Cochrane Style Manual
Journal articles

In this section: Standard | Both personal authors and an organization or group as an author | Organization or group as an author | Personal authors writing on behalf of an organization or group  | No named author | Not in English | In volume with supplement | In issue with supplement | In volume with part | In issue with part | In issue with no volume | In press and submitted | Electronic publication ahead of print | Preprint | Copublished articles

Standard

Example with page numbers: Osrin D, Vaidya A, Shrestha Y, Baniya RB, Manandhar DS, Adhikari RK, et al. Effects of antenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation on birthweight and gestational duration in Nepal: double-blind, randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2005;365(9463):955-62.

Reference typeJournal article
AuthorsOsrin D, Vaidya A, Shrestha Y, Baniya RB, Manandhar DS, Adhikari RK, et al
English titleEffects of antenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation on birthweight and gestational duration in Nepal: double-blind, randomised controlled trial
Journal/book/sourceLancet
Date of publication2005
Volume365
Issue9463
Pages955-62

 

Example with article number: Chadwick G, Varagunam M, Brand C, Riley SA, Maynard N, Crosby T, et al. Coding of Barrett’s oesophagus with high-grade dysplasia in national administrative databases: a population-based cohort study. BMJ Open 2017;7:e014281.

Reference typeJournal article
AuthorsChadwick G, Varagunam M, Brand C, Riley SA, Maynard N, Crosby T, et al
English titleCoding of Barrett’s oesophagus with high-grade dysplasia in national administrative databases: a population-based cohort study
Journal/book/sourceBMJ Open
Date of publication2017
Volume7
Issue 
Pagese014281

Both personal authors and an organization or group as an author

Example: Brodie MJ, Perucca E, Ryvlin P, Ben-Menachem E, Meencke HJ; Levetiracetam Monotherapy Study Group. Comparison of levetiracetam and controlled-release carbamazepine in newly diagnosed epilepsy. Neurology 2007;68(6):402-8.

Reference typeJournal article
Authors

Brodie MJ, Perucca E, Ryvlin P, Ben-Menachem E, Meencke HJ; Levetiracetam Monotherapy Study Group

Note: organization separated from authors by a semi-colon

English titleComparison of levetiracetam and controlled-release carbamazepine in newly diagnosed epilepsy
Journal/book/sourceNeurology
Date of publication2007
Volume68
Issue6
Pages402-8

Personal authors writing on behalf of an organization or group

Example: Zhang W-H, Deneux-Tharaux C, Brocklehurst P, Juszczak E, Joslin M, Alexander S, on behalf of the EUPHRATES Group. Effect of a collector bag for measurement of postpartum blood loss after vaginal delivery: cluster randomised trial in 13 European countries. BMJ 2010;340:c293.

Reference typeJournal article
Authors

Zhang W-H, Deneux-Tharaux C, Brocklehurst P, Juszczak E, Joslin M, Alexander S, on behalf of the EUPHRATES Group

Note: organization separated from authors by a comma. If more than six authors, put 'et al, ' after the sixth author, followed by 'on behalf of [organization name]'

English titleEffect of a collector bag for measurement of postpartum blood loss after vaginal delivery: cluster randomised trial in 13 European countries
Journal/book/sourceBMJ
Date of publication2010
Volume340
Issue 
Pagesc293

 

Organization or group as an author

Example: GRADE Working Group. Grading quality of evidence and strength of recommendations. BMJ 2004; 328:1490-4.

Reference typeJournal article
AuthorsGRADE Working Group
English titleGrading quality of evidence and strength of recommendations
Journal/book/sourceBMJ
Date of publication2004
Volume328
Issue 
Pages1490-4

No named author

Example: Naltrexone: new preparation. Transient preventive efficacy on alcoholic relapse. Prescrire International 1999;8(39):9-11.

Reference typeOther
English titleNaltrexone: new preparation. Transient preventive efficacy on alcoholic relapse
Journal/book/sourcePrescrire International
Date of publication1999
Volume8
Issue39
Pages9-11

Not in English (Latin alphabet)

Example: Abadie V, Depondt E, Bresson JL, Vidailhet M. Recommended dietary allowances for pregnant women affected with phenylketonuria [Recommandations diététiques pour les femmes enceintes atteintes de phénylcétonurie]. Archives de Pédiatrie 2001;8(4):397-406.

Reference typeJournal article
AuthorsAbadie V, Depondt E, Bresson JL, Vidailhet M
English title

Recommended dietary allowances for pregnant women affected with phenylketonuria

Note: leave this section blank if an English translation is not available.

Note: do not include the language of the original article at the end of the title.

Original titleRecommandations diététiques pour les femmes enceintes atteintes de phénylcétonurie
Journal/book/sourceArchives de Pédiatrie
Date of publication2001
Volume8
Issue4
Pages397-406

 

Not in English (non-Latin alphabet)

NOTE: the guidance below is for references in languages that use a non-Latin alphabet. We use Chinese as the example language below, but the guidance is valid for any language that does not use the Latin alphabet.

Authors should provide as much information as possible, provided that they can be sure it is correct.

Article title: authors should add the English article title (in the English title field) if it is available, or if they have a Chinese-speakng author on the team who can translate it to English (this is especially relevant for primary references, less so for other reports), otherwise they should leave it blank. Authors should provide the original article title used in the report (in the Original title field). Thus, if the article title is provided in the Chinese language, the authors should provide that. Alternatively, if it is transliterated (written in Chinese but using the Latin alphabet not Chinese characters), they should add that, but they should not try to convert one to the other.  

Journal title: where possible, authors should provide the original journal title in Chinese and then the translated (English) name in square brackets. They may provide the English or transliterated title, but only if available. If there is a Chinese-speaking author on the team, they may translate the original title to English but not transliterate.

Example: Jia CL, Jiang GS, Yang XX, Dou HQ, Li CR. Effects on Helicobacter pylori reinfection in gastric mucosa by two oral plaque control methods. Huaxi Kongqiang Yixue Zazhi [West China Journal of Stomatology] 2009;27(2):172-4.

Reference typeJournal article
AuthorsJia CL, Jiang GS, Yang XX, Dou HQ, Li CR
English title

Effects on Helicobacter pylori reinfection in gastric mucosa by two oral plaque control methods.

Note: do not include the language of the original article at the end of the title.

Original titleNote: leave this section blank if the original title is not available.
Journal/book/sourceHuaxi Kongqiang Yixue Zazhi [West China Journal of Stomatology]
Date of publication2009
Volume27
Issue2
Pages172-4

In volume with supplement

Example: Bowman CM. The long-term use of inhaled tobramycin in patients with cystic fibrosis. Journal of Cystic Fibrosis 2002; 1 Suppl 2:194-8.

Reference typeJournal article
AuthorsBowman CM
English titleThe long-term use of inhaled tobramycin in patients with cystic fibrosis
Journal/book/sourceJournal of Cystic Fibrosis
Date of publication2002
Volume1 Suppl 2
Pages194-8

In issue with supplement

Example: Oertel J, Gaab MR, Runge U, Schroeder HW, Piek J. Waterjet dissection versus ultrasonic aspiration in epilepsy surgery. Neurology 2005;56(1 Suppl 1):142-6.

Reference typeJournal article
AuthorsOertel J, Gaab MR, Runge U, Schroeder HW, Piek J
English titleWaterjet dissection versus ultrasonic aspiration in epilepsy surgery
Journal/book/sourceNeurosurgery
Date of publication2005
Volume56
Issue1 Suppl 1
Pages142-6

In volume with part

Example: Hanly C. Metaphysics and innateness: a psycho-analytic perspective. International Journal of Psychoanalysis 1988;69(Pt 3):389-99.

Reference typeJournal article
AuthorsHanly C
English titleMetaphysics and innateness: a psycho-analytic perspective
Journal/book/sourceInternational Journal of Psychoanalysis
Date of publication1988
Volume69
IssuePt 3
Pages389-99

In issue with part

Example: Edwards L, Meyskens F, Levine N. Effect of oral iso-tretinoin on dysplastic nevi. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 1989;20(2 Pt 1):257-60.

Reference typeJournal article
AuthorsEdwards L, Meyskens F, Levine N
English titleEffect of oral iso-tretinoin on dysplastic nevi
Journal/book/sourceJournal of the American Academy of Dermatology
Date of publication1989
Volume20
Issue2 Pt 1
Pages257-60

In issue with no volume

Example: Panjwani U, Selvamurthy W, Singh SH, Gupta HL, Thakur L, Rai UC. Effect of Sahaja yoga practice on seizure control & EEG changes in patients of epilepsy. Indian Journal of Medical Research 1996;(103):165-72.

Reference typeJournal article
AuthorsPanjwani U, Selvamurthy W, Singh SH, Gupta HL, Thakur L, Rai UC
English titleEffect of Sahaja yoga practice on seizure control & EEG changes in patients of epilepsy
Journal/book/sourceIndian Journal of Medical Research
Date of publication1996
Volume(103)
Pages165-72

In press or submitted to a journal

Articles that have been accepted for publication can be cited as 'in press' articles. Articles that have been submitted to a journal, but not yet accepted for publication, must not be cited in that form. Instead they are cited as unpublished data.

Example: Johnson AB, Smith CD. A review of treatments for chronic disorders. Journal of Medicine (in press).

Reference typeJournal
AuthorsJohnson AB, Smith CD
English titleA review of treatments for chronic disorders
Journal/book/sourceJournal of Medicine
Date of publication(in press)

Electronic publication ahead of print

See reference type 'Other'

Preprint

See reference type 'Other'

Copublished articles

Some journal articles are published in two or more journals simultaneously, usually to reach a particular audiences or to publicize cross-journal initiatives. If such articles are included as studies, then all references should be added under the study ID. If such articles are additional references, then cite one only of them.

Section info
Contact
Denise Mitchell (production@cochrane.org)
Describe change
Electronic publications ahead of print and Preprints moved to reference type 'Other'. Examples removed and links added.
Change date
16 August 2024