Table 3.

The framework to categorise included studies filled in based upon included studies

	Data material	Overall design	Methods	Metrics
The problem: Redundancy	1. Primary studies 2. Systematic reviews 3. Funding proposals 4. REC proposals 5. Published protocols 6. Researchers	1. Systematic review 2. Cross-sectional study 3. Other observational study 4. Qualitative study	1. Citation analysis 2. Content analysis 3. Cut-off analysis 4. Survey	1. The number of overlapping meta-analyses 2. Impact of SR on design of subsequent research 3. Description of cumulative meta-analyses
Possible reasons for problem: Presence of QRPs	1. Primary studies 2. Systematic reviews 3. Funding proposals 4. REC proposals 5. Published protocols 6. Researchers	1. Systematic review 2. Cross-sectional study 3. Other observational study 4. Qualitative study 5. Randomised study	1. Citation analysis 2. Content analysis 3. Survey	1. Number of studies citing SRs 2. Number of studies citing available/relevant SRs 3. Number of similar original studies cited 4. Number of studies citing similar studies 5. Number of studies citing prior SR 6. Number of studies citing SRs or original studies 7. Number of available / relevant SRs that were cited 8. Number and type of studies cited

REC Research Ethic Committee