FAQ

MetaReviewer is designed for the synthesist who is new to conducting an evidence synthesis. Our target user is a person who wants to move beyond a spreadsheet but doesn’t have the resources to purchase dedicated software or design a custom-made database. However, synthesists with lots of experience also can and should use MetaReviewer.

MetaReviewer will assist review teams in the process of screening studies for inclusion, including abstract and full-text screening, and collecting data from individual studies, usually referred to as “study coding” or “data extraction.” MetaReviewer’s user-friendly system will help synthesists set up abstract and full-text screening workflows, design screening and coding forms, create a relational database, manage team assignments, collect study information, identify and calculate effect size statistics, reconcile coding differences, and convert the collected data into a spreadsheet that can be easily imported into any software for analysis.

Ideally, your project team will have conducted the literature search. Users should be ready to upload citations (including abstracts) for abstract screening.

No. MetaReviewer currently is not designed to help with literature searching. However, MetaReviewer does have functionality that allows users to import citation data and link multiple citations to the same study, or multiple studies to the same citation. We hope to add search functionality in the future.

As of July 17, 2025, abstract screening functionality is live! MetaReviewer can now be used to conduct both abstract and full-text screening. Users can set up their project to start with abstract screening, and then move to full-text screening of studies identified as eligible, or users can import studies they have already screened at the abstract level and dive right into full-text screening. The User Guide details various scenarios and offers more information for users seeking guidance on where to begin.

Not specifically. MetaReviewer will be helpful to users who need to identify specific effect size data, and it can calculate a range of effect sizes automatically based on available information. MetaReviewer will also be helpful to users who need a formatted spreadsheet that can be imported into R, Stata, or other statistical software for analysis.

MetaReviewer is designed for individuals who have a basic understanding of the evidence synthesis process. Users interested in learning more about evidence syntheses should consult papers like this one for a good primer. Our MOSAIC website also has helpful resources.

We have recorded a number of resources to support users in learning MetaReviewer. In addition to our full launch webinar, we have recorded short tutorials on specific features, and we have a blog with regular posts detailing how to use MetaReviewer features. Visit MetaReviewer’s YouTube Channel for all these videos and more.

We typically process new access requests every 15 minutes each business day; please allow one full business day to receive your login information. If after a full business day, you still have not received your login information, please send an email to metareviewer@air.org.

Most issues can be resolved by reviewing the user documentation, which users will have access to upon signing up for MetaReviewer. Although we do not have the capacity to troubleshoot all issues with users currently, please direct all questions to our support team at metareviewer@air.org.

MetaReviewer’s current funding status ensures continuous access through 2028, and we continue to seek additional funding to maintain and update MetaReviewer into the future. You may delete projects and data from MetaReviewer at any time.

No. Only people to whom synthesists grant project access will be able to view and edit project data.

It’s free! We are committed to creating and providing a high-quality tool for applied researchers conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis who may not have access to financial resources. We do not have any plans to charge users in the future.

Users will not be obligated to pay any fees. We reserve the right to restrict users from creating very large projects, but we do not anticipate this will be an issue. We may ask users to voluntarily provide their feedback from time to time to inform ongoing development that will benefit users, but users are under no obligation to provide feedback.

The MOSAIC team would love to work with you. However, at this time, we cannot accept any direct contributions.

If you’d like to work with us on an upcoming synthesis project, please send an email to metareviewer@air.org.

No. MetaReviewer is designed for the sole purpose of conducting an evidence synthesis. Users who intend to modify the application of the program for a different purpose will violate the Terms of Agreement and their accounts are subject to immediate deletion.