The protocol is the detailed plan for your scoping review.  It explains your rationale and methodology and should be developed right at the beginning. You can refine it as you go on.

The protocol for a scoping review will have similar information to that of a systematic review protocol. As we said earlier, you will not need to register your protocol for a scoping review, but the same process should be followed.

Any deviations from the protocol in the final report should be highlighted and explained.

Note: confirm with your supervisor if you are required to include a written protocol as part of your thesis.

It's also a good idea to check through protocol registers to see if another group of researchers has already registered a review on your topic.

See our Systematic Reviews guide for a list of protocol registries.

Typically, your review protocol should include:

• Your rationale and objectives, including your PICO or other framework
• Your eligibility criteria (inclusions and exclusions)
• Your choice of sources (databases and grey literature), and your search strategy
• How you will screen your records, and extract, manage, and analyse the data.

JBI have a useful template for scoping review protocols (Microsoft Word Document) which you can access and download. You can also complete this template within a JBI SUMARI project if you prefer.

Keen to use JBI SUMARI to manage your scoping review? See our infographic guide to get started.

Tricco, A. C., Lillie, E., Zarin, W., O'Brien, K. K., Colquhoun, H., Levac, D., . . . Weeks, L. (2018). PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): checklist and explanation. Annals of Internal Medicine, 169(7), 467-473.

Examples of protocols

Fealy, S., McLaren, S., Rose, L., & Ageing Well in Rural and Regional Australia Research Group. (2023). Psychological Interventions designed to assist older people to transition to permanent residential aged care: A systematic scoping review protocol. (Version 4). figshare. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.21837036.v4

Fealy, S. et al. (2022). The application (use) of extended reality (XR) technology in primary care settings. A systematic review and narrative synthesis. Prospero. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022339905

Matthys, A., Cash, B., & Moorhead, B. (2023). The representation of people living with dementia in Australian voluntary assisted dying research: A scoping review protocol. OSF. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/5D9CM