Methodology review type
Upcoming subheading changes
From 17 November 2025, subheading changes will be implemented for the following review types: DTA, methodology, overview, QES and prognosis. Although these subheadings are new, they reflect much of the content already in your review or protocol. For example, subheadings may be renamed or moved but still include the same content.
See Warnings and errors for empty text sections by review type for more information.
Timeline for adopting subheading changes:
Review Type | Editorial process* started | Protocols, reviews, and updates |
Methodology | No |
*All new protocols, reviews and updates will use the new subheadings from 1 May 2026 onwards. |
Yes | Authors should continue to use the old subheadings. The switch to new subheadings will happen on publication or rejection. |
* Editorial process is defined as manuscripts that have already been submitted to Editorial Manager, until publication or rejection; resubmissions and manuscripts in revision are also considered as having already started the editorial process.
| Level 1 heading | H1 |
| Level 2 heading | H2 |
| Level 3 heading | H3 |
| Level 4 heading | H4 |
Note: High-level headings that do not have a corresponding text field are not validated. These are highlighted in light blue.
New Methodology review subheadings | New Methodology review subheadings validation Error = section cannot be empty Warning or No validation = optional but check template for reporting guidance
| Old Methodology review subheadings | Old Methodology review subheadings validation Error = section cannot be empty Warning or No validation = optional but check template for reporting guidance | |
(H1) Title | (H1) Title | |||
(H1) Abstract | (H1) Abstract | |||
(H2) Rationale | Error | (H2) Background | Error | |
(H2) Objectives | Error | (H2) Objectives | Error | |
(H2) Search methods | Error | (H2) Search methods | Error | |
(H2) Eligibility criteria | Error | (H2) Selection criteria | Error | |
(H2) Outcomes | Error |
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(H2) Risk of bias | Error |
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(H2) Synthesis methods | Error |
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(H2) Included studies | Error |
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(H2) Synthesis of results | Error | (H2) Data collection and analysis | Error | |
(H2) Authors' conclusions | Error | (H2) Authors' conclusions | Error | |
(H2) Funding | Error | (H2) Funding | Error | |
(H2) Registration | Error | (H2) Registration
| Error | |
(H1) Plain language summary | Error | (H1) Plain language summary | Error | |
(H1) Plain language summary title | Error | (H1) Plain language summary title | No validation | |
(H1) Summary of findings | No validation | (H1) Summary of findings | No validation | |
Summary of findings tables |
| Summary of findings tables | No validation | |
(H1) Background | No validation | (H1) Background | No validation | |
(H2) Description of the problem or issue | Warning | (H2) Description of the problem or issue | Error | |
(H2) Description of the methods being investigated and their potential impact | Warning | (H2) Description of the methods being investigated | Error | |
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| (H2) How these methods might work (text moved to ‘Description of the methods being investigated and their potential impact’) | Error | |
(H2) Why it is important to do this review | Error | (H2) Why it is important to do this review | Error | |
(H1) Objectives | Error | (H1) Objectives | Error | |
(H1) Methods | No validation | (H1) Methods | ||
(H2) Differences between protocol and review | Error |
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(H2) Criteria for considering studies for this review | No validation | (H2) Criteria for considering studies for this review | No validation | |
(H3) Types of studies | Error | (H3) Types of studies | Error | |
(H3) Types of data | Error | (H3) Types of data | Error | |
(H3) Types of methods | Error | (H3) Types of methods | Error | |
(H2) Outcome measures | Error | (H3) Types of outcome measures | Error | |
(H3) Critical outcomes | Warning | (H4) Primary outcomes | Error | |
(H3) Important outcomes | Warning | (H4) Secondary outcomes | No validation | |
(H2) Search methods for identification of studies | Error | (H2) Search methods for identification of studies | No validation | |
(H3) Electronic searches | Error | (H3) Electronic searches | Error | |
(H3) Searching other resources | Error | (H3) Searching other resources | Error | |
(H2) Data collection and analysis | No validation | (H2) Data collection and analysis | No validation | |
(H3) Selection of studies | Error | (H3) Selection of studies | Error | |
(H3) Data extraction and management | Error | (H3) Data extraction and management | Error | |
(H3) Risk of bias assessment in included studies | Error | (H3) Assessment of risk of bias in included studies | Error | |
(H3) Measures of the effect of methods | Error | (H3) Measures of the effect of methods | Error | |
(H3) Unit of analysis issues | Error | (H3) Unit of analysis issues | Error | |
(H3) Dealing with missing data | Error | (H3) Dealing with missing data | Error | |
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| (H3) Assessment of heterogeneity (text moved to ‘Investigation of heterogeneity and subgroup analysis’) | Error | |
(H3) Reporting bias assessment | Error | (H3) Assessment of reporting biases | Error | |
(H3) Synthesis methods | Error | (H3) Data synthesis | Error | |
(H3) Investigation of heterogeneity and subgroup analysis | Error | (H3) Subgroup analysis and investigation of heterogeneity | Error | |
(H3) Sensitivity analysis | Error | (H3) Sensitivity analysis | Error | |
(H3) Certainty of the evidence assessment | Error |
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(H2) Equity considerations | Error |
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(H2) Consumer involvement | Error |
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(H1) Results | No validation | (H1) Results | ||
(H2) Description of studies | No validation | (H2) Description of studies | No validation | |
(H3) Results of the search | Error | (H3) Results of the search | Error | |
(H3) Included studies | Error | (H3) Included studies | Error | |
(H3) Excluded studies | Error | (H3) Excluded studies | Error | |
(H2) Risk of bias in included studies | Error | (H2) Risk of bias in included studies | Error | |
(H2) Synthesis of results | Error | (H2) Effects of methods | Error | |
(H3) Equity assessment | No validation |
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(H3) Reporting biases | No validation |
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(H1) Discussion | No validation | (H1) Discussion |
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(H2) Summary of main results | Error | (H2) Summary of main results | Error | |
(H2) Limitations of the evidence included in the review | Error | (H2) Overall completeness and applicability of evidence | Error | |
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| (H2) Quality of the evidence (text moved to ‘Limitations of the evidence included in the review’) | Error | |
(H2) Limitations of the review processes | Error | (H2) Potential biases in the review process | Error | |
(H2) Agreements and disagreements with other studies or reviews | Error | (H2) Agreements and disagreements with other studies or reviews | Error | |
(H1) Authors' conclusions | No validation | (H1) Authors' conclusions | ||
(H2) Implications for systematic reviews and evaluations of health and social care | Error | (H2) Implications for systematic reviews and evaluations of health care | Error | |
(H3) Equity-related implications for systematic reviews and evaluations of health and social care | No validation |
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(H2) Implications for methodology research | Error | (H2) Implications for methodological research | Error | |
(H3) Equity-related implications for methodology research | No validation |
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(H1) Supplementary materials (all review types) | No validation | (H1) Appendices | No validation | |
All supplementary materials listed |
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(H1) Additional information | No validation | (H1) Additional information | No validation | |
(H2) Acknowledgements | Error | (H2) Acknowledgements | Error | |
(H2) Contributions of authors | Error | (H2) Contributions of authors | Error | |
(H2) Declarations of interest | Error | (H2) Declarations of interest | No validation | |
(H2) Sources of support | Error | (H2) Sources of support | No validation | |
(H2) Registration and protocol | Error | (H2) Registration and protocol | Error | |
(H2) Data, code and other materials | Error | (H2) Availability of data, code and other materials |
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(H2) Disclosure of artificial intelligence use | Error |
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(H2) Published notes | No validation | (H2) Published notes | No validation | |
(H2) What's new | Error | (H2) What's new | No validation | |
(H2) History | No validation | (H2) History | No validation | |
(H1) References | (H1) References | |||
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| (H2) References to studies included in this review | No validation | |
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| (H2) References to studies excluded from this review | No validation | |
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| (H2) References to studies awaiting assessment | No validation | |
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| (H2) References to ongoing studies | No validation | |
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| (H2) Additional references | No validation | |
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| (H2) References to other published versions of this review | No validation | |
(H1) Figures | No validation | (H1) Figures | No validation | |
(H1) Tables | No validation | (H1) Additional tables | No validation | |