Development of a Guideline to Enhance the Reporting of Concept Mapping Research: Study Protocol

Abstract

Reporting guidelines are intended to enhance the clarity and transparency of research publications. Concept mapping, a mixed-methods design, has been widely used in health research. Current reporting guidelines for mixed-methods studies are not relevant for concept mapping research. The aim of this study is to develop a reporting guideline for concept mapping research following the EQUATOR network toolkit. Guideline development is in three stages: 1. A systematic review to identify key components of reporting concept mapping research, 2. A concept mapping study involving the key stakeholder groups—researchers, methodologists, peer reviewers, journal editors, statisticians, and people who have participated in concept mapping research—to identify candidate items to include in a reporting guideline, and 3. Development of a draft reporting guideline for concept mapping research. The outcome of the research will be a reporting guideline for concept mapping research.