Screen articles systematically for reviews and meta-analyses with our free tool. No registration required - just efficient, organized screening.
Systematic Review Screening
Systematic reviews require rigorous article selection through multi-stage screening. This tool helps researchers track articles from initial identification through final inclusion, maintaining transparency and reproducibility required by PRISMA guidelines.
Three Screening Stages
Title Screening - Rapid initial screening eliminates obviously irrelevant articles based on titles alone. Typically excludes 40-60% of identified records.
Abstract Screening - Detailed review of abstracts against inclusion criteria. Excludes articles not meeting basic requirements. Usually reduces pool by another 20-40%.
Full-Text Review - Comprehensive assessment of remaining articles against all eligibility criteria. Final selection for evidence synthesis.
Inclusion Criteria Definition
Clear, specific inclusion criteria are essential for reproducible systematic reviews. Define criteria across:
Population - Target demographic, age groups, conditions, or settings
Intervention - Treatments, exposures, or interventions of interest
Comparator - Control conditions or comparison groups
Outcomes - Measured outcomes, endpoints, or effects
Study Design - Acceptable study types (RCTs, cohort studies, etc.)
Language - Included languages (English-only or multilingual)
Publication Date - Time periods for inclusion
Exclusion Reasons Tracking
Document why articles are excluded at each stage. Common exclusion reasons:
- Wrong population or setting
- Intervention not relevant
- Outcomes not measured
- Inappropriate study design
- Language not English (if specified)
- Full text unavailable
- Duplicate publication
- Insufficient data quality
Systematic tracking enables transparent PRISMA flow diagram generation showing articles excluded at each stage with specific reasons.
PRISMA Guidelines Compliance
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) requires transparent reporting of:
Records Identified - Total articles from all database searches
Records Screened - Articles assessed at title/abstract level
Full Texts Assessed - Articles undergoing detailed review
Studies Included - Final articles included in synthesis
Exclusion Reasons - Why articles were removed at each stage
Inter-Rater Reliability
For rigorous reviews, two independent screeners assess each article. Calculate agreement using:
Percent Agreement - Simple proportion of concordant decisions
Cohen's Kappa - Agreement adjusted for chance (κ > 0.80 desired)
Conflicts Resolution - Document how disagreements were resolved (third reviewer, consensus discussion, etc.)
Using the Screening Tool
1. Define Criteria - Establish clear inclusion/exclusion criteria before screening begins
2. Import Articles - Add articles with DOI, title, authors, year, and abstract
3. Title Screen - Rapidly assess titles, marking include, exclude, or uncertain
4. Abstract Review - Detailed abstract assessment against criteria
5. Full-Text Check - Comprehensive review of complete articles
6. Track Exclusions - Document specific exclusion reasons at each stage
7. Generate Flow Diagram - Export PRISMA-compliant flow diagram showing screening process
Transform Your Review Process
Conduct systematic reviews with transparency and efficiency. Our tool structures the screening process, maintains detailed records, and supports PRISMA-compliant reporting.
Visit https://www.subthesis.com/tools/systematic-review-screener - Free systematic review screening!