Part 2 provides the core methodology for undertaking systematic reviews on the effects of health interventions, with a particular emphasis on reviewing randomized trials. It comprises the following chapters:

1. Starting a review
2. Determining the scope and questions
3. Inclusion criteria and grouping for synthesis
4. Searching & selecting studies
5. Collecting data
6. Effect measures
7. Bias and conflicts of interest
8. Risk of bias in randomized trials
9. Preparing for synthesis
10. Meta-analyses
11. Network meta-analyses
12. Synthesis using other methods
13. Bias due to missing results
14. ‘Summary of findings’ tables & GRADE
15. Interpreting results

For any queries on the Handbook, contact methods@cochrane.org