Author resources

The Cochrane Handbook

First and foremost, if you are currently working on a Cochrane review of an intervention, it is imperative that you develop a close relationship with the latest edition of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.

It is MANDATORY to follow the guidance of the Cochrane Handbook in preparing your review.

• The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions
• You can download chapter-sized PDF files of the Handbook here.
• It is also available in a nice hardbound edition, which you may obtain at your favourite bookseller.
  
• It is even available from within the "Help" menu of the RevMan software.
  

RevMan 5

You will also need to download Cochrane's Review Manager (RevMan) software, version 5:

• RevMan 5
• USER GUIDE for RevMan 5 (it's also contained in the software's "Help" menu). Please consult this user guide in the first instance, if you are perplexed by something in RevMan
• TUTORIAL for RevMan  (also found in the software's "Help" menu)
• You can also access the entire Cochrane Handbook from within RevMan's "Help" menu.
• Be sure to try the Help menu, if you need help or aren't sure about how to do something!
  

Archie (Cochrane's online collaborative database / workspace)

• PowerPoint introduction to Archie and RevMan
  

GRADE

If you are going to perform analyses using the GRADE approach, you will need to have the GRADEpro software:

• GRADEpro
• Here are some resources for understanding and using the GRADE approach to rating the quality of evidence, and creating Summary of Findings tables.

Comprehensive HIV/AIDS database and trials registry searches, and other searches

Please note: Our Trials Search Coordinator will perform comprehensive searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL).

It will still be necessary for you to search any other relevant databases and resources that were specified in your protocol. In many cases, you may have access to these databases through your institution. If you and your co-authors do not have access to an important, relevant database, we may be able to search it for you (if we ourselves have access). In the first instance, though, please ascertain whether indeed you do have access.

Your Protocol should already have been through peer review BEFORE you submit this form. In other words, please do not use this form until you have submitted the “final” (and ready to publish) version of your protocol to the "Archie" system. Thanks!

• Click HERE to fill out and submit form for a database and trials registry search.

Conference abstracts:

• Click HERE to learn about what you must do in searching archives of HIV/AIDS conference abstracts

About formatting graphics and images

• For your PRISMA flow-charts and other such figures: The latest version of RevMan features a template for creating these.
  
• Otherwise (if you don't use the RevMan template): Please save them in .png format. Do not save them as .jpg, .jpeg, .gif, or other such formats. Using the other formats will result in your flow-chart or figure's appearance becoming "muddy" or blurred.
• For photographs, .jpg files are acceptable.
• In no event should your image file be more than 20 cm (8 inches) wide or 25 cm (10 inches) tall.