Interested in writing a Cochrane review but don’t know where to start? We have a wide range of resources for prospective authors
Writing a Cochrane review can seem daunting, especially for new authors. So, you’ll be glad to know that Cochrane offers a comprehensive suite of tools and resources that everyone can access at no cost.
Comprehensive support for prospective authors
If you are getting ready to propose a Cochrane review, you can access a wealth of Cochrane guidance. Doing some background reading can really help you understand Cochrane methods and improve your review proposal. To make it easy for new authors to find what they need, we have brought together key information on a new page: How can I become a Cochrane author?
Cochrane is proud to support a global research community, and we welcome authors from all over the world. Our brilliant volunteer translation teams have ensured that this introduction to Cochrane is available in over fifteen languages.
Our top 3 picks for anyone thinking about writing a Cochrane review
Why do a systematic review?
Essential reading to understand the scope and requirements of a Cochrane review.Ten-minute micro-learning module on defining a review question and submitting a proposal
Quick and effective learning to kickstart your review process.Ten-minute micro-learning module on forming a great author team
Tips and strategies to build a collaborative and effective author team.
Additional access to resources
If you submit a review proposal and it is accepted, your status as a Cochrane author unlocks many more tools and resources. You will automatically get free access to our review development software, Cochrane Revman, which supports data analysis using Cochrane statistical methods. You also get use of our partner services Covidence to screen study records for inclusion, and to extract data for import into RevMan; and GRADEpro GDT to grade your evidence and create Summary of findings tables. Alongside, this, all new authors automatically receive a free subscription to our extensive suite of author training resources.
Ursula Gonthier, Project Lead for Cochrane’s Prospective Author Journey project, explains: "We have so much useful information available for authors, but it can be difficult to know where to start. We hope this new page will be a useful starting point for anyone thinking about writing a Cochrane review.
“Our vision is to make Cochrane author resources easy to FIND and easy to FOLLOW. We hope this new page will be a useful starting point for anyone thinking about writing a Cochrane Review.”
“ I know many prospective authors are enthusiastic about writing a Cochrane Review but aren’t sure how to connect with others to form a team. You can now search for co-authors on our volunteer hub Cochrane Engage and also showcase your own skills for others to find you.
“In Cochrane, we meet our authors at proposal stage and then support them as they work on their drafts. This makes us quite unique in the publishing landscape where it’s unusual to connect with authors before submission. We are always keen to hear feedback from authors. The negative feedback is important as it challenges us to improve our author experience. The positive feedback is also great to hear of course. It’s fantastic to know that our tools and software help our authors.”
Get in touch!
And please remember, Cochrane’s Support Team are always on hand to talk anything through or answer your questions. Please don’t hesitate to contact support@cochrane.org if you have any questions about proposing a new review or starting work with Cochrane.
