Neuroscience Systematic Literature Review
10 weeks · 0 milestones
Conduct a systematic review of primary neuroscience literature on a specific named research question using PRISMA methodology: document your database search strategy (PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library — all with free access), specify inclusion and exclusion criteria with rationale, extract data using a documented extraction table, and synthesise findings with a conclusion about the state of evidence. The proof is the completed PRISMA-format review document including the flowchart, extraction table, and synthesis section identifying agreements, contradictions, and gaps in the evidence base. This step is fully accessible — PubMed and PubMed Central are free; bioRxiv and Google Scholar provide additional coverage. Reviewed by a neuroscientist who challenges your exclusion decisions — specifically, why you excluded a named study that appears to meet your stated criteria — and asks about the quality of the evidence in a specific included study.
Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Define the neuroscience systematic review question using PICO or equivalent framework, register the protocol on PROSPERO before any data collection, and design a systematic search strategy. Registration before search is the defining feature of a pre-registered systematic review — it prevents post-hoc modification of the question to fit the available evidence. A PROSPERO registration number is required as proof of pre-registration.
Proof required
Submit your PROSPERO registration number and registration record (or equivalent pre-registration such as OSF Registries if PROSPERO does not cover your review type), showing the review question, population, intervention/exposure/comparison/outcome (PICO), inclusion and exclusion criteria, and planned analysis approach. Also submit your documented database search strategy showing the search string, the databases included (at minimum PubMed and one other neuroscience-specific database such as PsycINFO, Embase, or Scopus), and the date of search.
What gets checked
- PROSPERO registration number is provided — this is the non-negotiable pre-registration requirement; no registration means the review is not pre-registered and cannot claim that status
- PICO question is fully specified with each element defined — population includes diagnosis or participant characteristics, intervention or exposure is specific, comparison is named, and primary outcome is stated with the measure and timepoint
- Search strategy uses appropriate MeSH terms and free-text terms for the neuroscience field — not only broad terms but the specific vocabulary used in the target literature