Everything you need to know about Cochrane’s Editorial Service

Cochrane Central Editorial Service (CES) is the backbone of Cochrane’s independent editorial process, ensuring the quality and integrity of all protocols, reviews, and updates published in the Cochrane Library. This page provides a comprehensive overview of CES, the point at which the team enters the publication process, the tasks we manage and how we work with Cochrane groups and authors.

What is the Cochrane Editorial Service (CES)?

Cochrane Central Editorial Service (CES) is the editorial office of Cochrane’s Central Executive team. It ensures the quality and integrity of all protocols, reviews, and updates published on the Cochrane Library.

When does the CES team enter the process?

The CES team takes over full responsibility for a manuscript after it has been written and as soon as it is ready for peer review. At this stage, all protocols, reviews, and updates must be submitted to CES via Editorial Manager and any work in RevMan by authors and/or groups associated with them should pause while the editorial and peer review process is underway.

What tasks does the Central Editorial Service manage?

The CES team manages the entire editorial process for all protocols, reviews, and updates published on the Cochrane Library, including:

  • Initial screening of submissions for compliance

  • Quality Assurance

  • Peer Review

  • Sign-Off

  • Acceptance/Rejection

  • Appeals Process

  • Handover to Cochrane’s CET Production Team for copy editing and publication.

What support can Cochrane Groups offer?

We are keen to use the expertise and experience of our Cochrane group members. The valuable support Cochrane groups can provide to the editorial process includes:

  • Information Specialists Peer Review: We’re looking for people to join our Information Specialists peer review pool. Please drop jplatt@cochrane.org a line to find out more or to volunteer.

  • Sign-Off Editors: We're establishing a board of sign-off editors. If you or members of your teams have content and Cochrane editorial expertise, we need your help! Contact editorial-service@cochrane.org to find out more.

  • Clinical/Content and Consumer Peer Reviewers: We know you have established a network of experts within your field. Their expertise is invaluable. We strongly encourage anyone interested in peer reviewing to sign up on Cochrane Engage. If you are encouraging your colleagues to sign up, please do let them know that providing more information (particularly their areas of expertise) and making their profile public are the best ways to allow us to find them. Learn more about signing up on Cochrane Engage.

  • Supporting resubmission of rejected manuscripts: Authors associated with a Cochrane group may be offered an opportunity to resubmit rejected high-priority manuscripts if they are actively supported by the group during the revision process, and by ensuring the manuscripts pass initial quality assurance checks upon resubmission.

    Read more here about our ‘reject and resubmit’ process.

Does the CES directly support Cochrane Authors?

The CES team assumes responsibility for manuscripts only after they are completed and ready for peer review, thereby maintaining editorial independence. Throughout the editorial process, a Managing Editor will be the main contact for author queries, addressing relevant issues and redirecting others as appropriate.

Help us ensure a smooth editorial process: a step-by-step guide.

The Central Editorial Service receives hundreds of submissions every year.  To give your submission the best possible chance of being accepted – and to help ensure a smooth editorial process – please follow these steps:

  • Consider editorial and publication turnaround times when starting new content or agreeing deadlines with external funders. 

  • Submit a good quality review proposal addressing a priority question, including information on any funding or deadlines. 

  • Make sure the protocol, review or update meets our requirements for submission (explained in our Author guidelines) and is of the highest quality possible. 

  • Submit all required files and documentation (explained in our submission instructions) and ensure the author team complies with our Conflict of Interest policy.

  • Recommend suitable, non-conflicted Peer Reviewers and Sign-Off Editors (with their contact details), at submission.

  • Revise the review in response to all editorial and peer review feedback.  

  • Meet revision deadlines to avoid publication delays. 

And finally… a word about Cochrane’s current publication timelines:

Due to a high volume of submissions, current turnaround times are longer than usual and a little unpredictable. We’re working to shorten these timelines and establish reliable estimates soon but, for now, please use the following as a guide:

  • Protocol Submission to Publication: Approximately 6-8 months.

  • Review Submission to Publication: Approximately 8-12 months.

  • Initial Feedback from CES (after peer review): Approximately 3 months after submission

A note about Cochrane timelines: Cochrane has high standards of research integrity and a very rigorous peer review process - particularly methodological peer review. Please do not chase a first decision until at least 12 weeks following submission. Our meticulous quality checks mean that our editorial process may take longer than other journals. Authors may also be required to make more extensive corrections where methods do not meet our standards. Please be sure to complete a pre-submission checklist to ensure your submission meets our core research integrity and methods requirements.

Contact us.

If you have any questions or require further clarification on the work of the CES, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at editorial-service@cochrane.org