We are pleased to provide an update on Cochrane’s open access policy, which has been in place since February 2013. The open access policy aims to broaden access to Cochrane Reviews (including protocols) and generate greater impact. Since February 2013, Cochrane Reviews have been free to view 12 months after publication (green open access) via the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) in the Cochrane Library. Alternatively, authors have had a choice to select a Creative Commons licence for immediate open access upon payment of an article publication charge (gold open access). In October 2015, the Cochrane Steering Group reviewed this policy and approved some extensions to it. As a result of this we have been completed two key developments to allow Cochrane Reviews to be accessed more easily and openly. The first change is to make protocols for Cochrane Reviews free to view immediately upon publication in the CDSR, and the second change is to automate the process of depositing Cochrane Reviews in PubMedCentral. We anticipate that these changes will lead to greater dissemination of Cochrane Reviews and an increased impact from our current open access policy. Full details of these changes are below and in the Cochrane Editorial and Publishing Policy Resource (EPPR).
 
Changes to the open access policy
The Cochrane Steering Group approved the following changes to the Cochrane’s open access policy for Cochrane Reviews and protocols for Cochrane Reviews (http://community-archive.cochrane.org/news/tags/authors/cochrane-steering-group-announces-main-decisions-meeting-vienna):

• Protocols free to view upon publication
• Cochrane Reviews deposited in PubMedCentral and available to users 12 months after publication in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR).

 
Protocols free to view upon publication
Protocols have been free to view in the CDSR in the Cochrane Library (www.cochranelibrary.com) since 1 March 2016. Details of this change are in the EPPR.
 
Cochrane Reviews deposited in PubMedCentral
Cochrane Reviews published from 21 September 2016 onwards are being deposited in PubMedCentral on the authors’ behalf. As described in the policy details, the contact author for the review will need to approve deposition. The Cochrane Reviews will be available to view in PubMedCentral 12 months after publication in the CDSR.
 
These changes are reflected in the updated open access policy in the EPPR:

• Open access options for the Cochrane Library (link)
• Posting Cochrane Reviews and Protocols in Scholarly Collaboration Networks (SCNs) and repositories, including PubMedCentral (link)

 
Changes to the licence for publication forms
The licence for publication forms for Cochrane Reviews and protocols for Cochrane Reviews have been updated to reflect the changes in the open access policy along with some other general updates. The updated versions are now in Archie for authors to sign (and replace previous versions). The process to sign licence for publication forms has not changed. All versions are also available to view in full, along with introductory information, in the EPPR (link).
 
The updates include changes in the standard licences (for green open access) and Creative Commons licences (for gold open access), the PAHO and WHO addenda for standard licences, and new PAHO and WHO addenda for Creative Commons licences. Version numbers have been applied to the licences. See the EPPR for a list of the changes across versions.
 
As an example, the following changes were made to the updated standard licence for publication form:

• Field added for digital object identifier (DOI) version number.
• Revised authorship criteria for consistency with ICMJE criteria. (Authorship policy also updated in line with this: http://community.cochrane.org/editorial-and-publishing-policy-resource/ethical-considerations/authorship-and-contributorship)
• Authors are directed to the Cochrane Editorial and Publishing Policy Resource for Cochrane’s updating policy.
• Removed text about Cochrane Review Group approval ahead of publication (now located in the EPPR: link).
• Updated the following author rights:
  • Revised the rights to post in repositories and Scholarly Collaboration Networks (SCNs).
  • Added sharing rights with colleagues.
• Updated hyperlinks and minor text edit updates, including the addition of generic email addresses for all Wiley contacts and directing authors to Rightslink for permission requests.

 
The updated versions of the licence for publication forms are included in Archie and replace the previous version. General information about the forms is also available in the EPPR.
 
Contacts for questions

• Cochrane’s open access policy: David Tovey, Editor in Chief, dtovey@cochrane.org
•  Licence for publication forms: Harriet MacLehose, Senior Editor, hmaclehose@cochrane.org

Best wishes,
 
David Tovey
Editor in Chief, Cochrane Library

We all know that identifying studies for inclusion in reviews is challenging. We also know the reasons for this – poor reporting, poor indexing and the ever-increasing volume of research being published. Cochrane Crowd’s 3,000 citizen scientists are already accurately and quickly identifying reports of randomized controlled trials for inclusion in CENTRAL.

We have now added a diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) identification task to Cochrane Crowd. Our team of testers has been classifying reports of DTA studies, and their work has been invaluable in helping us evaluate and fine-tune the algorithms that power the crowd assessments.

So head over to Cochrane Crowd and see if you have unlocked this task. We’ve built some brief DTA identification training that will guide you through what we’re looking for.

This is an exciting time for Cochrane Crowd, and stay tuned because more tasks are coming soon!

Anna Noel-Storr
on behalf of the Cochrane Crowd team

Support for Project Transform was provided by Cochrane and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (APP1114605). The contents of the published material are solely the responsibility of the Administering Institution, a Participating Institution or individual authors and do not reflect the views of the NHMRC.

Cochrane is delighted to announce that we have received a grant of USD $1.15 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant will support the development of Cochrane's next generation evidence system, with a specific focus on maternal and child health, and a number of Cochrane Groups, including the Child Health Field and the Pregnancy and Childbirth and Neonatal Review Groups, will receive direct support from project funds.

For more information, please read the full announcement on cochrane.org.

The Cochrane Editorial Unit is pleased to announce that the third funding round of the Cochrane Review Support Programme (CRSP) pilot is now open. There have been some changes to the application guidelines and form:  

1.    Applications for titles that have been funded through alternative sources will be accepted. The additional funding source(s) must be declared, along with a brief explanation of why CRSP top-up funds are required
2.    All successful reviews must be submitted for screening by the CEU prior to publication
3.    The word limit for the scientific/policy justification section has increased slightly to 350 words.

It is important that applications are made using the guidelines and new form. Applications made using the old forms will not be accepted.

Key features of the programme:
•    All Cochrane Review Groups (CRGs) may apply for the awards.
•    CRGs may nominate no more than two titles – either new reviews or review updates – from the July 2016 version of the Cochrane Priority Review List. Titles added to the list after July 2016 cannot be proposed for this funding round.
•    10 grants of £5,000 each will be awarded.
•    We will aim to decide the list of successful reviews and to have notified the applicants by mid-December 2016.
•    Reviews must be published a maximum of 13 months after the awards are notified.

Cochrane recognizes that these awards are insufficient to meet the full costs of conducting reviews; rather, they are intended to facilitate and possibly accelerate publication of high priority reviews that are already planned or underway.

Applications close at 5pm GMT, Friday 4 November 2016.

The Cochrane-Wikipedia partnership is pleased to announce a pilot in which volunteers will work with Cochrane Global Ageing to help improve the medical and health content of Wikipedia in this area. If you are a student in a health- or care-related discipline, and have an interest in communicating about evidence informed health care, this is a great opportunity to engage!

We will recruit three volunteers through this project. To find out more information on the project, including how to apply, please read the full story on cochrane.org.

Holger Schünemann has announced his resignation from the Cochrane Steering Group (CSG). He will focus on leading Cochrane Canada and efforts to attract long-term funding to the Cochrane Groups based in Canada. His resignation takes effect from 22 August. We’d like to thank him for his service on the CSG and his contributions to its work over the last three years.

The Methods representative seat on the new Governing Board is scheduled to be one of the four new positions to be elected by the whole Cochrane community in the last quarter of 2016, following consideration of the governance reforms by Cochrane’s AGM on 25 October in Seoul.

Lisa Bero and Cindy Farquhar
Co-Chairs, Cochrane Steering Group

The 2016 Mid-Year Review, reporting on progress of targets associated with Cochrane's Strategy to 2020, is now available. This report provides a comprehensive update of work underway on all 17 2016 targets, and a more detailed picture of the data highlighted in the 2016 Q2 Dashboard, which was published in July.

For more information on this report, or to provide feedback, please contact Chris Champion, Senior Programme Manager, CEO's Office.

Cochrane Nutrition's vision is to make Cochrane the independent, globally recognized go-to place for nutrition systematic reviews

Cochrane is delighted to announce the establishment of the Cochrane Nutrition Field (Cochrane Nutrition), under the leadership of Cochrane South Africa (SA), the South African Medical Research Council, and the Centre for Evidence-based Health Care (CEBHC), Stellenbosch University, along with international partners.

Co-Directors Solange Durão of Cochrane SA and Celeste Naude of the CEBHC will lead Cochrane Nutrition, with guidance from an international advisory board comprising representatives from multiple stakeholder and partner groups. Cochrane Nutrition has been in active development since an exploratory meeting with interested stakeholders held in Cape Town in 2015, which established that broad-based support from both Cochrane and external stakeholders.
 

Find out more on Cochrane.org

We are delighted to announce the launch of the Cochrane Style Manual, a resource that outlines Cochrane journal style for use in the preparation of Cochrane Reviews and other Cochrane content. The Style Manual results from a comprehensive update of the Cochrane Style Guide, with extensive input from members of the Cochrane Editorial Unit, Copy Edit Support, and Review Group editorial teams, and should be used alongside other resources such as the Handbook, MECIR standards and the Cochrane Editorial and Publishing Resource.

If you have questions or would like more information about the Style Manual, please contact John Hilton, Editor, or Elizabeth Royle, Copy Edit Support Manager.

Project Transform aims to significantly improve the long-term value and sustainability of Cochrane by piloting, refining, and scaling up innovations in content production in collaboration with other Cochrane projects.

This short and snappy new video explains what Project Transform can mean for you and the wider Cochrane community. Take a look!

Find out more about Project Transform here.

Support for Project Transform was provided by Cochrane and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (APP1114605). The contents of the published material are solely the responsibility of the Administering Institution, a Participating Institution or individual authors and do not reflect the views of the NHMRC.