Guides: Screening & Selection

Title/Abstract & Full-Text AI-Assisted Screening 90 minutes
Guides Objectives:
By the end of this hands-on session, Users will be able to:
  • Navigate the RevProHub Screening Dashboard and understand two-stage workflow (Title/Abstract → Full-Text)
  • Define and manage inclusion/exclusion criteria linked to PICO framework
  • Assign reviewers and mediators for screening stages
  • Conduct individual screening with AI-assisted decision suggestions
  • Perform bulk screening actions for efficiency
  • Identify and resolve conflicts using the Mediator role
  • Export/import screening data and generate PRISMA flow diagrams

Part 1: Screening Dashboard

Navigate to: Main Project Dashboard → Conducting Phase → Screening Dashboard

Two-Stage Screening Workflow


Title & Abstract
Initial relevance check

Full-Text
Detailed eligibility assessment

Included Studies
Proceed to extraction
📊 Title & Abstract Stage Stats Cards: Pending Assignment, Awaiting Screening, Conflicts, Included, Excluded, Cohen's Kappa (inter-rater reliability)
📄 Full-Text Stage Stats Cards: Same metrics plus "Included (Final)" – studies passing both stages
🔗 Navigation: Click any stat card to drill down to the corresponding study list (e.g., Conflicts → pending conflicts list)

Part 2: Managing Screening Criteria

Navigate to: Screening Dashboard → Manage Screening Criteria

Eligibility Framework (Auto-injected from Planning Phase):
  • Population (P): diabetic patients
  • Intervention (I): GLP-1 Agonists (liraglutide, semaglutide)
  • Comparator (C): standard care, placebo
  • Outcome (O): weight reduction, weight loss, obesity management
  • Time Frame: 2015-2025 | Language: English
Inclusion Criteria Example: "Correct primary outcome"
Exclusion Reasons Example: "Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)" – studies can be excluded with reason tagging.
✏️ Customizing Criteria: Add/edit inclusion/exclusion criteria specific to your review. These appear as checkboxes in the screening interface.

Part 3: Assigning Reviewers & Mediators

Assignment Modal Features

Assign Tab: Select reviewers for all pending studies in a stage (TA or FT). Add start/due dates.
Mediator Tab: Assign mediators specifically to studies in conflict – not globally.
Un-assign Tab: Remove reviewers from unscreened studies.
📧 Automatic Notifications: Assigned reviewers receive email alerts. Tasks appear in "My Assigned Screening" queue.

Part 4: Individual Screening Interface

Study Card Example

Glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists' effects on glycemic control, weight loss, and beta cells function in type 1 diabetes.

Mirghani HO, Albishi L, Alblewi SM | Frontiers in endocrinology (2026)


Abstract (excerpt):

Insulin is an effective treatment for type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM)... GLP-1 agonists achieved a higher reduction in weight, HbA1c... MD=-4.28, 95% CI -5.06 to -3.49... The total adverse events were higher in GLP-1 agonists.

AI Assistant Suggestion: Suggests Exclude (Confidence: 95%)

Reasoning: The study focuses on Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) patients, while the review targets Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) in the context of obesity management. Population mismatch with PICO framework.

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Eligibility Framework (collapsible): Displays PICO criteria from Planning Phase for quick reference during screening.
⌨️ Keyboard Shortcuts: I = Include, M = Maybe, E = Exclude, AI = Accept AI decision. Auto-save and navigation (Previous/Next) for efficient workflow.

Part 5: Bulk Screening Actions

Navigate to: Screening Dashboard → Bulk Screening or Studies List → Bulk Actions

Bulk Include: Apply "Include" decision to multiple selected studies for TA or FT stage
Bulk Exclude: Apply "Exclude" with selection of exclusion reasons
Bulk Maybe: Flag studies for later review
Reset My Decision: Clear your own decision for selected studies
📋 Bulk Exclusion Modal: When excluding multiple studies, select one or more exclusion reasons and add notes. All selected studies receive the same exclusion reason.

Part 6: Conflict Resolution (Mediator Role)

Study with Conflict Example: "The Therapeutic Potential of GLP-1 Agonists in Psoriasis and Hidradenitis Suppurativa"
Reviewer A (shamsuamme): Exclude
Reviewer B (shamsuamme1): Include

Conflict Resolution Interface

Mediator Actions:

📝 Resolution Process: Mediator reviews conflicting decisions, selects final judgment, adds resolution rationale, and submits. The resolved study status updates immediately.
AI Assistant in Conflict: Provides suggestion (95% confidence: Exclude) with reasoning – helps mediator make informed decision.

Part 7: Screened Studies List

Navigate to: Screening Dashboard → View All Screened Studies

IDTitleAuthorsYearT/A StatusFT StatusActions
5996Comparison of Clinical Efficacy of Tirzepatide, Liraglutide and Semaglutide...Ciudin A et al.2026Awaiting ScreeningAwaiting Screening
5888Weight Loss Outcomes in a Real-World SettingBailey B et al.2020IncludedIncluded
5972The Therapeutic Potential of GLP-1 Agonists in Psoriasis...Morales JK et al.2026ConflictAwaiting Screening
🔍 Features: Search by title/author, sortable columns, pagination, filter by status, and edit individual decisions.

Part 8: Import/Export Screening Data

Export Options: All reviewer decisions, Included only, Excluded only, Awaiting, Combined Human+AI, Raw AI logs
Import Requirements: CSV with study_id/doi/title, user_id, stage (TA/FT), decision (Include/Exclude/Maybe)
📋 Use Case: Offline screening in Excel → import bulk decisions → system updates and triggers conflict detection automatically.

Part 9: PRISMA 2020 Flow Diagram

Navigate to: Screening Dashboard → View PRISMA Diagram

Automatic
Generated from screening data (identification, screening, eligibility, included)
Manual Simple
Enter values manually for custom diagram
Manual Detailed
Full PRISMA 2020 builder with all sections
📊 Automatic PRISMA Data Flow:
- Identification: Records from databases + other sources
- Screening: Duplicates removed, records screened
- Eligibility: Full-text assessed, exclusions with reasons
- Included: Studies in synthesis (passing both stages)
Copy Diagram: Export PRISMA diagram as PNG for manuscript – one-click copy or download.

Part 10: Workflow & Assignments Actions

Assign Reviewers (T/A) – bulk assign all pending TA studies
Assign Reviewers (FT) – bulk assign all pending FT studies
My Assigned Screening – personal queue of studies
Assign Conflict Mediators – only for studies in conflict
🧪 Group Hands-On Activity: Screening & Selection (50 min)
  1. Access Screening Dashboard: In your training project, go to Conducting Phase → Screening Dashboard.
  2. Review Eligibility Framework: Click "Manage Screening Criteria" – verify PICO criteria auto-injected from Planning Phase.
  3. Assign Reviewers (Project Manager role): Click "Assign Reviewers (T/A)" → select 2 reviewers → assign all pending studies.
  4. Individual Screening (Reviewer A): Go to "My Assigned Screening" → open a study card. Review title/abstract, PICO framework, and AI suggestion. Make decision (Include/Maybe/Exclude). Add notes if excluding.
  5. Individual Screening (Reviewer B – same studies): Repeat step 4, but intentionally disagree on 2-3 studies to create conflicts.
  6. Bulk Screening Practice: Navigate to "Bulk Screening" → select 5 studies → apply "Exclude" with exclusion reason → confirm.
  7. Conflict Resolution (Mediator role): Go to "Conflicts" card → select a conflicted study. Review both reviewer decisions and AI suggestion. Select final judgment (Include/Exclude) → add rationale → resolve.
  8. Full-Text Screening: Promote included TA studies to FT stage. Assign FT reviewers, screen full texts, resolve conflicts.
  9. Export Data: Navigate to Import/Export → Export "All Reviewer Decisions" as CSV → review in Excel.
  10. Generate PRISMA Diagram: Go to "View PRISMA Diagram" → Automatic tab → review flow numbers. Copy diagram as image for manuscript.

Debrief Questions:

  • How does the Mediator role differ from a traditional "senior reviewer"? Why is this important for reducing bias?
  • What is the advantage of two-stage screening (title/abstract → full-text)?
  • How does AI-assisted screening improve efficiency, and what are its limitations?
  • When would you use bulk screening vs. individual screening?
  • How does Cohen's Kappa help monitor inter-rater reliability across your team?
Screening Module Completion Checklist:
✔ Screening criteria defined/verified (linked to PICO)
✔ Studies assigned to reviewers (TA and FT stages)
✔ Individual screening completed (with AI assistance)
✔ Bulk screening actions performed
✔ Conflicts identified and resolved by Mediator
✔ Cohen's Kappa reviewed for quality assurance
✔ Screening data exported/imported as needed
✔ PRISMA 2020 diagram generated and verified
✔ Included studies ready for QA and extraction

Next Guides: Quality Assessment (Risk of Bias) using tools created in Planning Phase.

2026 RevProHub
Guides: Screening & Selection | Two-Stage Screening | AI-Assisted Decisions | Conflict Resolution | PRISMA Diagram