The peer review process, editorial stages before publication, and review promotion support.
Peer review
Our meticulous quality checks take time. We will not contact you before the first decision. Thank you for your patience.
Track your progress
The Corresponding author can track the status of your submission in Editorial Manager.
After submission
The status in Editorial Manager is 'Manuscript submitted'.
Submission checks
We will confirm your work complies with our Conflict of Interest policy for Cochrane Library content and Cochrane's methodological standards. The status in Editorial Manager is 'With Editor'.
Peer review
If editors consider your manuscript suitable for peer review, we may invite the following specialist reviewers to comment, depending on the type of article you have submitted:
- Methodologist (find out how our Quality Assurance Editors assess protocols and how Quality Assurance Editors assess reviews)
- Information Specialist (search methods)
- Clinical or content experts (generally two or three reviewers per submission)
- Patient, carer or family member (with lived experience of the condition or intervention on which the review is focused).
The status in Editorial Manager is 'Under Review'.
Editorial decision
You will receive peer review comments with an overall editorial decision of accept/major revision/minor revision/reject. This decision is made by a Senior Editor who is an expert in the topic area of your submission.
You will be able to see who has commented on your work. Cochrane uses an all identities visible peer review process, as well as a single anonymized process for patient, carer or family member reviewers if they request to remain anonymous to authors.
Revision
You may need to make extensive corrections if your methods do not meet our standards. The status in Editorial Manager is 'Revise'.
Final decision
Your submission may be rejected at any point if major concerns are identified, in line with Cochrane's rejection and appeals policy. We allow a maximum of one round of major and one round of minor revision. Manuscripts that do not meet the required standard after revisions will be rejected.
Submission and revision deadlines
| Action or decision | Protocol | Review | Update |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resubmit with minor revisions | 14 days | 21 days | 21 days |
| Resubmit with major revisions | 21 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Submit complete draft after proposal is accepted | 90 days | - | 180-365 days |
| Submit draft after protocol is published | - | 180-365 days | - |
Acceptance and publication
After a maximum of two rounds of revision following peer review, your Managing Editor will confirm if your article is ready to publish. A Senior Editor accepts manuscripts for publication.
Copyright and licensing
When your submission is accepted for publication, we will contact you to confirm the licence type. You will then receive an email with a link to your individual Licence for publication form.
- Instructions on completing your Licence for Publication form
- Copyright and licence for publication policy
- Preview all Licence for publication forms
If your contributions are owned by your employer, we may require additional documentation or signatures. View additional employer requirements.
Proofs
All Cochrane protocols, reviews and updates must be copy edited before publication. A Cochrane copy editor will copy edit your manuscript, excluding supplementary materials. You should receive comments and queries from the copy editor 4-6 weeks after your submission enters production. Follow our instructions for authors to review final proofs and make any requested corrections. Do not make additional corrections to the manuscript, and do not alter changes made by the copy editor.
Before publication, a copy editor will proofread your manuscript and you may receive final queries. You will be notified when your article is published on the Cochrane Library.
Once your protocol has been published, you can begin to conduct your review.
Go to How to conduct a Cochrane review or update
Review promotion
Are you working on a high-profile review that may attract press attention? Is your institution’s press office planning a press release to coincide with your publication? Contact our Press Office to coordinate press activity, including setting publication dates and generating embargoed manuscripts to share. We can help you share your Cochrane evidence and choose the right dissemination product. See our checklist for communicating your findings.
Publish with us again
Congratulations on your published review! We hope you would like to work with us again. Please propose your next review and help us build our high-quality evidence base.
