Research Vocabulary

#361

protocol

Example sentences

1. The protocol explains how the review will be completed.
2. The team published the protocol before starting the review.
3. Every reviewer followed the same protocol.

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#362

preregistration

Example sentences

1. The researchers completed preregistration before collecting the data.
2. Preregistration described the main questions and analysis plan.
3. The journal link showed where the preregistration could be read.

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#363

review question

Example sentences

1. The review question asks whether the program improves child health.
2. A focused review question guides the search strategy.
3. The team agreed on the review question before reading the studies.

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#364

PICO

Example sentences

1. The review team used PICO to create a focused health question.
2. PICO covers the population, intervention, comparison, and outcome.
3. A clear PICO question made the database search easier.

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#365

PICOS

Example sentences

1. The team used PICOS to include study design in the review question.
2. PICOS helped the reviewers write clear inclusion criteria.
3. The protocol explains every part of the PICOS framework.

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#366

PECO

Example sentences

1. The researchers used PECO for a question about environmental exposure.
2. PECO includes the population, exposure, comparison, and outcome.
3. The PECO framework helped the team choose useful search terms.

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#367

SPIDER

Example sentences

1. The team used SPIDER to plan a qualitative evidence review.
2. SPIDER helped the reviewers define the sample and research design.
3. The protocol explains how SPIDER shaped the search strategy.

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#368

search sensitivity

Example sentences

1. Search sensitivity shows how well a search finds relevant studies.
2. Adding more terms improved search sensitivity but produced more results.
3. The review team tested search sensitivity with several known articles.

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#369

search precision

Example sentences

1. Search precision shows how many search results are truly relevant.
2. A narrow search filter improved search precision.
3. The team balanced search precision with search sensitivity.

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#370

deduplication

Example sentences

1. Deduplication removed repeated records from the search results.
2. The software completed most of the deduplication automatically.
3. The reviewers checked the records after deduplication.

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#371

study selection

Example sentences

1. Study selection followed the inclusion and exclusion criteria.
2. Two reviewers completed study selection independently.
3. The flow diagram shows each stage of study selection.

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#372

data extraction

Example sentences

1. Data extraction collected the same key information from every included study.
2. Two reviewers checked the data extraction for errors.
3. The protocol lists all fields required during data extraction.

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#373

extraction form

Example sentences

1. The extraction form recorded the sample, methods, and results of each study.
2. The team tested the extraction form on three papers.
3. Clear instructions made the extraction form easier to use.

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#374

risk of bias

Example sentences

1. The reviewers assessed the risk of bias in every included study.
2. A high risk of bias reduced confidence in the findings.
3. The report presents the risk of bias in a clear table.

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#375

critical appraisal

Example sentences

1. Critical appraisal helped the reviewers judge the strengths and weaknesses of each study.
2. The team used a checklist for critical appraisal.
3. Two reviewers compared their critical appraisal decisions.

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#376

quality assessment

Example sentences

1. Quality assessment examined how carefully each study was designed and reported.
2. The team completed quality assessment with a standard tool.
3. The review explains how quality assessment affected the conclusion.

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#377

evidence table

Example sentences

1. The evidence table summarizes the main details of the included studies.
2. Readers used the evidence table to compare sample sizes and results.
3. The team checked the evidence table for missing information.

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#378

forest plot

Example sentences

1. The forest plot shows the result of each study and the combined result.
2. Readers used the forest plot to compare effect sizes.
3. The report explains the symbols in the forest plot.

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#379

funnel plot

Example sentences

1. The funnel plot was used to look for possible publication bias.
2. A balanced funnel plot is usually shaped like an upside-down funnel.
3. The reviewers interpreted the funnel plot with care because few studies were included.

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#380

heterogeneity

Example sentences

1. Heterogeneity shows how much the study results differ from each other.
2. The reviewers explored possible reasons for high heterogeneity.
3. High heterogeneity made the combined result harder to interpret.

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