Writing a Cochrane review is an important contribution to evidence-based healthcare. It is also a unique and rewarding experience.
We are the leader in systematic reviews of health evidence
Cochrane reviews are systematic reviews that analyse primary evidence about health and care. Our reviews are trusted because they are underpinned by rigorous methods and high standards of research integrity. We also develop the methods and research principles that make our evidence trustworthy, reducing bias and misinterpretation. All Cochrane reviews are published in the Cochrane Library.
Our work has impact on policies and patients
Cochrane reviews are trusted by individuals, researchers, health professionals, governments and public health bodies across the world. Cochrane reviews have informed the majority of new World Health Organization guidelines for the past five years, and many specialist medical associations use our evidence in their guidelines. Further, many governments enable their populations to access Cochrane reviews for free through national provision arrangements. This means that the evidence you produce through your Cochrane review could inform and improve health decisions that affect millions of people.
Anyone can write a Cochrane review
Anyone can submit a proposal to write a Cochrane review, including YOU! Cochrane is a global research community and our authors come from all over the world. Our author teams include clinicians, methodologists, statisticians, researchers and members of the public with lived experience of health and care issues. We encourage author teams to be diverse, inclusive, and representative of the population considered in the review. All our authors must share our principles of the highest research integrity. We have rigorous author policies to ensure that our evidence is independent and unbiased.
People-powered research
Publishing a Cochrane review is a team effort. When you write a Cochrane review, you have access to thousands of people around the world willing to help. Our many Cochrane Groups specialise in different aspects of research. They bring vast expertise and local knowledge, to help ensure your work is relevant and applicable to different contexts. Cochrane also has a thriving international hub of dedicated volunteers. Thousands of clinicians, medical students, early career researchers, patients and members of the public donate their skills and time, helping authors to complete research tasks.
Comprehensive support
We offer support every step of the way, to help you produce the best evidence to inform healthcare decisions and policies. Our Cochrane Groups may offer support with developing your review, running searches and disseminating your evidence. We run monthly clinics in research methods and our monthly author digest features new resources and top tips. You can also reach out to us at any time during the process of writing a review.
Free training and resources
As a Cochrane author, you have access to extensive free, high-quality resources to support you throughout the process of writing a review. We offer webinars, bite-sized courses and in-depth learning modules, so that you can choose the type of support that suits you best. We provide you with a range of free software and training, as well as free, detailed handbooks and manuals that take you through every step of writing a review. We offer additional free resources to authors based in certain low- and middle-income countries, including full access to the Cochrane Library.
Free Open Access publication and dissemination support
We want everyone to benefit from Cochrane evidence. We offer free publication of your protocol through Gold Open Access and free publication of your review through Green Open Access at no charge. If your funder or institution recommends Gold Open Access for your review, you may receive a discount or waiver if you are a first author based in a Research4Life Group A or B country. After publication, we increase the impact of your review by translating the abstract and plain language summary into up to 20 languages. We also help you disseminate your review findings and increase the chance of your evidence being used by guideline developers and clinicians.
Cochrane Membership and free Cochrane Library subscription
When you publish a review with Cochrane, you receive Cochrane Membership. This brings professional recognition of your contribution to evidence-based medicine, the opportunity to have a say in the running of Cochrane, and cost savings for training and software. The Corresponding Author of each published review also receives free access to the Cochrane Library for three years: a high-quality collection of evidence on a wide range of health topics.
Get started!
We look forward to welcoming you to our community of authors. Get started on your author journey today.
