Version history

Use ‘What’s new’ events in Review Manager (RevMan) to describe the changes to the protocol or review since it was last published. What’s New events are used to help readers understand the type of change made to a new version of a Cochrane Review (or protocol for a Cochrane Review), such as an amendment, an update, and whether the conclusions have been changed or not. This is to ensure that the history of changes to a review remain with the review as new versions are published.

It is essential to select the appropriate option as set out in the following Tables, and to provide as much detail as possible to describe the nature of the change. The reasons for this are:

(lightbulb)Archie/RevMan guidance: While it is technically possible to enter several ‘What’s New’ events in an updated review, only information about the changes since the last published version should be in the ‘What’s New’ table. ‘What’s New’ events from previously published versions must be moved to the 'History' table in RevMan.

Also see: Digital object identifier (DOI) and website address (URL) of a Cochrane Review and Citation versions: DOIs and URLs.

‘What’s New’ events for Cochrane Reviews

Type of change 

Conclusions changed?

New citation version?

‘What’s new’ events to select in RevMan

  • Addition of new studies (e.g. the full inclusion of a study previously awaiting classification)
  • Removal of one or more studies previously included (e.g. when the studies have been retracted)
  • Any changes to the following sections (except minor typographical errors that do not impact the data or review findings or interpretation): scope of the review (e.g. new outcomes, comparisons, types of participants or developments in the intervention or its delivery); methodology; results (e.g. in effect estimates or confidence intervals), the certainty in the results (as expressed by GRADE ratings); conclusions; Summary of Findings tables; Abstract; and/or Plain Language Summary
  • Where review is changed in response to a Comment/Feedback (beyond minor typographical changes) 

Y

Y

(1) Updated* OR amended

AND

(2) New citation: conclusions changed

  • Minor typographical errors that do not impact the data or review findings or interpretation
  • One or more studies removed from ‘Studies awaiting classification’
  • New search performed, but studies not fully incorporated into the results of the review (i.e. added to ‘Studies awaiting classification’)**
  • Addition of a comment and/or a reply to the feedback section but with no other changes to the review (apart from minor typographical errors)

N

N

(1) Amended

  • Addition of new studies (e.g. the full inclusion of a study previously awaiting classification)
  • Removal of a study previously included (e.g. when the studies have been retracted)
  • Any changes to the following sections (except minor typographical errors that do not impact the data or review findings or interpretation): scope of the review (e.g. new outcomes, comparisons, types of participants or developments in the intervention or its delivery); methodology; results (e.g. in effect estimates or confidence intervals), the certainty in the results (as expressed by GRADE ratings); conclusions; Summary of Findings tables; Abstract; and/or Plain Language Summary
  • Where review is changed in response to a Comment/Feedback (beyond minor typographical errors) 
  • Where one or more of the studies has a published expression of concern, and a note of caution is added to the published review, pending further information
  • Post-publication change in authorship (see Changes in authorship)
  • Incorrect author affiliation published

N

Y

(1) Updated* OR amended

AND

(2) New citation: conclusions not changed

* 'Updated' must only be used when a new search was completed AND studies were fully incorporated; see **.

** Studies are fully incorporated into the Cochrane Review if added to the included studies, excluded studies, ongoing studies, or studies awaiting classification (only if all reasonable efforts to integrate it into included, excluded, or ongoing have failed), or no new studies identified in search. Studies are not fully incorporated if studies identified by the search are added to studies awaiting classification only (see exception above). See ‘Reporting search dates’ for further information.

Withdrawing a published Cochrane Review

The withdrawal of a published Cochrane Review or a protocol for a Cochrane Review automatically creates a new citation version. To withdraw, see the policy and editorial management information, and follow the steps in Archie Help.

What’s New events for protocols for Cochrane Reviews

Type of change

Change

New citation version?

‘What’s New’ events to select in RevMan

  • An important change to the objectives or scope of the proposed review (e.g. new outcomes or changes to the priority or definition of the outcomes, comparisons, methodology, types of participants or developments in the intervention or its delivery)

Major change

Y

(1) New citation: major change

  • Minor typographical errors 
  • Changes to information presented in the background section that will not otherwise affect the eligibility criteria (e.g. amending definition or burden of disease, or updating supporting references)
  • Addition of a Comment and/or a response to the feedback section but with no further changes to the protocol (apart from minor typographical changes)

Amended

N

(1) Amended

  • Where protocol is changed in response to a Comment/Feedback
  • Post-publication change in authorship (see Changes in authorship)

Amended

Y

(1) New citation: no major change