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Content Review Process

Original Editor - Rachael Lowe

Top Contributors - Admin, Kim Jackson, Rachael Lowe, Katherine Knight, Vidya Acharya, Franca Ebomah, Tony Lowe, Lucy Aird, Ewa Jaraczewska and Alexandra Stead

Introduction

The content review process is the systematic approach through which Physiopedia maintains the quality, accuracy, and currency of its educational resources. This process combines cutting-edge AI technology with expert human judgment to ensure that every page meets our professional standards. Whether you're a new contributor or an experienced editor, this guide provides the complete workflow for reviewing and improving content on Physiopedia.

The review process is designed to be thorough yet efficient, leveraging the strengths of both automated tools and clinical expertise. By following this structured approach, reviewers help maintain Physiopedia as a trusted resource for rehabilitation professionals worldwide.

Overview of the Review Process

The Five-Stage Review Framework

Content review at Physiopedia follows a comprehensive five-stage framework that ensures thorough evaluation of all aspects of page quality. Each stage builds upon the previous one, creating a systematic approach to content improvement:

  1. AI-Assisted Initial Review - Automated analysis identifies areas for improvement
  2. Expert Content Review - Human expertise evaluates clinical accuracy and completeness
  3. Literature Verification - Systematic search ensures evidence is current and comprehensive
  4. Formatting and Presentation - Structure and readability optimisation
  5. Media and Link Enhancement - Visual content and connectivity improvement

This framework ensures that no aspect of quality is overlooked while maintaining efficiency in the review process.

Who Can Review Content

Physiopedia welcomes contributions from qualified physiotherapists and rehabilitation professionals who have expertise in specific areas and share our commitment to evidence-based practice. All editors have to first complete our Physiopedia Editor Onboarding Training Programme. There are the primary pathways for participating in content review:

Content Editors form the backbone of our editorial team. These are qualified physiotherapists and rehabilitation professionals who have sufficient skills/ knowledge to support us with regularly reviewing, updating, and creating high-quality content within their areas of expertise. Content editors work independently on chosen pages while participating in team initiatives and monthly topic focuses. They receive ongoing support and have access to all editorial resources and training materials. You can choose pages within your specialist area of expertise, work on the monthly focus of the Month, browse the Articles list or select from Wanted Pages, Short Pages, or pages with Fewest Revisions.

Lead Reviewers are experienced editors who have demonstrated exceptional commitment, knowledge and quality in their work. They mentor new editors, perform quality checks on submitted reviews, contribute to policy development, and help coordinate topic-specific initiatives. They may mentor new editors, perform higher level quality checks on submitted reviews, and help coordinate topic-specific initiatives. Lead reviewers often specialise in particular content areas while maintaining broader editorial responsibilities.

Subject Matter Experts bring highly specialised knowledge to specific clinical areas. These team members are recognised authorities in particular fields such as orthopaedics, neurology, paediatrics, or specialised treatment techniques. They provide expert review for complex topics, guide content development in their specialty areas, and serve as consultants when questions arise about specialised content.

Interested in being part of the Physiopedia community? Read more on how you can join the Editorial Team

Step-by-Step Review Process

Step 1: AI-Assisted Initial Review

Modern content review begins with leveraging artificial intelligence to perform a comprehensive initial assessment. This innovative approach helps reviewers quickly identify areas that need attention while ensuring consistency across all reviews.

Our specially designed AI prompts analyse pages for:

  • Content completeness and structure
  • Evidence currency and citation quality
  • Readability and formatting issues
  • Missing essential components
  • Potential areas for expansion

We provide AI Review Tools to begin your initial assessment. The AI tool will generate a detailed report highlighting specific areas for improvement, which serves as your roadmap for the human review process.

Important Note: While AI provides valuable insights, it cannot replace clinical judgment. Always verify AI suggestions against your professional knowledge and current evidence.

Step 2: Expert Content Review

The heart of our review process lies in the application of professional expertise. As you review the content, your clinical knowledge and experience ensure that information is not only accurate but also practically applicable.

During your expert review, systematically evaluate the content by considering:

  • Accuracy: Is all information clinically correct and aligned with current best practice?
  • Completeness: Does the page comprehensively cover the topic as indicated by its title?
  • Structure: Is information organised logically to support learning and quick reference?
  • Clinical Utility: Will practitioners find actionable information for patient care?
  • Global Perspective: Does content reflect international best practices, not just regional approaches?

Alongside the AI review report, you can utilise our quality checklist for wider considerations to page edits. Your expertise may identify additional areas for improvement that automated analysis cannot detect. See our tutorials for help with specific editing tasks.

During your review, remain alert for potential copyright violations. If you suspect content has been copied from another source:

  1. Copy a distinctive sentence or paragraph
  2. Search for it using Google or another search engine
  3. If found elsewhere, flag the content for revision or removal
  4. Report major violations to the Content Manager

See our Terms and Conditions (Section 9) or Basic Understanding of Copyright for copyright guidelines.

Step 3: Literature Search and Evidence Update

Evidence-based practice requires that our content reflects the most current research. The literature search phase ensures that recent developments in the field are incorporated into every page.

A systematic approach to literature searching maximises efficiency while ensuring thoroughness:

  1. Start with High-Level Evidence: Search for systematic reviews and meta-analyses from the last 5 years
  2. Check Clinical Guidelines: Review recent guidelines from major professional organisations
  3. Identify Key Studies: Look for landmark RCTs or cohort studies that may have changed practice
  4. Verify Existing References: Ensure cited sources are still considered current best evidence

Search Strategy Tips:

  • Use MeSH terms and Boolean operators for comprehensive searches
  • Focus on publications from the last 5 years unless reviewing historical information
  • Prioritise open-access sources when possible for reader accessibility

See our guide on How to Perform a Quick Literature Search for detailed instructions.

When adding new research findings:

  • Summarise key points rather than copying abstracts
  • Integrate new information with existing content
  • Update or remove outdated information
  • Ensure all new content is properly referenced using our Referencing Guide

Step 4: Page Layout and Presentation Review

Well-organised content enhances learning and clinical application. This stage focuses on optimising how information is presented to maximise user benefit.

Structural Assessment - Review the page organisation against our standard layout while allowing for topic-specific variations:

  • Clear, informative introduction without heading
  • Logical progression of sections
  • Appropriate use of headings and subheadings
  • Balance between text and visual elements

Readability Optimisation - Web-based content requires different presentation than traditional text:

  • Short paragraphs (3-5 sentences maximum)
  • Clear, concise sentences
  • Bullet points for lists
  • Bold text for key terms (used sparingly)
  • Adequate white space between sections

Technical Checks - Use automated tools to ensure technical quality:

See our Quality Standards for complete formatting guidelines.

Step 5: Media and Link Enhancement

Visual content and internal connections significantly enhance the educational value of Physiopedia pages. This final review stage ensures optimal use of multimedia and linking.

Image Review and Addition: Evaluate existing images and identify opportunities for visual enhancement:

  • Verify copyright compliance for all images
  • Ensure clinical accuracy of visual content
  • Add relevant anatomical illustrations or clinical photographs
  • Include diagrams for complex concepts

Find copyright-free images at Wikimedia Commons. See our Adding Images Tutorial for technical instructions.

Video Integration: Videos can demonstrate techniques and concepts that text alone cannot convey:

  • Search YouTube and Vimeo for relevant educational content
  • Verify accuracy and professionalism of video content
  • Ensure videos add substantive educational value
  • Include brief text descriptions for accessibility

See our Adding Videos Tutorial for embedding instructions.

Internal Linking: Create a rich network of connections within Physiopedia:

  • Link key terms to relevant Physiopedia pages on first mention
  • Ensure all links point to existing pages
  • Create "See Also" sections for related topics
  • Avoid over-linking that disrupts reading flow

Use our Tutorial on Making Links for technical guidance.

Submission and Approval Process

Submitting Your Review

Once you've completed all five stages of review, the submission process ensures your work is verified and integrated into Physiopedia. This quality control step maintains consistency across all content.

Pre-Submission Checklist:

  1. All five review stages completed
  2. Major changes summarised in edit summary
  3. No copyright violations present
  4. References properly formatted
  5. Page preview checked for formatting issues

Submission Process:

  1. Save all changes with descriptive edit summaries
  2. Share your submission in the team Slack
  3. Complete the submission with:
  * Page title
  * Page link
  * Summary of major changes
  * Any concerns or questions

Review Timeline and Expectations

Understanding the timeline helps set appropriate expectations for both reviewers and the editorial team:

Initial Review by Editorial Team:

  • Submitted pages are reviewed within 2 weeks
  • Priority given to high-traffic and clinically critical pages
  • Complex reviews may require additional time

Feedback and Revision Process:

  • Feedback provided in team Slack
  • Minor issues: Direct correction by editorial team
  • Major concerns: Returned to reviewer with specific guidance
  • Revision deadline: 2 weeks from feedback receipt

Approval and Recognition:

  • Page marked as reviewed with date stamp
  • Reviewer credited on page
  • Contribution logged for recognition program

AI Integration Best Practices

Leveraging AI Effectively

Artificial intelligence enhances but never replaces human judgment in content review. Understanding how to effectively use AI tools maximises efficiency while maintaining quality:

AI Strengths:

  • Identifying structural gaps and formatting inconsistencies
  • Detecting outdated language or terminology
  • Suggesting readability improvements
  • Flagging missing standard components

Human Expertise Required:

  • Verifying clinical accuracy
  • Assessing practical applicability
  • Ensuring cultural sensitivity
  • Making nuanced editorial decisions

Best Practice Workflow:

  1. Run AI analysis first for efficiency
  2. Use AI report as initial checklist
  3. Apply clinical judgment to all suggestions
  4. Go beyond AI recommendations based on expertise

Resources and Support

Essential Resources for Reviewers

These resources support efficient, high-quality content review:

Technical Guides:

Content Standards:

Review Tools:

  • AI Review Prompts - Automated analysis tools
  • Review Checklists - Stage-by-stage guides
  • Literature Search Tools - Database access

Getting Help

Support is available throughout the review process:

For Content Questions:

Continuous Improvement

Staying Current as a Reviewer

Healthcare knowledge evolves rapidly, requiring reviewers to maintain their expertise through continuous learning and development.

Professional Development: Maintaining clinical currency is essential for effective content review. This includes staying updated with literature in your specialty areas, participating in editorial training sessions, attending professional conferences, and maintaining engagement with clinical practice. The combination of academic knowledge and practical experience ensures reviews reflect both evidence and real-world application.

Physiopedia-Specific Growth: Beyond general professional development, Physiopedia offers specific opportunities to enhance your editorial skills. These include advanced editing workshops that explore complex formatting and content structuring, AI tool training updates to maximise efficiency with new technologies, quality improvement initiatives where you can contribute to platform-wide enhancements, and opportunities to mentor new reviewers. Join the content editorial team to access these development opportunities.

Contributing to Process Improvement

The review process itself continues to evolve based on reviewer feedback and technological advances. Your experience as a reviewer provides valuable insights that help shape the future of content quality assurance at Physiopedia.

Share Your Experience: We actively encourage reviewers to contribute their insights and suggestions for improving our processes. This includes sharing process improvement suggestions based on your review experiences, requesting enhancements to existing tools that could improve efficiency, proposing workflow optimisations that could benefit all reviewers, and sharing success stories that can inspire and educate other team members. Your practical experience is invaluable in identifying what works well and what could be improved.

Innovation Opportunities: Physiopedia embraces innovation in content review, and reviewers play a crucial role in testing and developing new approaches. You can participate by piloting new review methodologies that may improve quality or efficiency, testing emerging AI tools to evaluate their potential benefits, developing specialty-specific guidelines that address unique needs in your field of expertise, and creating educational resources that help other reviewers improve their skills. These innovation opportunities allow you to shape the future of how rehabilitation knowledge is curated and shared globally.

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