A scoping review protocol is a document that explicitly lays out the objectives and methods for the review in advance. The benefits of taking the time to establish a protocol include:
Scoping reviews are scientific research projects in themselves, and they require developing a protocol, or plan of action, just like any other scientific study.
Protocols are one of the defining characteristics of a systematic or scoping review, in comparison with other less rigorous evidence synthesis, such as a narrative review.
Protocols are developed a priori, or before the bulk of the reviewing begins. By stating your study intentions beforehand, this helps ensure that the review process is free from bias.
When writing your protocol, it can be helpful to look at templates or guides to help you think of what to include and consider.
PRISMA-P (link below) is a great standard to follow and can be adapted for scoping reviews.
A few different groups have also created templates for scoping review protocols that you can look to for ideas and inspiration.