Reporting guidelines aren't bureaucracy. They're checklists that keep you from accidentally leaving out the details a reader needs to trust your results.
CONSORT: randomised trials
If you ran a randomised controlled trial, CONSORT sets out what to report about randomisation, allocation concealment, blinding, and participant flow.
STROBE: observational studies
Cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies fall under STROBE, which covers how to report study design, setting, participants, and potential sources of bias.
PRISMA: systematic reviews and meta-analyses
PRISMA governs how to report your search strategy, screening process, included studies, and synthesis, with a flow diagram that's now expected by most journals.
Use it while you write, not after
Pulling out the checklist after a draft is finished means restructuring. Keep it open while you write the methods and results sections instead.