Start a review#
To start reviewing a dataset with ASReview LAB, you create a project containing a dataset with records to screen. The project will contain your dataset, settings, labeling decisions, and machine learning models.
To start a review project, you need to:
Go to the Reviews if you are not already there (http://localhost:5000/reviews)
Upload, select, or choose a dataset to screen.
Verify the dataset with the charts. Ensure that the dataset completeness is sufficient.
Add Dataset#
The first step in creating a project is to select a dataset. You can upload a dataset from your computer, select a dataset from Discovery, or use a dataset from a URL or DOI. When uploading a dataset from your computer, URL, or DOI, ensure that the dataset is in a supported format. See Prepare your data for extensive information about the supported formats and metadata.
Tip
You will benefit most from what active learning has to offer with High-quality data.
From File#
Drag and drop your file or select your file.
From URL (or DOI)#
Provide a URL or a DOI to a dataset. Many data repositories are supported via Datahugger. If the DOI points to multiple files, you can select the specific file you want to use (e.g., 10.17605/OSF.IO/WDZH5).
Click on Download to download and add the dataset to the project.
From Discovery#
Under Discovery, you can select existing datasets from the SYNERGY dataset or installed dataset extensions. The SYNERGY dataset is a collection of fully labeled datasets that can be used, but not exclusively, to benchmark the performance of active learning models.
More options#
Under the dataset card, you find Show options. Clicking on show options will open extra options for the review.

Change AI Model#
By default, ASReview LAB uses the ELAS ultra model. This is a fast and efficient model that is trained on the SYNERGY dataset. You can change the model to a different model by clicking on the dropdown button. You can select from the following models:
ELAS ultra
ELAS multilingual
ELAS heavy
Custom
Most users will benefit from the ELAS ultra model and don’t need to change the model. The ELAS multilingual model is useful for datasets that are multilingual or contain non-English records.
For more information about the models and the required ASReview Dory extension, see the lab/models page.
Prior Knowledge#
Prior knowledge refers to records in your dataset that you already know are relevant or irrelevant. Providing prior knowledge helps train the model during the initial and subsequent iterations of the active learning cycle. The model uses this information to generate an initial ranking of records in your dataset.
Note
If your dataset includes Partially labeled data, ASReview LAB will automatically use the labeled records as prior knowledge.
To add prior knowledge:
Click on Search to search your dataset by authors, keywords, titles, or a combination of these.
Enter your search terms and press Enter. Only the first 10 results will be displayed, so ensure your search terms are precise.
Review the record you were searching for and select the relevant or irrelevant label. You can also add tags to the record. Avoid labeling all items; select only those you intend to use as training data.
Close the search window or click on Return to return to the previous screen.
Providing accurate prior knowledge improves the model’s performance and can accelerate the review process.
Screen#
Once you have selected a dataset and optionally added tags, changed the model, or searched for prior knowledge, you can click on Screen to start the review. For more tips on how to screen records, see Screening.