
Cochrane has now moved its editorial processes to Editorial Manager (EM). Read more about the system and what this change means for Review Groups.
A. Before completing the practice tasks
- Sign on to the EM training / demo site using your Cochrane Account – see Log in to Editorial Manager.
B. As you learn to use Editorial Manager
- Refer to Cochrane’s Editorial Manager Knowledge Base and the Editorial Manager Help file.
- Contact support@cochrane.org if you have any questions or problems. You can also use our custom webforms to report a problem or provide feedback and suggestions.
C. Step-by-step practice tasks
These tasks follow the editorial process from adding content to Editorial Manager, to acceptance of a final version before copy-edit.
This is the complete editorial and production process in Editorial Manager.
You should allow 3-4 hours to complete these tasks. It may help to set up a call, share screens and work as a team or with another editorial team member. You can complete the tasks in stages.
By completing these tasks you will:
- Familiarise yourself with Editorial Manager’s features and functions
- Understand how editors, authors and reviewers interact with Editorial Manager
- Gain an overview of the complete editorial and production process within Editorial Manager
When you have completed these tasks, please contact support@cochrane.org. Cochrane Support Team will mark your completion of this training on your Cochrane Account profile.
Please note:
- The EM training / demo site uses dummy email addresses. Authors and editors will not receive email notifications. Please do not add authors' genuine contact addresses to any emails. If you wish to receive a copy of an email, you can cc. yourself at your own email address.
- The EM live and training sites designate one ME per CRG as the primary ME or Corresponding Editor. This ME will see Direct-to-Editor New / Revised Submissions on his or her main menu. You can proxy as the primary ME to assign any new submissions to other team members.
Editorial process practice tasks
Number | Item | Knowledge Base section |
A | Assigning roles to people (5 mins) | |
1. | Search for a member of your editorial team | Search for people |
2. | Allocate an editorial role | Editorial roles |
B | Add an existing protocol or review to Editorial Manager (45 mins) | |
3. | Choose a protocol or review in training-Archie where the next stage is for authors to submit their first draft for editorial approval. Add the protocol or review to EM and invite authors to submit. | Move content from Archie to Editorial Manager |
4. | From training-Archie, open the review in training-RevMan and submit the current version to create the RevMan submission files package. | Submit a version to Editorial Manager |
5. | Proxy as the Contact Person of the protocol or review you moved to EM. | Proxy as another user |
6. | Locate the submission in My Accepted Invitations | Submit the first draft of your review to Editorial Manager |
7. | Submit the RevMan files to EM. | Submit the first draft of your review to Editorial Manager |
8. | Log out as the Contact Person and log in with your editorial role. | Log in to Editorial Manager |
9. | Search for the submission in the system | Search for reviews |
C | Editorial quality checks (15 mins) | |
10. | Assign yourself as Editor. (If you do not see this option in your Action menu, please contact Support.) | Assign Editor |
11. | Assign yourself the task of checking the submission. | Assign an editorial task |
12. | Complete the ME Submission check (you cannot view DOI forms or iThenticate plagiarism check results on the training site). | Editorial checks |
D | Internal Review (15 mins) | |
13. | Start a discussion with another member of your editorial team and ask a question about the submission. | Discussions |
14. | Conclude the discussion. | |
15. | Submit an editorial decision: Minor revision to ask authors for changes following internal review. | Notify authors of editorial decisions |
E | Revised submissions (30 mins) | |
16. | From training-Archie, open the review in training-RevMan and make a change to the review. Submit the current version to create the RevMan submission files package. | Submit a version to Editorial Manager |
17. | Proxy as the Contact Person and submit the revised protocol or review. | Resubmit your review to Editorial Manager |
18. | Log out as the Contact Person and log in with your editorial role. | Log in to Editorial Manager |
19. | Assign yourself as Editor | Assign Editor |
20. | Assign yourself the task of checking the submission. | Assign an editorial task |
21. | Complete the ME Revision check (you may also wish to Compare Versions in RevMan Web to confirm authors made requested changes). | Editorial checks |
F | External Review (30 mins) | |
22. | Invite a reviewer. | Invite comments from editors and peer reviewers |
23. | Change the required number of reviewers to 1. | |
24. | Proxy as the reviewer you selected and complete the review form. | Review forms |
25. | Log out as the reviewer and log in with your editorial role. | Log in to Editorial Manager |
26. | View the reviewer's comments. | View peer review comments |
27. | Send an email to another member of the editorial team asking them to review the comments. | |
G | Editorial decisions following peer review (15 mins) | |
28. | Submit an editorial decision. | Editorial decision following peer review |
29. | Return the peer review comments to authors. | Return comments to authors |
H | Revised submissions (15 mins) | |
30. | From training-Archie, open the review in training-RevMan and make a change to the review. Submit the current version to create the RevMan submission files package. | Submit a version to Editorial Manager |
31. | Proxy as the Contact Person and submit the revised protocol or review. | Resubmit your review to Editorial Manager |
32. | Log out as the Contact Person and log in with your editorial role. | Log in to Editorial Manager |
I | Sign-off for publication and invite next submission (30 mins) | |
33. | Assign yourself as Editor. | Assign Editor |
34. | Assign yourself the task of checking the submission. | Assign an editorial task |
35. | Complete the ME Acceptance check (you may also wish to Compare Versions in RevMan Web to confirm authors made requested changes). | Editorial checks |
36. | Assign to your Coordinating Editor to sign-off (confirm final decision Accept). | Accept content for publication |
38. | Solicit Commentary to assign the authors to write the review or update from your protocol or review. | Protocols, reviews and updates |
J | Adding a new title to Editorial Manager (45 mins) | |
39. | Invite an author to submit a Title Proposal | Register a new title |
40. | Proxy as the invited author and complete the review proposal form. | Submit a review proposal form to Editorial Manager |
41. | Assign yourself as Editor. | Assign Editor |
42. | Assign yourself the task of checking the submission. | Assign an editorial task |
43. | Complete the ME Check: Proposal | Editorial checks |
44. | Submit Editorial Decision of Accept | Notify authors of editorial decisions |
45. | Confirm title appears in training-Archie in Protocols - In Development - New |
Production process practice tasks
Number | Item | Knowledge Base section |
A | Accept a final version for publication (5 mins) | |
1. | Submit Editor's Decision > Accept and notify the authors that the submission has been accepted and will now be sent for copy edit. (This follows on directly from step 36 above.) | |
B | Initiate Production (5 mins) | |
2. | Complete the information required for copy edit and publication on the submission Details. | |
3. | Initiate Production. | |
C | Assign a Copy Editor (5 mins) | |
4. | Proxy as Elizabeth Royle, in the Production Manager role. Assign production task RevMan: Copy Edit Initial to a Copy Editor of your choice. Send the task assignment letter. | |
5. | Submit task > RevMan: Assign Copy Editor. Log out to stop proxying as Elizabeth. | |
D | Complete copy editing (10 mins) | |
6. | In your Managing Editor role, add the Copy Editor you chose at step 4 above, to the Review Properties > People in training-Archie. Add the role Copy Editor. Confirm that the review is in Editorial phase. | |
7. | Proxy as the Copy Editor you chose at step 4 above, in the Copy Editor role. | |
8. | From training-Archie, open the review in training-RevMan Web and tag a version. | |
9. | Download the Copy Edit Comments Form from the task Assignment Files in EM. | |
10. | Submit task > RevMan: Copy Edit Initial and upload the Copy Edit Comments Form when submitting. | |
11. | Assign Follow-on task RevMan: ME Review Copy Edit to yourself. Log out to stop proxying as the Copy Editor. | |
E | Review copy editing (10 mins) | |
12. | In your Managing Editor role, download the Copy Edit Comments Form from the task Assignment Files in EM. | |
13. | From training-Archie, open the review in training-RevMan Web and tag a version. | |
14. | Submit task > RevMan: Copy Edit Initial and upload the Copy Edit Comments Form when submitting. | |
15. | Assign Follow-on task RevMan: Author Proofs to the Corresponding Author. | |
16. | In training-Archie, move the review to Authoring phase. | |
F | Author proofs (10 mins) | |
17. | Proxy as the Corresponding Author for the submission, in the Author role. | |
18. | Download the Copy Edit Comments Form from the task Assignment Files in EM. | |
19. | From training-Archie, open the review in training-RevMan Web and tag a version. (Note that authors would access via My Reviews in RevMan Web.) | |
20. | Submit task > RevMan: Author Proofs and upload the Copy Edit Comments Form when submitting. Log out to stop proxying as the Corresponding Author. | |
G | Review author proofs (10 mins) | |
21. | In your Managing Editor role, assign the task RevMan: ME review Author Proofs to yourself. | |
22. | When the task is assigned, download the Copy Edit Comments Form from the task Assignment Files in EM. | |
23. | From training-Archie, open the review in training-RevMan Web and tag a version. | |
24. | Submit task > RevMan: ME review Author Proofs. | |
H | Assign a Copy Editor for the final proofread (5 mins) | |
25. | Proxy as Elizabeth Royle, in the Production Manager role. Assign production task RevMan: Copy Edit Final to a Copy Editor of your choice. Send the task assignment letter. | Production Manager tasks |
26. | Submit task > RevMan: Assign Copy Editor for final proofread. Log out to stop proxying as Elizabeth. | |
I | Complete final proofread (10 mins) | |
27. | Proxy as the Copy Editor you chose at step 25 above, in the Copy Editor role. | |
28. | From training-Archie, open the review in training-RevMan Web and tag a version. | |
29. | Download the Copy Edit Comments Form from the task Assignment Files in EM. | |
30. | Submit task > RevMan: Copy Edit Final and upload the Copy Edit Comments Form when submitting. Log out to stop proxying as the Copy Editor. | |
J | Check production task history (5 mins) | |
31. | In your Managing Editor role, View All Submissions in Production. | |
32. | View History > Production Task History for your chosen submission. Confirm that tasks Collect LfP forms and Unpack RevMan Source are open. This concludes ME involvement in the production process. |