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title: "10.2.2 Developing your protocol"
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Protocols are an important first step in any systematic and rigorously conducted evidence synthesis, and this is no different for scoping reviews (Peters et al. 2022). JBI considers it a vital step prior to the conduct of a scoping review to ensure that it is well-planned, transparent and rigorous. It is also a requirement when following the JBI scoping review methodology to have an  a priori  protocol. However, the need for a protocol does vary among journals. One benefit of preparing a scoping review protocol is that it reduces  ad hoc  decision-making that can introduce bias within the review and impact its methodological quality. Another benefit of a protocol can be seen in its role as a document where all reviewers have agreed upon research aims and methodology. A protocol can be viewed as a recipe card, and if instructions are followed, it can improve your chances of a well-developed and successful review undertaking. Note that although we suggest that changes made from the development of the protocol to the review be avoided, sometimes this is not possible in a scoping review due to its iterative nature. If changes are made, deviations from the protocol with supporting justification should be made transparent within the final scoping review (Peters et al. 2022). This is discussed further in this chapter in the reporting section. Should I register my scoping review? Registration of a systematic review is commonplace. Registration of systematic reviews can ‘promote transparency, help reduce potential for bias and serve to avoid unintended duplication of reviews’ (Stewart et al. 2012, p. 1), and it is supported by PROSPERO, a protocol registration database. Currently, PROSPERO does not accept scoping reviews to be registered (with that said, some scoping reviews do seem to have slipped through). However, there are other platforms where you can place your protocol, which are publicly listed to ensure transparency. These include  OSF,  which provides standardised templates for reviews, and  FigShare . Should I publish my protocol in a peer-reviewed journal? Publishing your protocol in a peer-reviewed journal is not a requirement. Benefits of a published protocol could be increased visibility of the work, which would then hopefully increase transparency and reduce bias and duplication. A published protocol can also be used to request feedback on the scoping review methods. However, publication of a protocol can be expensive, many journals do not accept protocols and incorporating reviewer feedback within your work before starting your scoping review can add substantial time. One other option is to ‘self-publish’ a protocol or have your protocol hosted on an institutional webpage or other location, such as ResearchGate. Some organisations, such as a university library or research outputs repository, can also help you assign the protocol a unique digital object identifier (DOI) for ease of citation. Such publications would generally not be considered peer-reviewed (unless this was undertaken through an appropriate and unbiased process, such as by the funding or commissioning body themselves), but they do still allow others to access and read the protocol, which enhances transparency.