Stage 1 / Prompt Toolkit

STAGE 1 · DISCOVER · HANDS-ON PROMPT BANK

Stage 1 Prompt Toolkit

Use these prompts as working aids across the seven DISCOVER steps. Replace the bracketed fields with your own project information, review the response, and verify evidence at its original source.

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Use AI suggestions carefully. Do not use AI output as evidence. Verify article details, terminology, database syntax, search counts, and claims about prior reviews in authoritative sources. Keep the exact search records in your Search Log.

How to use a prompt

Open the prompt for the step you are working on.
Replace every bracketed field with your own information.
Run it in an AI tool, then check suggestions against your research question and source records.
Save only the relevant, verified Stage 1 output in your worksheet.

Topic refinement

1 · Topic & Scope

Refine a broad research ideaUse when you have an area of interest but no focused SLR direction yet.View prompt +

Copy this prompt and replace the bracketed fields

Help me refine my broad research interest into three feasible systematic literature review directions.

Broad area: [area]
Discipline: [discipline]
Problem or motivation: [problem]
Technology, phenomenon or approach: [approach]
Context or population: [context]
Known seed articles (optional): [verified titles and DOI/URLs]
Constraints or boundaries: [constraints]

For each direction, provide a concise working title, a clear focus, possible boundaries, and questions I should resolve before proceeding. Explain the trade-offs between the options. Do not claim that a topic is novel or that a research gap exists without verifiable evidence. Ask questions if essential information is missing.

Check topic scopeUse after drafting a topic and scope statement.View prompt +

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Review this proposed SLR topic and scope.

Topic: [topic]
Scope: [scope]
Out of scope: [boundaries]

Identify vague terms, parts that may be too broad or too narrow, and decisions I still need to make. Suggest a clearer version and explain the trade-offs. Do not make claims about novelty or the state of the literature unless I provide evidence.

Plan a prior-review checkUse to prepare a check for existing reviews; verify by searching databases.View prompt +

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I am planning an SLR on [topic and scope]. Help me prepare a search plan to check whether recent systematic, scoping, or mapping reviews already cover this topic. Suggest concepts, synonyms, and combinations of terms to search, plus useful publication-date considerations. Do not tell me that no review exists. I will verify this by searching scholarly databases and recording the actual results.

Question development

2 · Research Questions

Draft focused research questionsUse after agreeing on a preliminary topic and scope.View prompt +

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Based on the information below, propose up to three focused and answerable research questions for an SLR.

Topic: [topic]
Scope: [scope]
Problem or motivation: [problem]

For each question, identify its main concepts and explain how it aligns with the scope. Use PICo, PICO, PICOC, or SPIDER only if the framework fits this research type; explain briefly why. Do not add aims that fall outside the stated scope.

Check RQ, objective and scope alignmentUse to identify mismatches before building the search strategy.View prompt +

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Check the alignment among my SLR topic, scope, objectives, and research questions.

Topic: [topic]
Scope: [scope]
Objectives: [objectives]
Research questions: [RQs]

Present mismatches or unclear wording in a table. Suggest the smallest revisions needed to improve alignment. Do not introduce new research aims or claim a research gap has been confirmed.

Search concepts and terms

3 · Keyword Matrix & Boolean Search

Extract concepts and build a keyword matrixUse the agreed research questions as the starting point.View prompt +

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From these research questions, identify the main concepts for a database search.

Research questions: [RQs]
Discipline or domain: [discipline]

Create a keyword matrix with columns for: concept, core terms, synonyms, acronyms, spelling variants, and terms that need verification. Keep distinct concepts separate. Mark AI-suggested terms as candidates. Do not label a term as a controlled subject heading unless I provide the relevant thesaurus or database evidence.

Suggest terms from a verified seed articleUse with article metadata copied from an authoritative record.View prompt +

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Using only the title, abstract, and author keywords supplied below, suggest additional candidate search terms for my concepts.

My concepts: [concepts]
Article title: [exact title]
Abstract: [abstract]
Author keywords: [keywords]
Source record or DOI: [source]

Group terms by concept. Mark which terms appear directly in the supplied metadata and which are AI-suggested. Do not invent article metadata or claim that a suggested term is commonly used without evidence.

Build a Boolean search stringUse only after reviewing and approving the keyword matrix.View prompt +

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Using only the approved terms in the matrix below, draft a Boolean search string.

Approved keyword matrix: [paste matrix]
Target database: [database]

Use OR between synonyms within a concept and AND between distinct concepts. Show each concept group separately before combining them. Preserve the approved wording and do not add terms without labelling them as suggestions. State syntax assumptions and remind me to test the query in the database.

Adapt a search string to a databaseUse after creating a generic search string.View prompt +

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Adapt this draft search string for the named database and search interface.

Database and interface: [name]
Draft string: [paste string]

Preserve the concepts and intended Boolean logic. Explain syntax changes, field codes, truncation or wildcard changes, and any unsupported features. Do not claim the query is valid until it has been tested. Identify the database help page or syntax details I should check.

Coverage planning

4 · Database Selection

Compare candidate databases and platformsUse to justify a search plan; confirm access and coverage yourself.View prompt +

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Given my topic and research questions, compare the candidate sources below for a search plan.

Topic: [topic]
Research questions: [RQs]
Discipline: [discipline]
Candidate sources: [e.g., Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink]

For each source, explain its possible role, likely subject or content focus, complementary value, and limitations to verify. Distinguish bibliographic indexing databases from publisher platforms. Do not imply that a search has been conducted or guarantee coverage.

Search testing and review

5 · Execute & Refine

Diagnose an actual searchUse after running a draft query and recording the real results.View prompt +

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Review my actual search and help me plan one refinement at a time.

Database and interface: [name]
Search date: [date]
Exact query: [query]
Filters used: [filters]
Actual result count: [count from database]
Known relevant article or example record: [details, if available]

Identify possible syntax issues, overly broad or narrow concept groups, and terms to test. Suggest one change per test and explain what I should compare. Do not invent result counts or claim completeness.

Peer-review the search strategyUse as a PRESS-informed check; obtain a human review for formal peer review.View prompt +

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Review this draft search strategy using these checks: translation of the research question, concept coverage, subject headings (if supplied), text words, Boolean logic, spelling, truncation or wildcard use, database syntax, and limits.

Research question: [RQ]
Database and interface: [name]
Search strategy: [exact query and field codes]

Report potential issues with reasons and indicate which need human or database-documentation verification. Do not silently rewrite the strategy. If suggesting a change, show exactly what changed.

Discovery records

6 · Initial Article Set

Organize records from database exportsUse with records exported or copied from a database.View prompt +

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Organize the records below into a structured table. Use only the supplied metadata.

Records: [paste exported or copied records]

Include: exact title, authors, year, DOI or stable URL, database/source, and verification status. Mark missing fields as “Not provided”. Do not complete missing metadata from memory or invent references. Flag possible duplicate records for manual checking.

Triage candidate records for relevanceUse only for an initial discovery check; final screening belongs to a later stage.View prompt +

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Using only my draft criteria and the supplied titles/abstracts, assign each record one preliminary label: “potentially relevant”, “uncertain”, or “not obviously relevant”.

Draft criteria: [criteria]
Records and abstracts: [paste records]

Give a brief reason based only on the supplied text and identify missing information. This is an initial discovery aid, not a final inclusion or exclusion decision. Do not infer details that are absent from the record.

Consistency audit

7 · Stage 1 Portfolio

Audit the Stage 1 portfolioUse before exporting or submitting your Stage 1 outputs.View prompt +

Copy this prompt and replace the bracketed fields

Audit the consistency and completeness of my Stage 1 materials.

Topic and scope: [paste]
Research questions and objectives: [paste]
Keyword matrix: [paste]
Database selection and rationale: [paste]
Search log summary: [paste]
Initial article set summary: [paste]

List inconsistencies, missing items, and practical next actions in a table. Check that the search concepts align with the research questions and that database plans are supported by the recorded search log. Do not change source records, invent search results, or make final screening decisions.

Use with any AI-assisted Stage 1 task

AI Output Verification Checklist

Before carrying an AI suggestion into your worksheet, verify it and keep the source evidence. Tick these items as you work; the checklist is not saved or submitted.

Terms checkedCandidate keywords match the review concepts and appear in relevant source records. Records verifiedTitle, authors, year, DOI and source have been checked in the database or publisher record. Search syntax testedField codes, Boolean operators, phrases and truncation have been checked in the selected database. Claims supportedClaims about prior reviews, novelty, coverage or gaps are supported by a documented search—not an AI response. Human decision recordedI selected or rejected suggestions and can explain why they fit the scope. Search trail retainedI saved the exact query, database/interface, date, filters and real result count in the Search Log.

Open Stage 1 Search Log →

AI-assisted search activities should be described transparently in the methods when they materially affect how terms or records were identified.

Responsible-use instruction

Add this instruction to a prompt when you need stronger safeguards:

Use only the information I provide. Clearly separate facts from suggestions. Do not invent article titles, authors, DOIs, database results, search counts, or research gaps. If information is missing, ask me or mark it as missing. I will verify suggestions against original sources and database records.

Use only the information I provide. Clearly separate facts from suggestions. Do not invent article titles, authors, DOIs, database results, search counts, or research gaps. If information is missing, ask me or mark it as missing. I will verify suggestions against original sources and database records.

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