Guidelines for the REPOrting of primary empirical research Studies in Education (The REPOSE Guidelines)

The quality and comprehensiveness of systematic reviews is highly dependent on the quality and comprehensiveness of the reporting of, for example, the contexts, aims, and methods used in the primary studies. A common concern of those conducting EPPI reviews has been that fairly straightforward information necessary for understanding and synthesising individual studies such as sample sizes and characteristics, location and duration of studies is not reported in published articles. Mark Newman and Diana Elbourne of the EPPI Centre have produced a draft set of ‘reporting guidelines’ which authors might use in reporting primary empirical studies in education so that readers of articles can more accurately assess the usefulness of the findings. The guidelines may also be of use to Journal Editors and Peer Reviewers.

The project was funded by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) and further information can be found in the paper Newman M, Elbourne D (2005) Improving the usability of educational research: guidelines for the REPOrting of primary empirical research Studies in Education (the REPOSE guidelines). Evaluation and Research in Education 18 (4), 201-212.

Click here to download a pdf file of the guidelines