Creating Your First Review

Before You Start

Have a research question in mind before you begin. It doesn't need to be perfect — the assistant will help you refine it and translate it into a structured PICO framework — but the clearer the question, the faster it gets to a usable protocol.

Start a New Review

  1. 1Click the + New Review button at the top of the sidebar (or press Cmd+Enter / Ctrl+Enter from anywhere in the app)
  2. 2You'll land on a blank chat page — no forms, no setup wizard
  3. 3Type your research question directly into the chat input
  4. 4Press Enter or click Send

Scholara creates the review session automatically when you send your first message. There's nothing to fill in beforehand — no separate title, description, or category fields. The session title is generated from your question and the URL updates silently to your new review.

Review Mode vs Discover Mode

Above the chat input you'll see two mode pills: Review and Discover. Pick a mode before sending your first message — once the conversation starts, the mode is locked for that session.

  • Review (default) — runs the full systematic review pipeline: PICO extraction, protocol building, search strategy, screening, and analysis. Use this when you intend to produce a systematic review.
  • Discover — a lighter, exploratory conversation with the assistant. Useful when you're scoping a topic, testing search ideas, or doing background work before committing to a formal review.

What the Assistant Does First

After your first message in review mode, the assistant immediately begins extracting the PICO elements (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes) from your question. If your question is ambiguous — for example, no clear comparator or vague outcomes — it will ask clarifying questions before producing the PICO summary.

The PICO summary appears as an artifact in the side drawer once it's ready. From there you confirm or edit the extracted elements, and the conversation moves through the rest of the review phases in order.

Tips for a Good First Message

  • Frame the question as a research question, not a topic. "Does X work for Y?" or "How effective is X compared with Y for Z?" beats a single keyword.
  • Include the population if you know it ("adults with type 2 diabetes", "children under 12").
  • Mention the outcomes you care about if specific ("all-cause mortality", "HbA1c reduction").
  • If the review is for a specific journal or registration, mention it — the assistant will adjust the protocol accordingly.
  • If you're not sure, just type the question as you'd say it out loud. The assistant will ask follow-up questions to fill in the gaps.

Once your first message lands, the next step is the PICO and Confirm phases — see Understanding Review Phases for what to expect across the full eight-phase chat.