Reviewer forms

From 1 November 2023 the option to ‘Invite Reviewers’ and begin the peer review process will be available on the Central Editorial Service EM site only. Please transfer any submissions needing peer review directly to Central Editorial Service. 

Internal and external review

In Editorial Manager there is no distinction between internal review (assessment by Cochrane staff/editors) and external review (assessment by external peer reviewers). The online reviewer forms within Editorial Manager are intended for use by both editors and peer reviewers. These forms are not editable and are intended to standardise internal and external review across all CRGs.

Internal editors could be group or Network Associate Editors.

You can choose to run the editorial process of internal and external review in EM three different ways:

  1. Sequential internal and external review: Invite internal reviewers ==> authors revise after internal review ==> invite external reviewers ==> authors revise after external review
  2. Sequential internal and external review, but one round of revision (e.g. could be used if no fatal errors picked up at internal review) ==> Invite internal reviewers ==> invite external reviewers ==> authors revise after internal and external review
  3. Concurrent internal and external review: Invite internal and external reviewers ==> authors revise after internal and external review

If you would like editors to provide comments on a submission without completing an online form, you can open a Discussion.

If you want to receive comments on an online form, you can Invite comments from editors or peer reviewers.

Reviewer forms

As the reviewer forms are intended for both internal and external review, they include different question types. The answers to some questions are intended to be visible to the editorial base only, and some to both editors and authors.

Each reviewer form also contains a free-text box for comments to authors. All forms include questions on potential conflicts of interest, and acknowledgement. 


Reviewer typeComments for editorial baseComments for authors
ClinicalSimple yes/no questions - no additional commentsFree-text box
MethodsComplex questions with additional commentsFree-text box
Information  Specialist
Yes/no questions, additional comments, free-text box

Consumer
StatisticalFree-text box


There are 20 different reviewer forms stored within Editorial Manager. The table below shows how the available forms map to review types and reviewer roles.

View a PDF of all available forms. This PDF is for information only. EM online forms are behind an account login, are stored securely and comply with GDPR. All reviewers must complete forms online.

Please note that the review forms are periodically updated on the live sites and therefore more recent versions of the forms may be available online. Please contact support@cochrane.org if you have any queries.

 

Protocol

Review

Update

Intervention review

Clinical content

3. Protocol: Intervention Review (Clinical)

10. Review: Intervention (Clinical)

17. Update: Intervention Review (Clinical)

Methodologist

5. Protocol: Intervention Review (Methodologist)

12. Review: Intervention (Methodologist)

12. Review: Intervention (Methodologist)

Statistical

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

Information specialist

2. Protocol: All review types (Information Specialist)

9. Review: All review types (Information Specialist)

16. Update: Information Specialist

Consumer

4. Protocol: Intervention Review (Consumer)

11. Review: Intervention (Consumer)

18. Update: Intervention Review (Consumer)

Diagnostic test accuracy review

Clinical content

6. Protocol: Non-Intervention (Clinical)

13. Review: Non-Intervention (Clinical)

19. Update: Non-Intervention Review (Clinical)

Methodologist

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

Statistical

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

Information specialist

2. Protocol: All review types (Information Specialist)

9. Review: All review types (Information Specialist)

16. Update: Information Specialist

Consumer

7. Protocol: Non-Intervention (Consumer)

14. Review: Non-Intervention (Consumer)

20. Update: Non-Intervention Review (Consumer)

DTA contact editor

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

Methodology review

Clinical content

6. Protocol: Non-Intervention (Clinical)

13. Review: Non-Intervention (Clinical)

19. Update: Non-Intervention Review (Clinical)

Methodologist

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

Statistical

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

Information specialist

2. Protocol: All review types (Information Specialist)

9. Review: All review types (Information Specialist)

16. Update: Information Specialist

Consumer

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

Overview of reviews

Clinical content

6. Protocol: Non-Intervention (Clinical)

13. Review: Non-Intervention (Clinical)

19. Update: Non-Intervention Review (Clinical)

Methodologist

8. Protocol: Overview (Methods)

15. Review: Overview (Methods)

15. Review: Overview (Methods)

Statistical

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

Information specialist

2. Protocol: All review types (Information Specialist)

9. Review: All review types (Information Specialist)

16. Update: Information Specialist

Consumer

7. Protocol: Non-Intervention (Consumer)

14. Review: Non-Intervention (Consumer)

20. Update: Non-Intervention Review (Consumer)

Prognosis review

Clinical content

6. Protocol: Non-Intervention (Clinical)

13. Review: Non-Intervention (Clinical)

19. Update: Non-Intervention Review (Clinical)

Methodologist

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

Statistical

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

Information specialist

2. Protocol: All review types (Information Specialist)

9. Review: All review types (Information Specialist)

16. Update: Information Specialist

Consumer

7. Protocol: Non-Intervention (Consumer)

14. Review: Non-Intervention (Consumer)

20. Update: Non-Intervention Review (Consumer)

Qualitative review

Clinical content

6. Protocol: Non-Intervention (Clinical)

13. Review: Non-Intervention (Clinical)

19. Update: Non-Intervention Review (Clinical)

Methodologist

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

Statistical

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

Information specialist

2. Protocol: All review types (Information Specialist)

9. Review: All review types (Information Specialist)

16. Update: Information Specialist

Consumer

7. Protocol: Non-Intervention (Consumer)

14. Review: Non-Intervention (Consumer)

20. Update: Non-Intervention Review (Consumer)

Rapid review

Clinical content

6. Protocol: Non-Intervention (Clinical)

13. Review: Non-Intervention (Clinical)

19. Update: Non-Intervention Review (Clinical)

Methodologist

5. Protocol: Intervention Review (Methodologist)

12. Review: Intervention (Methodologist)

12. Review: Intervention (Methodologist)

Statistical

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

1. Standard review form

Information specialist

2. Protocol: All review types (Information Specialist)

9. Review: All review types (Information Specialist)

16. Update: Information Specialist

Consumer

7. Protocol: Non-Intervention (Consumer)

14. Review: Non-Intervention (Consumer)

20. Update: Non-Intervention Review (Consumer)