Title and abstract screening
Two people judge every record independently. The keys, the highlights, the verdicts on each criterion, notes and labels, and what blind mode hides.
On this page
At the title and abstract stage, each record is judged on what its title and abstract say. The aim is to keep everything that might be eligible: when unsure, keep it for the full text.
Voting
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| I | Include |
| E | Exclude |
| M | Maybe |
| J / K (or the arrow keys) | Next / previous record |
| U | Clear your vote on this record |
Each vote can carry a reason, a note for the team, and labels.
Verdicts on each criterion
Next to the vote, give a verdict on every numbered criterion: met, not met or unclear. The verdicts are stored with the vote. A vote that contradicts its own verdicts (for example include with E2 met) is flagged in red, so slips are caught early.
Highlights
Keywords from Config are highlighted: green for include terms, red for exclude terms. They help you read faster; they never decide.
Blind mode
With blind mode on (the default), you do not see the other reviewers' votes, and the AI's suggestions appear according to the reveal setting (best: only after your own vote, so it cannot anchor you). This keeps the votes independent, which is what makes the agreement statistic meaningful.
When does a record get a status?
A record needs the number of independent votes set in Config (usually two). Then:
- all votes include: included at this stage;
- all votes exclude: excluded;
- all votes maybe: maybe, and by default these records go on to full-text assessment (Config: "Send maybe to full text");
- votes differ: a conflict, discussed and resolved in Conflicts.
Until a record has enough votes, it is partial. An owner's resolution overrides the votes.
Tips
- Screen in short sessions; consistency drops when you are tired.
- Write a note when you hesitate: it helps the discussion if the record becomes a conflict.
- Read the criteria again after the first fifty records; teams often clarify a criterion at this point.