Write a Cochrane review

Support from start to finish

Writing a Cochrane review is a commitment to producing high-quality evidence that can influence healthcare decisions and policies. Unlike an academic journal, Cochrane offers support at every step of the process and the first decision comes at the beginning, not the end. As systematic reviews take a lot of work and we don’t want to waste your time, our processes help to determine whether a review is worth doing before you start working on it.

Step 1: proposal

The first step is submitting a proposal outlining who is going to write the review, what question it aims to answer and how you plan to conduct it. Our Editorial team have produced videos and guidance to help authors to prepare and submit a good proposal. Once submitted, we aim to assess and respond to each proposal within three months. It’s worth checking our conflict of interest policy when putting together a team, as we have strict rules on who can write Cochrane reviews. For example, anybody with a financial interest in the topic being reviewed cannot be an author.

Step 2: protocol

If your proposal is accepted, the next stage is writing the protocol. The protocol is the foundational blueprint for the review, documenting the review’s objectives, inclusion criteria, search strategies and methodology. Having a transparent predetermined plan helps to prevent bias, ensure methodological rigor and maintain the overall integrity of the review process. All Cochrane protocols undergo rigorous peer review, and you should only start work after your protocol is approved.

Step 3: the review

If your protocol is approved, it’s time to start working on the review. We provide detailed guidance on how to conduct a good review, with handbooks covering different types of review. Support is available throughout the process, and once you’re ready to submit the review will undergo editorial checks and peer review. If accepted, your review will go through final copyediting and proof reading before it is published. Congratulations, you are now the proud author of a Cochrane review!

Need Help?

At any stage of the process, all authors can get support from:
Our Support helpdesk
Our dedicated Methods Support Unit
Methods clinic webinars

Handbooks and manuals

The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions
The internationally acknowledged reference for anyone doing a systematic review.