RepOrting standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses (ROSES) is a collaborative initiative with the aim of improving the standards of reporting in evidence syntheses. At the core of ROSES is a set of detailed state-of-the art forms for ensuring evidence syntheses report their methods to the highest possible standards. The ROSES initiative is relevant for anyone conducting or reviewing a systematic review or systematic map. ROSES forms help review authors to ensure that all relevant methodological information is reported in their review. ROSES forms will also be used by EEJ editors and peer-reviewers to help critique the reliability and validity of a review.
Environmental Evidence now considers it mandatory for all submitting authors of systematic review and map protocols and reports to complete the relevant ROSES forms as part of their submission to demonstrate that they have included all relevant methodological details in their documents. The ROSES forms should be uploaded along with the submitted manuscript as a supplementary file. Failure to do so could result in your manuscript being returned before review. Authors should also use ROSES template for flow diagram to report inclusion/exclusion process and included literature sources. Completion of the ROSES forms does not require a considerable time commitment, but if done early, could save considerable resources by avoiding your manuscript being bounced by editorial staff prior to peer-review.
Authors are encouraged to read ROSES checklists for reviews and maps reports and protocols as soon as they begin a new project to facilitate completion of the forms at the submission stage. The information and support in the ROSES forms could also make the job of conducting a review and drafting the protocol and report documents much easier.
Below are direct links to information about ROSES, ROSES forms and flow diagram templates for all submitting authors. ROSES forms and flow diagram template should always be downloaded from the ROSES website as it contains most up-to-date materials.
ROSES for systematic map protocols
ROSES for systematic map reports
ROSES for systematic review protocols
ROSES for systematic review reports
ROSES templates for flow diagram of review and map activities