Before you start your search, it is important to develop a  protocol outlining the methodology behind your study.  A rapid review protocol seeks to describe the rationale, hypothesis as well as the planned methods which will be used throughout the review process.

The protocol should be prepared before the review starts and should be consulted regularly by members of the review team throughout the entire review process.

Detailed protocols should be developed based on theoretical deduction rather than observation or experience.

Rapid review protocols are often written as internal documents for organisations and are often not published or registered. Registration is still recommended if the review is to be published and it aids in a decrease of research waste and allows both requesters and review authors to avoid duplication. It is advised to include the term “rapid review” or another similar term in the registered title, "as this will assist tracking the use, validity, and value of rapid reviews" (King et al., 2022)

There are a number of guides on how to write protocols. Check any specific guidelines relevant to the discipline to see whether they provide guidelines for protocols as well as reviews.

Guidelines

• PRISMA for systematic review protocols (PRISMA-P)

• Cochrane Hanbook: Part 1 - Chapter 4 (Cochrane Collaboration)

• Campbell systematic reviews: Policies and guidelines

Protocol templates

• PRISMA-P checklist

• Sample Protocol Template (Maritimes SPOR SUPPORT Unit)

• Protocol Template (University of Warwick)

• Review protocol template and example (World Health Organisation)

Excerpt from Rapid Review Guide by James Cook University Library (March 2025)

By registering your review, you are letting other researchers know that your review is underway. Many journal publishers now insist on registration to ensure that the reviews follow the pre-defined criteria for conducting a systematic review.

Completed protocols should be registered on any of the following platforms depending on your particular discipline.

PROSPERO is an international database of prospectively registered systematic reviews in health and social care, welfare, public health, education, crime, justice, and international development, where there is a health related outcome

Open Science Framework

The Open Science Framework is an open source software project created by the Centre for Open Science to increase reproducibility in research. The OSF allows users to create project folders, pre-register study protocols, and store data and code files for public access.

Thomas Iverson, Emaan Abbasi, Elham Esfandiari, Maureen Ashe. A Rapid Review of the Effect of Volunteers for Diabetes Self-Management. PROSPERO 2024. Available from https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42023453506

Sabrina Martinez, Cristina Palacios. A rapid review of additional support provided to primary caregivers to improve infant feeding. PROSPERO 2024 Available from https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42020151827

Sinead Ahern, Sarah Marshall, Geraldine Wallbank, Danielle Jawad, Sarah Taki, Louise Baur, Li Ming Wen. Communication strategies and effectiveness of early childhood obesity related prevention programs for linguistically diverse communities – A Rapid Review. Open Science Framework. Available from https://osf.io/uekw6

Lerner, A.H., Klein, E.J., Hardesty, A. et al. Comparison of COVID-19 outcomes in organ transplant recipients (OTr) and non-transplant patients: a study protocol for rapid review. Syst Rev 10, 299 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-021-01854-8. Available from https://rdcu.be/egmYL