Confronting new physics theories to LHC data with MADANALYSIS 5

We provide a comprehensive and pedagogical introduction to the MADANALYSIS 5 framework, with a particular focus on its usage for reinterpretation studies. To this end, we first review the main features of the normal mode of the program and how a detector simulation can be handled. We then detail, step-by-step, how to implement and validate an existing LHC analysis in the MADANALYSIS 5 framework and how to use this reimplementation, possibly together with other recast codes available from the MADANALYSIS 5 Public Analysis Database, for reinterpreting ATLAS and CMS searches in the context of a new model. Each of these points is illustrated by concrete examples. Moreover, complete reference cards for the normal and expert modes of MADANALYSIS 5 are provided in two technical appendices.