Checklist for registering a new Cochrane Review Group (CRG)

A CRG applying for registration will have:

1. Scope
   1. Defined a scope that is sufficiently broad (e.g. covers prevention, acute treatment and rehabilitation); and considered potential duplication with existing CRGs.         
2. Editorial base
   1. Identified the geographical location for an editorial base.
   2. A co-ordinating editor who can spend at least 0.1 FTE fulfilling this role.
   3. Ascertained a commitment of funding to employ a Managing Editor, Trials Search Co-ordinator and secretarial support. These roles may be fulfilled by one or more people, but should amount to at least 1.0 FTE.
   4. Ascertained a commitment of funding to provide resources at the editorial base (e.g. computers, photocopying, travel, and training).
      
   5. Made plans for supporting its members, (authors, consumers, editors, etc), including those who communicate in other languages.
3. Editorial board and contributors
   1. Editors who are willing to give enough time to fulfil the editorial functions of the CRG.
   2. A majority of editors who have already prepared or are preparing a Cochrane review.
   3. Identified a statistical adviser and a feedback editor.
   4. Multidisciplinary and global representation, in the editorial team and among the authors, including plans to involve people from developing countries.
      
   5. Members who are willing to participate on a voluntary basis, or not through core funds (e.g. authors).
   6. Made specific preliminary plans to involve consumers and liaise with the Consumer Network.
   7. A plan to ensure that its reviews are of high quality.
4. Specialised register
   1. Made specific preliminary plans to develop a search strategy and establish a specialised register of studies, including plans for translation.
   2. Determine how authors will be informed of the results of searching the entity’s Specialized Register.
5. Targets
   1. A strategic or business plan that includes appropriate targets (e.g. dates for staff to start work dates first protocols and reviews expected).
6. Process
   1. Have obtained and attached a letter of endorsement from your reference Cochrane Centre and letters of support from relevant entities with which it is likely to collaborate.
   2. Held at least one formal exploratory meeting, including a member of the Monitoring and Registration Committee (i.e. a MaRC representative should be invited to attend either in person, by VOIP, or by teleconference, but if they cannot attend, the registration process and a provisional agenda for the meeting(s) should be discussed with the relevant MaRC representative(s) in advance).
   3. Prepared and attached a draft module.