Research Team: typically conducted by one researcher although a second team member maybe utilized during the screening phase.
Timeframe: < 5 weeks although it can vary.
Question: The scope of questions tended to be more narrow in scope. Tends to either focus on a policy or practice issue.
Research Protocol: Not required although it may be beneficial to the researcher(s). It can help clarify and define the objectives and detail the methods involved.
Search: Exhaustiveness of search can be determined by time constraints. Since rapid reviews utilize systematic review methods for the search, the researcher should strive to create a search that is both thorough and replicable.
PRISMA Diagram: Should be utilized to document article search and selection process.
Selection: Based on inclusion/exclusion criteria.
Appraisal: Critical and rigorous quality assessment but time limited.
Synthesis: Descriptive summary or categorization of data. Could be limited to basic descriptive summary. May still be quantitative.
Analysis: Quantities of literature and overall quality/direction of effect of literature.
