Short answer: Using a research reporting guidelines checklist (such as CONSORT for trials, STROBE for observational studies, or PRISMA for reviews) ensures your study includes all essential design, execution, and analytical information required by peer-reviewed journals.
Reporting guidelines are structured recommendations for the information that should be included when research is reported. The EQUATOR Network Reporting Guidelines database maintains a large collection of reporting guidelines and provides tools for selecting a guideline according to study type, clinical area, and report section. Its main library currently lists hundreds of guidelines and highlights major families such as CONSORT, STROBE, PRISMA, STARD, CARE, SRQR/COREQ, ARRIVE, SQUIRE, and CHEERS.
Why reporting guidelines matter
Research can be methodologically sound yet poorly reported. Missing information can prevent readers from understanding what was done, assessing potential bias, reproducing an analysis, or using the evidence in a systematic review. EQUATOR describes reporting guidelines as tools for improving transparency, usability, and reproducibility.
Reporting guideline vs. study design
Start with the design, not the journal. A randomized trial needs different reporting information from an observational study; a systematic review differs from a case report; qualitative research differs from animal research. The target journal may then impose additional formatting or reporting requirements.
Study Design to Reporting Guideline Matrix
To determine which guideline your target journal requires, match your study design to its primary EQUATOR Network reporting standard:
| Study Design | Standard Guideline | Key Focus Area |
|---|---|---|
| Randomized Controlled Trials | CONSORT 2010 | Randomization, blinding, allocation concealment, trial flow. |
| Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses | PRISMA 2020 | Search strings, double-screening, flow diagrams, risk-of-bias. |
| Observational Studies (Cohort, Case-Control) | STROBE | Confounding variables, participant selection, missing data handling. |
| Diagnostic & Prognostic Studies | STARD / TRIPOD | Reference standards, validation cohorts, diagnostic sensitivity. |
| Clinical Case Reports | CARE | Patient timeline, clinical symptoms, diagnostic assessment, consent. |
| Qualitative Research | COREQ / SRQR | Interviewer characteristics, coding methods, data saturation. |
| Preclinical Animal Experiments | ARRIVE 2.0 | Sample size calculation, housing conditions, blinding protocols. |
| Study Protocols | SPIRIT / PRISMA-P | Pre-registration details, predefined primary outcomes, analysis plans. |
Section-by-section checklist
Title and abstract: Does the guideline require specific design information?
Introduction: Is the rationale and objective stated clearly?
Methods: Are design, participants, variables, procedures, analysis, ethics, and other required details reported? For further details on structuring this portion, review our guide on How to Write the Methods Section.
Results: Are participant flow, outcomes, estimates, uncertainty, and relevant analyses reported?
Discussion: Are interpretation, limitations, and applicability addressed?
Other information: Are registration, protocol, funding, conflicts, data/code availability, and acknowledgements reported where applicable?
Do reporting guidelines tell you how to conduct the study?
Usually, their principal function is reporting. They identify information that should be reported so readers can understand and evaluate the work. They should not be treated as a universal substitute for study-design expertise, statistical planning, ethical review, or methodological appraisal. EQUATOR specifically distinguishes transparent reporting from simply treating a guideline as a box-checking exercise. To see how these rules integrate into broader editorial standards, you can examine the ICMJE Recommendations Updated guidelines.
Should every manuscript use a checklist?
Not necessarily the same checklist. The correct approach is to identify the guideline that applies to the research. Some journals require a checklist at submission; others recommend one. Always follow the current instructions of the target journal.
How to handle multiple applicable guidelines
Some studies may legitimately require a main guideline plus one or more extensions or complementary guidelines. For example, a randomized trial may have a CONSORT extension relevant to an intervention or outcome. A systematic review may require PRISMA plus an extension relevant to the type of evidence or review question. Avoid combining unrelated checklists merely to increase the number of items.
Research reporting checklist
□ I identified the study design.
□ I checked the current EQUATOR library or another authoritative guideline source.
□ I checked for relevant guideline extensions.
□ I checked the target journal's current author instructions.
□ I used the guideline during manuscript preparation.
□ Methods and Results contain the information required by the applicable guideline.
□ Tables, figures, supplements, and flow diagrams agree with the main text.
□ Registration, ethics, funding, conflicts, and data/code information are reported where required.
□ The completed checklist uses accurate manuscript locations.
□ I have not treated checklist completion as proof of methodological quality.
A note for multidisciplinary researchers
EQUATOR is especially useful for health and biomedical research, but the general principle applies more broadly: identify the established reporting standard for your field and study design, then verify that it is current and appropriate. For health research, EQUATOR is a practical starting point because it indexes guidelines by study type and report section. Additional practical advice can be found in the EQUATOR Writing Research Using Reporting Guidelines resource.
Final takeaway
A reporting guideline is most useful before the manuscript is complete. Find the appropriate guideline early, use it to structure the information you need to report, and then perform a final checklist review before submission. For systematic review authors, checking specific templates like our PRISMA 2020 Checklist Guide is also essential prior to entering the Manuscript Submission Process.
- PRISMA 2020 Checklist
- How to Write the Methods Section
- How to Write the Results Section
- How to Write the Discussion Section
- Manuscript Submission Process
Editorial note: Reporting requirements vary by study design, discipline, journal, and jurisdiction. Always check the target journal's current author instructions before submission.