Cochrane Handbook guidance covers how to plan, run, and document searches, while PRISMA 2020 covers what a review should report about them; use the Handbook to structure the update method and PRISMA 2020 to disclose it. The two frameworks answer different questions, so they complement each other in a search update.
What each framework addresses
The Cochrane Handbook describes planning searches, selecting sources, developing search strategies, searching reference lists and other sources, documenting searches, and managing records for systematic reviews. Its focus is the search process itself: which sources you use, how you build and run strategies, and how you keep records.
PRISMA 2020 provides a checklist and flow diagrams for transparent reporting of why a systematic review was done, what methods were used, and what studies were found and included. Its focus is disclosure: the reader should be able to see what was done and what was found.
Which to follow
Use the Cochrane Handbook to decide and record how the update search was conducted. Use PRISMA 2020 to decide which of those details to report and how to present the flow of records and included studies. A search update needs both: a documented method and a transparent report of it.
How to record the update
- Plan the update search using the Handbook's elements: sources, strategy, and record management. Result: a defined method for the update.
- Run the search and keep records of the sources and strategies used. Result: documentation you can report from.
- Map those details to the PRISMA 2020 checklist and flow diagram. Result: a report showing methods and the studies found and included.
- Check that every reported search detail traces back to your records. Result: a consistent method-and-report pair.
For locating and refining biomedical records, PubMed supports field tags, phrase searching, filters, Advanced Search, citation matching, similar-article links, and saved searches, which can help you run and track an update search.