Cochrane Style Guide Working Group

Remit

The Cochrane Style Guide Working Group's remit is to maintain and update the resources available on the Cochrane Style Resource website (including the Cochrane Style Guide), to work on new projects to improve and meet the changing needs of its users, and to publicize these resources.

Accountability

To The Cochrane Collaboration Steering Group via the Cochrane Editorial Unit (reporting to the Editor in Chief). (The Working Group previously reported to the Quality Advisory Group.) The Convenor or Co-Convenors are nominated by the Cochrane Style Guide Working Group and approved by the Editor in Chief.

Membership

Members, to be nominated by the Convenor or Co-Convenors of the Group, and approved by the Editor in Chief (previously the Quality Advisory Group), must be actively involved in copy-editing and proofing texts for publication in The Cochrane Library or The Cochrane Collaboration website. Members should include a Managing or, Trials Search Co-ordinator, Editor, RevMan Advisory Group representative, and a Wiley representative; at least one member should be based in a Cochrane Review Group in a non-English speaking country. Members have the opportunity to step down and recommend new members at the annual meetings. The expectations of members are to:

• be familiar with the Cochrane Style Guide and related resources;
• attend at least one and a maximum of two face-to-face meetings within the 12-month period;
• read and comment on circulated documents in preparation for the meeting and as a result of the meeting;
• respond to electronic communications within agreed timescales;
• help plan for the future development of the Cochrane Style Guide and related resources;
• advise on the content of the Cochrane Style Resource website; and
• assist with publicizing the Cochrane Style Guide and related resources.

Meetings and communication

• Annual meeting, with a possible additional meeting at the annual Cochrane Colloquium.
• E-mail discussion list, and possibly additional e-mail discussion lists for particular projects.

Reports and meeting minutes

Reports and meeting minutes are available in the Copy-Editing Group in Archie.

Current members

Previous members

Emma Tavender (Satellite Co-ordinator, Effective Practice of Care) had provided advice and guidance for the 4th Edition (2008); Sonja Henderson (Co-convenor until August 2004); Vicki Sparkes; Susanne Ebrahim; Lesley Gillespie; Reive Robb (until 2007).

Advisors

The following people have advised on versions of the Cochrane Style Guide: Tara Horvath (American English specialist); Heather Maxwell (RevMan Advisory Group); Joseph Beyene (Statistical Methods Group); Jini Hetherington (Publishing Policy Group).

Who can I contact for further information?

Harriet MacLehose (hmaclehose@cochrane.org).

Funding

Core funds of The Cochrane Collaboration support the Cochrane Style Guide Working Group, through the Quality Advisory Group (until April 2009) and The Cochrane Library Cochrane Editorial Unit (from April 2009).