Seven reporting guidelines every clinical researcher should know

Reporting guidelines are checklists that set out the minimum information a reader needs to understand, assess and repeat a study. Journals increasingly ask authors to submit a completed checklist with their manuscript, and reviewers use them to judge completeness.

Why they matter

Incomplete reporting is one of the most common reasons studies cannot be used: readers cannot tell how participants were selected, what exactly was measured or how missing data were handled. Following the right guideline from the start, ideally while planning the study, prevents these gaps.

The guidelines you are most likely to need

• CONSORT for randomised controlled trials, including the participant flow diagram.
• SPIRIT for trial protocols, written before the trial begins.
• PRISMA for systematic reviews and meta-analyses, with its flow diagram of the search and selection.
• STROBE for observational studies: cohort, case-control and cross-sectional designs.
• STARD for studies of diagnostic accuracy.
• CARE for case reports, including the patient’s perspective and consent.
• ARRIVE for research using animals.

Where to find them

The EQUATOR Network maintains a searchable library of reporting guidelines, including extensions for specific designs such as cluster trials or studies using routinely collected data. Always use the latest version of a checklist.

How to use a checklist well

• Choose the guideline when you design the study, not after you write it.
• Use the explanation and elaboration documents, which show good examples.
• Record the page number where each item is reported.
• If an item does not apply, say so and explain why.

Our resource library includes annotated versions of these checklists, and our editors can review your manuscript against them before submission.