90-120 minutes
What you can expect to learn (learning outcomes)
This module will teach you to:
- Describe the key characteristics of a living systematic review
- Decide when a living systematic review is appropriate
- Understand what additional elements are required for living systematic review protocols
- Determine the minimum search frequency for a living systematic review
- Determine when search results should be screened for a living systematic review
- Recognize the factors and criteria that trigger a living systematic review update
- Decide how to communicate the status of a living systematic review (at and between updates)
- Recognize when it is appropriate to transition a review out of living mode
Authors, contributors, and how to cite this module
Module 14 has been written and compiled by:
Rebecca Hodder, The University of Newcastle, Australia
Steve McDonald, Cochrane Australia, Monash University, Australia
Dario Sambunjak and Oliver Willis, Cochrane Central Executive Team.
A full list of acknowledgements is available in the ‘About’ section within the module.
This module should be cited as: Hodder R, McDonald S, Sambunjak D, Willis O. Module 14: Conducting living systematic reviews. In: Cochrane Interactive Learning: Conducting an intervention review. Cochrane, 2026. Available from interactivelearning.cochrane.org/module-14
Staying up to date
The module was last updated in January 2026.
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