4.1    Format of a review of diagnostic test accuracy

All systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews have the same format.  There are several reasons for this.  It helps readers to find the results of research quickly and to assess the validity, applicability and implications of those results.  It guides authors to report their work explicitly and concisely, and minimises the effort required to do this.  The format is also suited to electronic publication and updating, and facilitates the production of statistical summary figures and tables, which are informative and readable when viewed on a computer monitor or printed.

 

The Review Manager software (RevMan5) is designed to help authors construct reviews in the appropriate format and to prepare files required to transfer reviews electronically.  Standard headings and tables embedded in RevMan5 guide review authors when preparing their report and are used by the publisher to structure the publication and link readers to the sections which are of particular interest to them.  The content that should follow each heading is described in this chapter.

Each protocol consists of:

 

Each review consists of: