## [Process Diagram]: Systematic Literature Review Screening Funnel
### Overview
This image is a flowchart illustrating the multi-stage screening process for a systematic literature review. It details the initial search across four academic databases, followed by a four-phase filtering funnel (Identification, Screening, Eligibility, Inclusion) that progressively reduces the number of candidate papers based on specific inclusion (IC) and exclusion (EC) criteria. The final output is a set of 64 included studies.
### Components/Axes
The diagram is organized into three main sections:
1. **Top Row (Database Search):** Four rounded rectangles represent the initial data sources, each with a logo, name, and the number of retrieved records.
2. **Left Column (Screening Funnel):** A vertical flowchart showing the four phases of the review process. Each phase is labeled (i, ii, iii, iv), has a title (e.g., IDENTIFICATION), describes the action taken (e.g., "Run EC1, EC2, EC3"), and shows the resulting number of papers in an oval.
3. **Right Column (Criteria Legend):** A vertical list of criteria, each in a colored oval connected to a dashed circle label (IC1-IC5, EC1-EC3). Green ovals denote Inclusion Criteria (IC), and pink ovals denote Exclusion Criteria (EC).
**Detailed Component Transcription:**
* **Database Search (Top Row, Left to Right):**
* **Initial Search:** "Initial Search with search keyword and IC1" (in a dark blue oval).
* **Clarivate Web of Science™:** Logo + "Clarivate Web of Science™", Number: **1235**. Connected to step **1**.
* **OpenReview.net:** Logo + "OpenReview.net", Number: **~1000**. Connected to step **2**.
* **arXiv:** Logo + "arXiv", Number: **9180**. Connected to step **3**.
* **Scopus:** Logo + "Scopus", Number: **3270**. Connected to step **4**.
* **Screening Funnel (Left Column, Top to Bottom):**
* **Phase i - IDENTIFICATION:** "Total Paper" -> Arrow to oval with number **14685**.
* **Phase ii - SCREENING:** "Run EC1, EC2, EC3" -> Arrow to oval with number **2932**.
* **Phase iii - ELIGIBILITY:** "Run IC2, IC3, IC4" -> Arrow to oval with number **182**.
* **Phase iv - INCLUSION:** "Run IC5" -> Arrow to oval with number **64**.
* **Criteria Legend (Right Column, Top to Bottom):**
* **IC1 (Green):** "BETWEEN YEAR JANUARY 1, 2021 AND SEPTEMBER 15, 2025" / "MUST BE IN SCOPUS, WEB OF SCIENCE, OPENREVIEW, ARXIV"
* **IC2 (Green):** "PUBLISHED IN A*/A/B/NOTABLE CONFERENCES AND Q1/Q2 JOURNALS"
* **IC3 (Green):** "PREPRINT ALTHOUGH PUBLISHED BY HIGH RANKED UNIVERSITIES RESEARCHERS FROM REPUTABLE LABS AND/OR DOMAIN EXPERTS"
* **IC4 (Green):** "SCANNING FULL TEXTS"
* **IC5 (Green):** "STUDIES MUST ADDRESS FACT-CHECKING, MISINFORMATION DETECTION, OR HALLUCINATION MITIGATION IN LLMS"
* **EC1 (Pink):** "DUPLICATE ITEMS"
* **EC2 (Pink):** "STUDIES PUBLISH IN OTHER LANGUAGE THAN ENGLISH"
* **EC3 (Pink):** "SCAN IRRELEVANT TITLES AND ABSTRACTS"
### Detailed Analysis
The process begins with an initial search using a keyword and Inclusion Criterion 1 (IC1), which defines the date range (Jan 1, 2021 - Sep 15, 2025) and the four source databases. This yields a combined total of **14,685** papers (1235 + ~1000 + 9180 + 3270).
The funnel then applies filters in sequence:
1. **Screening Phase:** Exclusion Criteria EC1 (duplicates), EC2 (non-English), and EC3 (irrelevant titles/abstracts) are applied. This reduces the pool from **14,685** to **2,932** papers, a reduction of ~80%.
2. **Eligibility Phase:** Inclusion Criteria IC2 (venue quality), IC3 (author/lab credibility), and IC4 (full-text scan) are applied. This further reduces the count from **2,932** to **182** papers, a reduction of ~94%.
3. **Inclusion Phase:** The final Inclusion Criterion IC5 (specific topic relevance to fact-checking/misinformation/hallucination in LLMs) is applied. This results in the final set of **64** included papers, a reduction of ~65% from the previous stage.
### Key Observations
* **Massive Initial Retrieval:** The arXiv database contributed the largest share of initial records (9180, ~62% of the total).
* **Steep Filtering Curve:** The most significant reduction occurs between the Screening and Eligibility phases (from 2932 to 182), indicating that venue quality, author credibility, and full-text relevance are highly selective filters.
* **Final Yield:** The process results in a final inclusion of **64** papers, representing approximately **0.44%** of the initial search results.
* **Criteria Specificity:** The inclusion criteria progress from broad (date/source) to highly specific (topic relevance to LLM hallucination mitigation). The exclusion criteria target common methodological issues (duplicates, language, irrelevance).
### Interpretation
This diagram transparently documents a rigorous, multi-stage systematic review methodology. The funnel visualization effectively communicates the selectivity of the process. The sharp declines in paper counts at each stage demonstrate the application of increasingly stringent quality and relevance filters.
The criteria reveal the study's precise focus: recent (2021-2025), high-impact research (A*/A/B conferences, Q1/Q2 journals) from reputable sources, specifically addressing the critical issue of factual reliability in Large Language Models (fact-checking, misinformation, hallucination mitigation). The final set of 64 papers likely represents the core, high-quality literature on this specific topic within the defined timeframe. The process is designed to be reproducible, with each filtering step explicitly linked to defined criteria (IC/EC).
