Term: Protocol

a detailed plan or set of predefined steps to be followed in a study or project. It outlines the rationale, objectives, and methods to ensure consistency, transparency, and reproducibility. For example, in a systematic review, a protocol describes how studies will be identified, selected, appraised, and how data will be collected and analyzed. In developing a Core Outcome Set (COS), a protocol specifies the procedures and methods to be used at each stage.