Style manuals exist to improve consistency and clarity of text, and to ensure that terminology, names, and usage reflect current best practice and branding. They also work as a repository of decisions on usage, thus reducing duplicated or conflicting decision-making efforts for authors and editors.

The Cochrane Style Manual is different from some other style manuals, in that it allows for some flexibility in style, reflecting the distributed nature of Cochrane editorial and author teams, but it also aims to bring unity and a recognizable journal style where there may be unhelpful variation.

All Cochrane reviews and protocols must adhere to the guidance contained in the Cochrane Style Manual. The Cochrane Style Manual does not explain how to prepare a Cochrane review and does not cover every word choice or every context. Authors and editors will need to use their knowledge and judgement when applying the guidance, but any deviation should be for a good reason rather than personal preference.

This manual is primarily for use with Cochrane reviews and associated content, but it may be applicable to other Cochrane content. We hope to produce a summary listing the main features of Cochrane style for use in the preparation of other Cochrane material shortly.