review-ebook/writing