Cochrane Style Guide Basics

Cochrane Style Guide Basics is a two-page collection of essential house style guidelines for authors of Cochrane Protocols and Reviews.

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Description: A two-page document containing essential copy-editing guidance for authors from the Cochrane Style Guide.
Intended users: Authors preparing Cochrane Reviews and other people interested in learning the basics of Cochrane copy-editing style.
Prepared by: Cochrane Style Guide Working Group.
Contact: Harriet MacLehose, co-ordinator.
Current version: September 2009.

Helping the reader

As well as using the Cochrane Style Guide, remember to think about the reader when preparing your Cochrane Review or document.

• Use short, sharp sentences (get to the point quickly).
• Let someone else read your review or document (they may give you tips on how to make it easier to read or tell you if it doesn’t make sense).
• Use plain English (you don't have to use complicated language to talk about science).
• Be consistent within complete documents in your choice of punctuation and spelling.