How to Use Covidence

Getting started with Covidence

In this guide, you'll learn how to set up your Covidence account and manage your first systematic review. By the end, you'll be able to streamline your research process and efficiently organise your academic papers.

Step 1: Sign up and set up

1. Go to Covidence.org.
2. Click on the Sign up button located in the top right corner.
3. Enter your email address and create a password, then click Create account.
4. Check your email for a verification link and follow the instructions to activate your account.
5. Once logged in, you can choose to start a new review by clicking the New Review button on your dashboard.

Step 2: Your first review

1. After clicking New Review, fill in the title and description of your systematic review, then click Create Review.
2. Import references by clicking on the Import button. You can upload a file (like a .RIS or .BibTeX) or connect to databases like PubMed.
3. Once your references are imported, click on Screen to start reviewing the papers.
4. Use the checkboxes next to each reference to mark them as Included, Excluded, or Maybe. Click Next to progress through the list.
5. After screening, you can move to the Data Extraction tab to collect relevant information from the included studies.

Step 3: Get better results

1. Use the Tags feature to categorise studies based on themes or quality. Click on a reference and select Add Tag.
2. For better organisation, use the Notes feature to jot down insights or important points for each study.
3. Regularly check the Dashboard to track your progress and ensure you’re on schedule.

Pro tip

Take advantage of the Collaboration feature. Invite team members to join your review by clicking on Settings and then Collaborators. This allows multiple people to work on the review simultaneously, speeding up the process.

Common mistake to avoid

Avoid skipping the Screening step too quickly. It's easy to overlook important details that could affect your review's outcomes. Take your time and ensure each reference is carefully assessed.