You will need to publish a protocol in the Cochrane Library before you begin your full review. Your protocol is a public record of your planned approach and research methods.
If your proposal for a new review is accepted, we will invite you to submit a draft protocol. We will give you access to RevMan, our review-writing software, to prepare your draft. Follow the steps below to prepare your draft protocol. For each step, we provide guidance, mandatory standards information, and links to supporting resources and learning.
Before you start
Do you have a conflict of interest?
Cochrane's reputation rests on our independence and research integrity. Our editorial policies are rigorous, particularly our Conflict of Interest policy. If your author team has financial or commercial conflicts, your manuscript may be rejected.
Are you writing a non-intervention review?
The steps on this page are relevant to all reviews. Where the guidance links are specific to intervention reviews, use these resources instead:
- Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Diagnostic Test Accuracy
- Cochrane-Campbell Handbook for Qualitative Evidence Synthesis
- Prognosis reviews:
- Methodology reviews: guidance on preparing Cochrane Methodology Reviews
1. Formulate your review question(s) and objective(s)
Define the scope of your review and the questions you want to answer.
Guidance, conduct standards and learning resources
Guidance
Mandatory conduct standards
Online learning
- Cochrane Interactive Learning
- Webinars
- Micro-module: What makes a good review question? (video, 5 mins)
- Methods Support Unit web clinics
Guidance, conduct standards and learning resources
Guidance
Mandatory conduct standards
- Methodological Expectations of Cochrane Intervention Reviews (MECIR)
Online resource
Online learning
- Cochrane Interactive Learning: Module 2: Writing the review protocol
- Webinar: How to overcome the challenges of reviewing adverse effects - Part 3: Constructing a PICO and deciding on eligible study designs
- Micro-module: What makes a good review question? (video, 5 mins)
- Methods Support Unit web clinic: Considering scope at the review planning stage
3. Plan your methods
How do you plan to conduct your review? Your methods are the most important part of your protocol. Take your time and contact our Methods Support Unit if you have questions.
Plan and develop search strategies
Your protocol must include at least one search strategy (Medline). Add to the Search strategy section in RevMan: all search strategies for each database (and other sources, if applicable) with search strings, database names, access platforms, search fields and other limitations/settings. This will become the ‘Search strategies’ supplementary material in your submitted and published protocol.
Guidance
Online resource
Online learning
Plan study selection
Plan synthesis of results
Guidance
- Cochrane Handbook
Mandatory conduct standards
- Methodological Expectations of Cochrane Intervention Reviews (MECIR): Planning the review methods at protocol stage (C19-C23)
Online resources
- RevMan Knowledge Base: Plan: define analyses and risk of bias
- Cochrane Methodology collection: Network meta-analysis (NMA)
Online learning
- Cochrane Interactive Learning
Plan data extraction
Guidance
Mandatory conduct standards
- Methodological Expectations of Cochrane Intervention Reviews (MECIR): Collecting data from included studies (C43-C51)
Online resources
Online learning
Plan assessment of methodological limitations
Guidance
- Cochrane Handbook
Mandatory conduct standards
- Methodological Expectations of Cochrane Intervention Reviews (MECIR): Assessing risk of bias in included studies (C52-C60)
Online resources
- RevMan Knowledge Base: Plan: define analyses and risk of bias
- Cochrane Methods Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2) tool
- Risk of bias group: Risk of bias tools
Online learning
- Cochrane Interactive Learning Module 5: Introduction to risk of bias
- Webinar: How to overcome the challenges of reviewing adverse effects - Part 5: Risk of bias assessment, selective non-reporting and bias in the review process
- Methods Support Unit web clinic, Risk of Bias 2: Good practice and common errors
Plan presentation of summary of findings
Plan certainty/strength assessment
4. Write your protocol
Write the background section and check your methods are clearly explained.
Protocols should be concise and follow the Cochrane review template, available as a practice review in RevMan. Read the template even if you are writing a non-intervention review - information in many sections is relevant to all review types. You can also check the PRISMA website for any extension that might be relevant for your review.
Readers of the Cochrane Library include patients, carers, policy-makers and funders from all over the world. Make sure you write in language that is accessible for readers who are not medical experts or who do not speak English as a first language. Please refer to our Style Essentials for information on how to use Cochrane style in your writing.
- Use short sentences.
- Use everyday words to explain technical language.
- Explain abbreviations and acronyms.
If English is not your first language, our AI policy allows you to use AI language tools (such as Grammarly) to improve your writing. If you use any AI tools, always check the final text before you submit. Your Cochrane review does not need to be in perfect English: it should be understandable and clear.
Guidance and learning resources
Guidance
- Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)
- Style Essentials: Key points from the Cochrane Style Manual for authors of Cochrane protocols and reviews.
Online learning
- Webinar: Writing a review protocol – good practice and common errors
- Methods Support Unit web clinic: How to approach writing a Background section
Great work – your protocol is complete!
