The objective of this study is to report on the experience of constructing and using an instrument to collect and analyze theoretical-methodological references of studies, in systematic literature reviews. The goal is for researchers to have available an instrument that is appropriate for evaluating the studies that present their theoretical foundations, and for health professionals to have access to the theoretical explanations for study results and their applications in the practice of health care. The dissociation of theory from practice may lead to a lack of motivation at the work site and practices of repeating procedures without any awareness of the underlying concepts that base the interpretation of a health-disease phenomenon. Therefore we call on researchers to conduct reviews on the theoretical foundations of certain health-disease phenomena and we propose questions related to the inclusion criteria, critical appreciation and data extraction to be addressed in instruments.