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Also see the Editor notes on using authors using a group name and joint first authors, how to manage a change in author affiliation, and guidance on deceased authors.

Criteria for authorship (authors on the by-line)

When deciding who should appear in the by-line of a Cochrane Review, it is important to distinguish individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the review (and who should be listed) and those who have helped in other ways, which should be noted in the Acknowledgements section. 

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Authors may benefit from reading the report on how to handle authorship disputes prepared by the Committee on Publication Ethics before starting a Cochrane Review.

Editors or editorial staff as authors of Cochrane Reviews from their Cochrane Review Group

Cochrane editors and editorial staff can author Cochrane Reviews ("Cochrane Reviews" includes protocols, reviews, and updates) published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. This includes when the Cochrane Review is part of the editor's Cochrane Review Group's (CRG's) portfolio. In line with the ‘Best Practice Guidelines on Publishing Ethics: A Publisher's Perspective’ (second edition), the editor or editorial staff member who is an author of the Cochrane Review submitted for publication via their CRG must:

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Editorial teams should contact ME Support (mesupport@cochrane.org) with any queries or questions regarding the implementation of this policy.

Changes in authorship

Pre-publication change in authorship

Authors requesting a change in authorship (modify the order, remove, or add an author) must contact the Cochrane Review Group (CRG) Managing Editor. In line with the recommendations of COPE flowcharts, the CRG will require all authors to agree with the modification (usually by asking the authors to reply to an email explaining the change).

Post-publication change in authorship

Authors wishing to add or remove an author post-publication, and before the next citation version, must submit a request to the Managing Editor of the Cochrane Review Group. Managing Editors are recommended to use the COPE flowcharts for the following scenarios: 

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One of the outcomes of the COPE flowcharts is to publish a correction. For Cochrane Reviews, instead of publishing a correction, the Review should be republished as an amendment with a new citation.

Not currently covered (gaps)

• What happens if changes from Protocol to Review; or from first review version to update?