yogsoth-ai Cumulative Tracking Strategy
Design a cumulative meta-analysis protocol tracking how evidence evolves over time as new studies are published.
Purpose
Cumulative meta-analysis adds studies one-by-one in chronological order, showing when the evidence became conclusive, whether early studies were misleading, and how the pooled estimate stabilized. This strategy produces the protocol for temporal evidence tracking.
Budget
| Resource | Floor | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Studies identified | 28 | 40 |
| Effect sizes extracted | 28 | 40 |
| Web searches | 20 | 30 |
| Temporal coverage (years) | 5 | 10+ |
| Quality assessments | 20 | 40 |
Budget gate: cannot exit until 80% of floor met.
State Ledger
<HARD-GATE>
| Metric | Current | Floor | Target | Status |
|--------|---------|-------|--------|--------|
| Studies found | 0 | 28 | 40 | BLOCKED |
| Effect sizes planned | 0 | 28 | 40 | BLOCKED |
| Web searches done | 0 | 20 | 30 | BLOCKED |
| Year range covered | 0 | 5 | 10+ | BLOCKED |
| Quality assessed | 0 | 20 | 40 | BLOCKED |
</HARD-GATE>
Available Tactics
| Tactic | When to Use |
|---|---|
| effect-size-extraction | Extract effect sizes with publication dates |
| quality-assessment-protocol | Assess quality evolution over time |
| evidence-synthesis-planning | Plan cumulative pooling approach |
Available SOPs
| SOP | When to Use |
|---|---|
| pico-formulation | Frame the temporal evidence question |
| inclusion-criteria-design | Define eligibility with temporal scope |
| effect-size-planning | Standardize effect sizes for temporal pooling |
| data-extraction-form | Template with mandatory date fields |
| risk-of-bias-assessment | Per-study assessment (track quality trends) |
| heterogeneity-source-analysis | Time-varying heterogeneity |
| sensitivity-analysis-design | First-study effect, vintage analysis |
| publication-bias-assessment | Time-lag bias assessment |
| meta-analysis-synthesis | Final cumulative protocol assembly |
Execution Guidance
- Frame — Run
pico-formulationwith temporal dimension explicit - Scope — Run
inclusion-criteria-designwith date range requirements - Search — Systematic search emphasizing complete temporal coverage
- Order — Sort studies chronologically by publication date
- Extract — Use
effect-size-extractiontactic with date metadata - Assess — Use
quality-assessment-protocolnoting temporal trends - Plan — Use
evidence-synthesis-planningfor cumulative model - Synthesize — Run
meta-analysis-synthesisfor final protocol
Ensure no temporal gaps. Flag periods with no publications.
Output Format
protocol:
question: [PICO with temporal dimension]
temporal_scope: [start_year - end_year]
inclusion_criteria: [eligibility with date requirements]
studies_included:
- [study, year, effect_size, cumulative_n]
chronological_order: [sorted study list]
effect_size_type: [consistent metric across time]
model: [random-effects with cumulative pooling]
temporal_analyses:
- cumulative_forest_plot
- first_study_effect_test
- evidence_stabilization_point
- vintage_regression
time_lag_bias: [assessment plan]
quality_trend: [RoB evolution over time]
reporting: PRISMA-2020 + temporal extension
Available Tactics
Optional, no fixed order; the final leaf is always a sop.
| Tactic | When to use |
|---|---|
| effect-size-extraction | Systematically extract effect sizes and conditions from papers for meta-analytic synthesis |
| evidence-synthesis-planning | Plan the statistical synthesis approach — model selection, heterogeneity strategy, and reporting |
| quality-assessment-protocol | Methodological quality and bias risk assessment of included studies using validated tools |
Available SOPs
Optional, no fixed order; the final leaf is always a sop.
| SOP | When to use |
|---|---|
| data-extraction-form | Design structured data extraction form for systematic meta-analysis data collection |
| effect-size-planning | Determine effect size types and calculation methods for meta-analytic synthesis |
| heterogeneity-source-analysis | Identify and classify sources of between-study heterogeneity (clinical, methodological, statistical) |
| inclusion-criteria-design | Define inclusion/exclusion criteria for systematic study selection in meta-analysis |
| meta-analysis-synthesis | Produce final meta-analysis protocol document assembling all planning outputs into PRISMA-compliant protocol |
| pico-formulation | Construct PICO/PECO framework for the meta-analysis research question |
| publication-bias-assessment | Plan funnel plots, Egger's test, trim-and-fill, p-curve, and selection model analyses for publication bias |
| risk-of-bias-assessment | Assess methodological bias using RoB2, PROBAST, or QUADAS-2 validated tools |
| sensitivity-analysis-design | Design leave-one-out, influence diagnostics, subgroup analyses, and robustness checks |