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  1. Expectations of PRISMA-ScR
  2. Ineligibility of scoping reviews for PROSPERO
  3. Alternative registration routes

Academy · Concepts & Definitions · Scoping review registration Q&A

Protocol Registration for Scoping Reviews: PRISMA-ScR Expectations and Alternatives to PROSPERO

PRISMA-ScR has its own expectations for protocol registration, which differ from those of PRISMA 2020, and the registration landscape for scoping reviews is genuinely less uniform.

Pubrica AcademyWritten by a systematic review methodologist Reviewed byan information specialist Published10 October 2026 Last checked10 October 2026 Reading time5 minutes Sources1 peer-reviewed

PRISMA-ScR (the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews) recommends that a scoping review protocol be registered or otherwise made publicly accessible; however, unlike systematic review protocols, scoping review protocols are not accepted for registration by PROSPERO, and authors therefore require an alternative route.

Learning objectives

  • Whether registration is expected for a scoping review, per PRISMA-ScR.
  • Why PROSPERO is not an appropriate registry for this review type.
  • The alternative routes available when no dedicated registry exists.

Common misconceptions

  • “Scoping reviews can be registered on PROSPERO in the same way as systematic reviews.” PROSPERO’s eligibility criteria do not include scoping reviews; the registry is restricted to systematic reviews with a health-related outcome, and scoping reviews therefore require a different registration route.

Expectations of PRISMA-ScR

The PRISMA-ScR checklist includes an item recommending that the review protocol be registered or otherwise made publicly available and that any amendments be reported, which applies to scoping reviews the same open-science rationale that underlies systematic review registration1.

Ineligibility of scoping reviews for PROSPERO

PROSPERO’s registration eligibility criteria specifically exclude scoping reviews (together with several other review types, such as literature reviews without a health-related outcome), since the registry is restricted to systematic reviews with a health-related outcome. Registration of a scoping review on PROSPERO is therefore not an available route.

Alternative registration routes

Common alternative routes include registering the protocol on the Open Science Framework (OSF), which accepts a broader range of study types, including scoping reviews, or publishing the protocol as a standalone, citable journal article or preprint; either option satisfies the PRISMA-ScR expectation that the protocol be “publicly available” even in the absence of a dedicated review-specific registry.

Key points

Key points

PRISMA-ScR recommends registering or otherwise publicly posting a scoping review protocol, but PROSPERO does not accept scoping reviews; the Open Science Framework and a published or preprinted protocol article are the standard alternative routes.

Practical application

Practical application

  1. Do not attempt PROSPERO registration for a scoping review. PROSPERO’s eligibility criteria should be checked before registration is attempted, to avoid an unnecessary submission.
  2. Use OSF or a protocol publication or preprint instead. Either satisfies PRISMA-ScR's public-availability expectation.
  3. Report the registration route used in the final published scoping review. This is consistent with the PRISMA-ScR reporting item on registration.

Frequently asked questions

PRISMA-ScR recommends it as good practice; authors should check whether the target journal makes it a submission requirement.

As with systematic reviews, registration before substantive work begins better serves the transparency purpose of registration, even where a registry’s own rules do not strictly enforce it.

The mechanics differ (OSF is a general-purpose open research registry, not one specific to scoping reviews), but it serves the same core purpose of recording the protocol publicly and prospectively.

References

  1. Tricco AC, Lillie E, Zarin W, et al. PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and Explanation. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2018;169(7):467-473. read 10 October 2026. View on Annals of Internal Medicine

Every source above is a peer-reviewed article, a publisher’s record of one, or a standard issued by the body that owns it. Each carries the date it was last read. Where a standard moves, this article is revised rather than left up with a note.

How to cite this article

Pick your referencing style and copy it. Your university or target journal may vary the punctuation — check its guide if it has one.

Pubrica Academy. (2026, October 10). Protocol Registration for Scoping Reviews: PRISMA-ScR Expectations and Alternatives to PROSPERO. Pubrica. https://pubrica.com/academy/qa/scoping-review-protocol-registration-qa/

This article is written to be learned from. Cite it if you are referring to what it says; if you are using the evidence behind it, cite the sources listed above instead.

Scoping review registration quick-answer

Reference.

PRISMA-ScR expectation: register or publicly post the protocol, report amendments
PROSPERO: not eligible for scoping reviews
Alternative: Open Science Framework (OSF), or publish/preprint the protocol as a standalone article

Pubrica AcademyWritten and maintained by Pubrica’s subject matter experts. Articles are revised when the underlying standards change, and each article states the date on which it was last reviewed.

How Pubrica can help

Pubrica assists scoping review teams in selecting and completing an appropriate registration route (OSF or a standalone protocol publication) and in reporting it correctly according to PRISMA-ScR.

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