Meta-Analysis & Systematic Review Checker
Validate your systematic review or meta-analysis manuscript for PRISMA compliance, search strategy documentation, statistical reporting, and journal submission readiness.
Check my manuscript, it's freeNo account required · Results in <2 minutes · PDF, Word & LaTeX
Why meta-analyses need specialized checking
Meta-analyses and systematic reviews are among the highest-cited study types across medicine, psychology, education, and biology. They also have the most demanding reporting requirements. PRISMA 2020 specifies 27 checklist items that must be addressed. MOOSE guidelines apply to observational study meta-analyses. Journals expect detailed search strategy documentation, inclusion/exclusion criteria, risk of bias assessment, forest plots, heterogeneity statistics (I², Q, tau²), and registration in PROSPERO or similar databases. CheckMyManuscript validates your meta-analysis against these standards.
Meta-analysis checks
PRISMA 2020 compliance
Validate your manuscript against the 27 PRISMA 2020 checklist items.
Search strategy documentation
Check that database names, search terms, date ranges, and filters are fully reported.
Study selection reporting
Verify inclusion/exclusion criteria, screening process, and PRISMA flow diagram are present.
Statistical reporting
Flag missing heterogeneity statistics (I², Q), effect sizes, confidence intervals, and sensitivity analyses.
Risk of bias assessment
Check that risk of bias tool (RoB 2, ROBINS-I, Newcastle-Ottawa) is identified and results reported.
Registration statement
Verify PROSPERO or equivalent registration number is included.
Checks relevant to this topic
Part of our 80+ automated checks
PRISMA compliance
Key PRISMA 2020 checklist elements addressed.
Search strategy
Databases, search terms, and date ranges documented.
Heterogeneity reporting
I², Q statistic, and tau² reported for meta-analyses.
Risk of bias
Risk of bias assessment tool identified and results presented.
Protocol registration
PROSPERO or equivalent registration number provided.
The practical edge your peers already use
Across disciplines and career stages, researchers reduce bottlenecks and submit with confidence: clearer drafts, easier guideline compliance, and less back and forth with co‑authors and reviewers.
I use it to review my students' papers. It instantly highlights typos, missing references, and unclear sections, helping me focus my feedback on the quality of the research instead of surface errors.
Ilyass
Professor in Mechanical Engineering, ÉTS Montréal
I relied on it throughout my thesis to strengthen my writing. It suggested clearer phrasing, improved flow between sections, and ensured my references were complete before the final deadline.
Manon
Master's Student in Speech Therapy
I write research in both Portuguese and English, and it adapts perfectly to either language. It provided precise feedback in Portuguese, helping me maintain academic tone and consistency across my drafts.
Afonso
PhD Candidate, UFPE
It gave excellent advice on how to rephrase and present ideas more clearly and concisely. The suggestions helped me refine my arguments and make my research more impactful.
Félix
Postdoc Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology
A round of suggestions helped to generally refine the text of my paper and, moreover, to present some of its key points in a more focused form.
Oleg
Professor, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University
I use it to review my students' papers. It instantly highlights typos, missing references, and unclear sections, helping me focus my feedback on the quality of the research instead of surface errors.
Ilyass
Professor in Mechanical Engineering, ÉTS Montréal
I relied on it throughout my thesis to strengthen my writing. It suggested clearer phrasing, improved flow between sections, and ensured my references were complete before the final deadline.
Manon
Master's Student in Speech Therapy
I write research in both Portuguese and English, and it adapts perfectly to either language. It provided precise feedback in Portuguese, helping me maintain academic tone and consistency across my drafts.
Afonso
PhD Candidate, UFPE
It gave excellent advice on how to rephrase and present ideas more clearly and concisely. The suggestions helped me refine my arguments and make my research more impactful.
Félix
Postdoc Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology
A round of suggestions helped to generally refine the text of my paper and, moreover, to present some of its key points in a more focused form.
Oleg
Professor, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University
Frequently asked questions
PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) is the standard reporting guideline for systematic reviews. Most journals require PRISMA compliance and a completed PRISMA checklist at submission. Our checker flags missing PRISMA elements.
PRISMA is the general guideline for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. MOOSE (Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) provides additional requirements specific to meta-analyses of observational studies. If your meta-analysis includes observational studies, both may apply.
Most journals now require prospective registration in PROSPERO (for health-related reviews) or OSF (for other fields) before starting the review. Our checker flags when a registration number is missing from the manuscript.