There are a wide range of resources available to our authors who are undertaking a systematic review with our group and we strongly recommend that authors make full use of these. 

Please use the Cochrane software RevMan Web when writing your review; the software has an accompanying knowledge base to answer your questions.

Cochrane face-to-face training

Authors who are interested in face-to-face training on how to write a Cochrane Systematic Review and learn how to use RevMan Web should contact their relevant Cochrane Centres to enquire about local workshops and courses in review production. These events are limited following the Covid-19 pandemic, those which are available are listed here. Cochrane has developed a wide range of online resources, including recordings of webinars, to aid authors. These can be accessed here.

We have also put together list of essential online resources to help you with writing your review.

Cochrane-specific online resources

• Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions - the official guide to producing Cochrane Reviews of interventions
• A separate DTA Handbook is available for diagnostic test accuracy reviews and further help is available from the Cochrane Screening and Diagnostic Tests Methods Group (SDTM)
• MECIR - the Cochrane Editorial Unit have developed standards for the methodological expectations for Cochrane Protocols, Reviews, and updates of reviews on the effects of interventions.These provide authors and users of the Cochrane Library with clear and transparent expectations of review conduct and reporting
• RevMan Web page - documentation and support for software for preparing and maintaining Cochrane reviews
• GRADEpro - (GRADEprofiler) is the software used to create Summary of Findings (SoF) tables in Cochrane systematic reviews
• Cochrane Style Manual - compare your Cochrane Review against the official style guide

Cochrane CF resources

We have developed a number of guidelines to help our authors at various stages of the editorial process which can be accessed below.

• Data extraction form – a generic study selection and data extraction form which can be adapted to suit each individual review
• Guidelines for contacting original investigators – template letter for contacting trial investigators for additional information
• Guidelines for contacting pharmaceutical companies – template letter for contacting pharmaceutical companies for additional information
• General guidelines for the generic inverse variance method of analysis
• Using the generic inverse variance method with binary data -to help you decide if you should use this method of analysis for binary data
• Using the generic inverse variance method with continuous data – to help you decide if you should use this method of analysis for continuous data
• Using the generic inverse variance method for data from cross-over trials – to help you decide if you should use this method of analysis for data from cross-over trials
• Guidance for analysing count and rate data
• Submission checklist (protocols)
• Submission checklist (reviews)
• Submission checklist (updates)
• GRADE Wording for reporting results

General reporting guidelines

There are a number of non-Cochrane specific resources looking at reporting evidence, systematic reviews and evidence-based medicine and which may also be helpful.

• CONSORT - reporting of RCTs
• PRISMA (formerly QUOROM) [PDF document] - preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses
• STROBE - reporting of observational studies in epidemiology
• EQUATOR Network - collection of reporting guidelines
• NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination 
• Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine