Skip to Main Content

Rapid Review

There are several steps involved in the completion of a Rapid Review. The following guide to the Rapid Review process provides a summary of the key steps that are involved.

Further Reading on the Rapid Review Process

Here are a list of useful guides, articles and other sources that were consulted during the course of the compilation of this guide. Please view these and other sources to gain a more detailed insight into the Rapid Review process.

  • Ahern, S., Marshall, S., Wallbank, G., Jawad, D., Taki, S., Baur, L. and Ming Wen, L., n.d. Communication strategies and effectiveness of early childhood obesity related prevention programs for linguistically diverse communities – A Rapid Review. Open Science Framework. [online] Available at: <https://osf.io/uekw6>.
  • Anon. 2014. Campbell Collaboration Systematic Reviews: Policies and Guidelines. [online] The Campbell Collaboration. https://doi.org/10.4073/cpg.2016.1.
  • Anon. 2025. Controlled vocabulary in databases | Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library. [online] Available at: <https://library.cumc.columbia.edu/kb/controlled-vocabulary-databases> [Accessed 30 April 2025].
  • Booth, A. and Carroll, C., 2015. Systematic searching for theory to inform systematic reviews: is it feasible? Is it desirable? Health Information & Libraries Journal, 32(3), pp.220–235. https://doi.org/10.1111/hir.12108.
  • Devane, D., Hamel, C., Gartlehner, G., Nussbaumer-Streit, B., Griebler, U., Affengruber, L., Saif-Ur-Rahman, K. and Garritty, C., 2024. Key concepts in rapid reviews: an overview. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 175, p.111518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2024.111518.
  • Dobbins, M., 2017. Steps for conducting a rapid review. McMaster University: National Colloborating Centre for Methods and Tools.
  • Garritty, C., Hamel, C., Trivella, M., Gartlehner, G., Nussbaumer-Streit, B., Devane, D., Kamel, C., Griebler, U. and King, V.J., 2024a. Updated recommendations for the Cochrane rapid review methods guidance for rapid reviews of effectiveness. BMJ : British Medical Journal (Online), 384, p.e076335. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-076335.
  • Garritty, C., Tricco, A.C., Smith, M., Pollock, D., Kamel, C. and King, V.J., 2024b. Rapid Reviews Methods Series: Involving patient and public partners, healthcare providers and policymakers as knowledge users. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, 29(1), pp.55–61. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjebm-2022-112070.
  • Haby, M.M., Barreto, J.O.M., Kim, J.Y.H., Peiris, S., Mansilla, C., Torres, M., Guerrero-Magaña, D.E. and Reveiz, L., 2024. What are the best methods for rapid reviews of the research evidence? A systematic review of reviews and primary studies. Research Synthesis Methods, 15(1), pp.2–20. https://doi.org/10.1002/jrsm.1664.
  • Iverson, T., Abbasi, E., Esfandiari, E. and Ashe, M., n.d. A Rapid Review of the Effect of Volunteers for Diabetes Self-Management. PROSPERO. [online] Available at: <https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42023453506> [Accessed 30 April 2025].
  • Khangura, S., Konnyu, K., Cushman, R., Grimshaw, J. and Moher, D., 2012. Evidence summaries: the evolution of a rapid review approach. Systematic Reviews, 1(1), p.10. https://doi.org/10.1186/2046-4053-1-10.
  • Kibbee, M., 2025. LibGuides: A Guide to Evidence Synthesis: 8. Article Screening. [online] Available at: <https://guides.library.cornell.edu/evidence-synthesis/screening> [Accessed 30 April 2025].
  • King, V.J., Stevens, A., Nussbaumer-Streit, B., Kamel, C. and Garritty, C., 2022. Paper 2: Performing rapid reviews. Systematic Reviews, 11(1), p.151. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-022-02011-5.
  • Lerner, A.H., Klein, E.J., Hardesty, A., Panagiotou, O.A., Misquith, C. and Farmakiotis, D., 2021. Comparison of COVID-19 outcomes in organ transplant recipients (OTr) and non-transplant patients: a study protocol for rapid review. Systematic Reviews, [online] 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-021-01854-8.
  • Martinez, S. and Palacios, C., n.d. A rapid review of additional support provided to primary caregivers to improve infant feeding. PROSPERO. [online] Available at: <https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42020151827>.
  • Nussbaumer-Streit, B., Sommer, I., Hamel, C., Devane, D., Noel-Storr, A., Puljak, L., Trivella, M. and Gartlehner, G., 2023. Rapid reviews methods series: Guidance on team considerations, study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, 28(6), pp.418–423. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjebm-2022-112185.
  • Pandor, A., Kaltenthaler, E., James, M.M.-S., Wong, R., Cooper, K., Dimairo, M., O’Cathain, A., Campbell, F. and Booth, A., 2019. Delphi consensus reached to produce a decision tool for SelecTing Approaches for Rapid Reviews (STARR). Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 114, pp.22–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2019.06.005.
  • Rannard, S. and James Cooke University, 2025. Rapid Reviews Library Guide. [online] Available at: <https://libguides.jcu.edu.au/rapidreview/introduction> [Accessed 30 April 2025].
  • Stevens, A., Hersi, M., Garritty, C., Hartling, L., Shea, B.J., Stewart, L.A., Welch, V.A. and Tricco, A.C., 2025. Rapid review method series: interim guidance for the reporting of rapid reviews. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, 30(2), pp.118–123. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjebm-2024-112899.
  • Tchangalova, N., 2025. Research Guides: Systematic Review: Framing a Research Question. [online] Available at: <https://lib.guides.umd.edu/SR/research_question> [Accessed 30 April 2025].
  • Tricco, A.C., Khalil, H., Holly, C., Feyissa, G., Godfrey, C., Evans, C., Sawchuck, D., Sudhakar, M., Asahngwa, C., Stannard, D., Abdulahi, M., Bonnano, L., Aromataris, E., McInerney, P., Wilson, R., Pang, D., Wang, Z., Cardoso, A.F., Peters, M.D.J., Marnie, C., Barker, T., Pollock, D., McArthur, A. and Munn, Z., 2022. Rapid reviews and the methodological rigor of evidence synthesis: a JBI position statement. JBI Evidence Synthesis, 20(4), p.944. https://doi.org/10.11124/JBIES-21-00371.
  • University of Reading, 2025. Doing a systematic review Library Guide. [online] Available at: <https://libguides.reading.ac.uk/systematic-review/home> [Accessed 30 April 2025].
  • Yarnold, A., 2025. Library guides: Advanced literature search and systematic reviews: Introduction. [online] Available at: <https://libguides.city.ac.uk/systematic-reviews/introduction> [Accessed 30 April 2025].