Provenance & Compliance
Reporting‑Guideline Finder (EQUATOR)
A short, friendly wizard that asks “What kind of study is this?” and returns the right checklist — CONSORT, PRISMA, STROBE, ARRIVE, and more — with upload slots so authors can attach the completed checklist during submission.
Why reporting guidelines matter (and how they help you)
Reporting guidelines aren’t red tape — they’re roadmaps. They help you communicate the essentials of your research so editors, reviewers, and readers can understand, reproduce, and reuse your work. They also reduce back‑and‑forth during peer review, shortening time to decision.
Story: Dr. Meera is running a small randomized trial on a new wound‑care dressing. She selects Randomized Controlled Trial in the wizard, gets CONSORT plus the TIDieR intervention checklist. She uploads both checklists at submission. The editors instantly see what’s reported — fewer emails, faster decision.
There are many more (CARE for case reports, STARD for diagnostic accuracy, TRIPOD for prediction models, CHEERS for economic evaluations, SRQR/COREQ for qualitative, SPIRIT for protocols, TIDieR for interventions, SQUIRE for improvement studies, etc.).
Tip: Always use the latest version from the EQUATOR Network. Links below open the official site in a new tab so you can double‑check you’re using the current checklist and any relevant extensions.
How the Finder works
- 1Pick your study type. We match it to one or more reporting guidelines.
- 2Download & complete the checklist(s). Keep them with your manuscript files.
- 3Upload during submission. You’ll see dedicated upload slots in the submission form for each checklist.
If your study mixes methods (for example, a cohort study with a qualitative interview component), use the guidelines for each relevant part, and leave a short note for the editor in your cover letter.
How the Finder works
1) Systematic review of battery safety in e‑mobility
A team conducts a broad literature review and meta‑analysis on thermal runaway mitigation. The wizard returns PRISMA. They include a PRISMA flow diagram and upload the completed checklist — reviewers immediately grasp scope and screening decisions.
1) Systematic review of battery safety in e‑mobility
Researchers survey 200 clinics. The wizard suggests STROBE (observational studies) and prompts for data availability details. The checklist helps them include eligibility criteria, bias considerations, and handling of missing data.
3 ) Animal model for biodegradable implants
An engineering lab tests implant degradation in mice. The wizard points to ARRIVE, ensuring details like animal housing, randomization, blinding, and humane endpoints are reported clearly.
Try the mini‑wizard
Select your study type to see the recommended guideline(s), a short description, and upload fields you can mirror in your submission.
If your study spans categories (e.g., mixed methods), run the wizard twice and combine the checklists.
Study → Guideline matrix
This table summarises common mappings. Use it as a quick reference, then confirm specifics on the EQUATOR website.
| Study type | Primary guideline(s) | What it covers | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Randomized Controlled Trial | CONSORT (+ extensions where relevant) | Eligibility, randomization, blinding, outcomes, harms, flow diagram, protocol deviations. | Find on EQUATOR |
| Systematic Review / Meta‑analysis | PRISMA | Protocol, search strategy, screening, bias assessment, synthesis, PRISMA flow diagram. | Find on EQUATOR |
| Observational (cohort / case‑control / cross‑sectional) | STROBE | Design, setting, participants, variables, bias, study size, quantitative methods, limitations. | Find on EQUATOR |
| Animal Research | ARRIVE | Ethics, housing, randomization, blinding, sample size, adverse events, humane endpoints. | Find on EQUATOR |
| Diagnostic Accuracy | STARD | Index & reference standards, participant flow, blinding, thresholds, statistics, applicability. | Find on EQUATOR |
| Prediction/Prognostic Model | TRIPOD | Participants, outcomes, predictors, sample size, missing data, model building/validation. | Find on EQUATOR |
| Economic Evaluation | CHEERS | Perspective, time horizon, model structure, discounting, uncertainty, reporting of results. | Find on EQUATOR |
| Case Report | CARE | Patient information, timeline, diagnostic assessment, therapeutic intervention, outcomes. | Find on EQUATOR |
| Qualitative Study | SRQR / COREQ (depending on method) | Researcher characteristics, context, sampling, data collection/analysis, trustworthiness. | Find on EQUATOR |
| Study Protocol | SPIRIT | Background, objectives, design, interventions, outcomes, sample size, ethics/consent. | Find on EQUATOR |
| Intervention Description | TIDieR | What, who, how, where, when, tailoring, modifications, fidelity — describe interventions clearly. | Find on EQUATOR |
| Quality Improvement | SQUIRE | Problem description, context, interventions, study of the intervention, measures, results. | Find on EQUATOR |
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to upload the checklist?
For most journals on our platform, yes — it speeds review and demonstrates completeness. If a journal doesn’t require it, we still recommend uploading as it reduces queries.
Where do I get the latest checklist?
Use the EQUATOR Network. Always check you have the current version and any applicable extensions for your design.
My study uses mixed methods. What should I choose?
Run the wizard for each component (e.g., STROBE for the cohort part and SRQR/COREQ for the qualitative interviews) and upload both checklists. Add a cover‑letter note explaining the design.
Will reviewers see my checklist?
Yes. Reviewers and editors use it to quickly verify that essential elements are reported. It doesn’t replace thoughtful peer review — it accelerates it.