The PRISMA checklist includes a line item for a protocol, so you must produce and register a protocol to say your review followed PRISMA guidelines. Your protocol must follow a separate checklist called PRISMA for Protocols. We require a PRISMA compliant protocol for each project we collaborate on. Below are worksheets that include every item on PRISMA for Protocols.
Remember this is a formal document that will be uploaded and published for the world to see. Peer reviewers will also check your protocol and if it's not acceptable, your paper will be rejected. If we're assisting you, you're welcome to leave us notes, indicating them as such.
If the project is a systematic or rapid review, register it in PROSPERO. Scoping reviews must be registered in OSF or Figshare. If you're conducting a narrative or critical review, you won't need a protocol.
Protocols can be published as standalone papers. This is a great way to get feedback through editors' comments. Here are journals that accept protocol papers:
