|
Welcome to the November Core Staff digest. We start this Digest with an important update regarding changes in authorship. Please do read through and direct any questions to Support. Other updates include information on the focused review format, the rejection policy for authors, insights from the Governing Board, and an interview with Cochrane’s Evidence Synthesis Development Editors. We hope you find it helpful.
|
|
|
|
|
Contents - Management of changes in authorship
- Which author teams should switch to the focused review format in RevMan?
- Release of version 6.4 of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and updated MECIR August 2023
- Rejection policy: revisions to clarify expectations for authors
- Governing Board insights from interim Chair and former co-Chair
- An Interview with Leslie Choi and Lindsay Robertson, Cochrane’s Evidence Synthesis Development Editors
- Unlocking opportunities for global collaboration - Cochrane International Mobility program
- Evidence Synthesis Units
- Next in the Cochrane Rapid Reviews & Learning Live webinar series
- Cochrane Engage
- Accepted proposals for new reviews and updates
- Wellbeing
|
|
|
|
|
1. Management of changes in authorship
|
|
Authors have complete autonomy to change the author byline. Cochrane adheres to the Committee for Publication Ethics (COPE) guidance, which states that all authors should confirm they agree with byline changes in writing. Cochrane authors already need to complete a signed Changes of Authorship form when they add, remove, or re-order authors on their byline after submission. We are now asking authors to complete a Changes of Authorship form when they add, remove, or re-order authors on their byline in RevMan before submission. This form needs to be completed for reviews or updates, whose authorship has changed since the previous published protocol or review version, respectively. The Changes of Authorship form is available to download from within our Authorship policy. Authors will need to complete the form and collect signatures from previous and current authors to show they have agreed to this change. Authors should submit the completed form for editorial assessment with their next submission. Any requests to change bylines after submission should go to the Managing Editor. Requests to change bylines before submission, can go to Cochrane groups or to Cochrane Support. If authors are proposing to supersede a published review with a new protocol, with byline changes, they will also need to contact the authors of the latest published version to invite them to join their team; or to seek agreement to a new team updating their review topic with a new protocol. They will need to attach a copy of this correspondence when submitting their update proposal. This also applies to pre-approved proposals submitted by groups, where a published review will be superseded by a new protocol, and the byline has changed. Further information for group staff is available in the EPPR. Please contact support@cochrane.org if you have queries about specific reviews. Please note that it is the authors’ responsibility to download and submit the Changes in Authorship form with their submission, and/or to contact previous authors before completing their update proposal form. If author teams you are working with have questions about this, please direct them to support@cochrane.org.
|
|
2. Which author teams should switch to the focused review format in RevMan?
|
|
If you are supporting authors with a submission deadline in 2024, now is the time to enable our focused review format. All new submissions (first drafts) submitted to Cochrane Central Editorial Service from 1 April 2024 must use the focused review format. Please note, no author who is completing the editorial process within a CRG should change the format of their review. Where authors have nearly completed their review and will be ready to submit their first draft to Central Editorial Service before 1 April 2024, you can evaluate the benefits of switching on a case-by-case basis. Please review the list of six things authors need to do when they switch. This includes creating figures, tables, checking linking and rewording some sections. We also recommend you and your authors watch a helpful YouTube tutorial demonstrating what you need to do in RevMan after switching. As there is extra work for authors, those planning to submit a first draft before 1 April 2024 may wish to keep the old format. However, if authors do switch, there will be benefits in editorial and production stages, which would be streamlined and quicker. - Authors and readers can focus on a concise article presenting the review's main findings
- Data and information that enhance the main findings are available in a package of supplementary materials
- Cochrane Reviews are shorter, quicker to write and edit, and easier to read, understand and share
- We have step-by-step guidance on writing concise Cochrane Reviews in the focused review format
- Direct authors to the Cochrane Review template - authors should open the template as a practice review in RevMan
- If you are checking authors' drafts before submission to Central Editorial Service, check each section in the review follows the template
- Submissions which follow the template guidance are less likely to need major revisions, and will move more quickly through editorial and production
If you or any authors have questions about the focused review format or template, please contact support@cochrane.org.
|
|
3. Release of version 6.4 of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and updated MECIR August 2023
|
|
4. Rejection policy: revisions to clarify expectations for authors
|
|
Cochrane's rejection policy has been revised to clarify some of the criteria for rejections, when rejections may occur (as early as possible), reflect the changing structure of Cochrane's groups, and clarify what rights are retained by authors and by Cochrane in rejected manuscripts. Revisions include adding 'topic' as a decision to reject a Cochrane Review or protocol to highlight that a rejection decision may be made based on editorial judgement of overlap with other Cochrane Reviews or suitable scope of the research question. ‘Competence’ as a reason to reject was removed as it was seen to be too subjective.
|
|
|
|
|
5. Governing Board insights from interim Chair and former co-Chair
|
|
Two new videos from Jordi Pardo Pardo and Catherine Marshall help to explain the role of the Governing Board in Cochrane’s governance. Jordi is the current interim Chair of the Governing Board, while Catherine Marshall is a former co-Chair. The two cover a series of questions which provide insights into the Board’s functions, how they address challenges and their plans to build stronger connections with the community. Jordi Pardo Pardo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um97F6GgkOM Catherine Marshall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yi41NS_T0J8
|
|
6. An Interview with Leslie Choi and Lindsay Robertson, Cochrane’s Evidence Synthesis Development Editors
|
|
Leslie Choi and Lindsay Robertson are Evidence Synthesis Development Editors. They work within Cochrane’s Evidence and Production Methods Directorate to support authors with reviews before they are submitted. Find out more about their roles and the important work that they do via this link.
|
|
7. Unlocking opportunities for global collaboration - Cochrane International Mobility program
|
|
The Cochrane International Mobility (CIM) program offers networking opportunities for those eager to learn from their peers across the world. It's an open invitation to join the Cochrane Community, a global network of experts dedicated to advancing healthcare through evidence-based practices. Find out more here.
|
|
8. Evidence Synthesis Units
|
|
A reminder that applications to set up one of a small number of Evidence Synthesis Units will close on Friday 15 December. Information about how to apply is available here.
|
|
9. Next in the Cochrane Rapid Reviews & Learning Live webinar series
|
|
Cochrane Engage is our health evidence volunteer platform. We've recently highlighted some reasons to join the platform and some testimonials - direct any potential volunteers here! It's also a great reminder that you can use this platform to ask for help. Tasks can be anything related to evidence-based health research and do not need to be Cochrane-specific. Although peer review and translation requests make up the majority of the tasks, we've also had great success finding help to create podcasts, edit newsletters, and find mentors.
|
|
11. Accepted proposals for new reviews and updates
|
|
View proposals accepted from 19 October to 18 November 2023. In this period 22 proposals were accepted. Author teams of 11 accepted proposals are being supported by a group and 11 author teams are working independently. This information will be updated monthly.
|
|
|
|
|
Cochrane Book Club The Cochrane Book Club meets on the last Wednesday of the month, meaning the next session is today. It is a no pressure, fun, friendly 30 minute chat to discover some great reading recommendations. Contact Muriah for more information and a calendar invite. You can also join the CET books Slack channel. 5 reasons why the early evenings could be good for your wellbeing It may not always feel like it, particularly for those with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), but there can be some benefits to early evenings. Happiful Magazine outlines 5 ways to make the shorter days a bit easier.
What's coming up at Cochrane? Check out the events page here. Cochrane's core staff are communicating on Slack - join us! Cochrane is using Slack, an online collaboration and chat platform, to encourage communication between members of our core community. Find out more here.
Have good wellbeing advice or mood boosting tips? Add them to the CET Wellbeing Slack channel or let us know.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|