Biology Systematic Literature Review
8 weeks · 0 milestones
Conduct a systematic review of primary biological literature on a specific named biological question using PRISMA methodology: document your database search strategy (databases searched, search terms, date range), specify inclusion and exclusion criteria with rationale, and synthesise the findings — not merely summarise them. The proof is the completed review document including the PRISMA flowchart, data extraction table, and synthesis section that draws conclusions about the state of evidence for the named question. This step is fully accessible — PubMed, Google Scholar, and open-access journals (PLoS Biology, eLife, bioRxiv) are free and provide sufficient primary literature for any systematic review topic. Reviewed by a biologist who challenges your inclusion/exclusion decisions: specifically, why you included or excluded named studies in your results. Your documented methodology — not your summary conclusions — is what the reviewer assesses.
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3 milestones
A systematic review is distinguished from a narrative review by its pre-registered protocol and reproducible search strategy. Register your protocol with PROSPERO (or equivalent) before beginning your search, then conduct the search and document every step. All databases and search strings must be recorded so the search can be reproduced exactly.
Proof required
Submit your PROSPERO registration number (or equivalent pre-registration) showing the question, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and search strategy. Submit your documented database search results showing the search string used, the databases searched (at minimum PubMed and one other), and the initial hit counts per database.
What gets checked
- PROSPERO registration was submitted before the search was conducted — retroactive registration changes the meaning of pre-registration
- Search string uses Boolean operators correctly and includes synonyms for key concepts — not a single-term search
- Inclusion and exclusion criteria are explicit and testable — not vague ('high-quality studies') but specific ('randomised controlled trials published 2010–2024 in adult humans')