Each Cochrane Methods Group is dedicated to a specific method or review type relevant to Cochrane Reviews. Methods Groups are usually led by a small group of senior and experienced methodologists with a wider membership of experienced and/or interested researchers. They are involved in methods research, defining best practice and supporting implementation in Cochrane. Cochrane’s Methods Network is the combined membership from across all of the Methods Groups. This is our current list of Methods Groups.
The Adverse Effects Methods Group aims to develop the methods for producing high quality systematic reviews and to advise Cochrane on how the validity and precision of systematic reviews can be improved by taking account of and evaluating adverse effects. Contact: Yoon Loke |
The Bias Methods Group is open to any researcher interested in methods and developments of tools to assess risk of bias in Cochrane Reviews. Contact: Asbjørn Hróbjartsson |
The Comparing Multiple Interventions Methods Group focuses on methods for network meta-analysis and for overviews of reviews. Network meta-analyses (otherwise known as multiple treatments meta-analyses and mixed treatment comparisons) combine results from studies making different comparisons from among a set of treatments for the same condition, exploiting indirect comparisons of treatments via common comparator treatments. Contact: Tianjing Li The Co-Production Methods Group supports the co-production of evidence syntheses by spearheading methods research to establish best practices in this field, by identifying and disseminating best practices in the involvement of stakeholders in producing, reporting, evaluating and disseminating Cochrane evidence. Contact: April English |
The Campbell and Cochrane Economics Methods Group is registered with both the Campbell Collaboration and Cochrane. It continues to look for opportunities to collaborate with review groups and teams seeking to include an economics perspective within their Cochrane Reviews, either as formal review outcomes or as brief economic commentaries. Contact: Dawn Craig |
The Campbell and Cochrane Equity Methods Group is registered with both the Campbell Collaboration and Cochrane. The Group aims to encourage authors of Campbell and Cochrane Reviews to include explicit descriptions of the effect of the interventions upon the disadvantaged and/or their ability to reduce socioeconomic inequalities in health, and to promote their use to the wider community. Contact: Jennifer Petkovic |
The GRADEing Methods Group (formerly known as the Applicability and Recommendations Methods Group) develops approaches, strategies and guidance that facilitate the uptake of information from Cochrane Reviews and their use by a wide audience with specific focus on developers of recommendations and on healthcare decision makers. The GRADE approach (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) is a method of grading the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendations in guidelines. This Group is aligned with the GRADE Working Group. Contact: Holger Schünemann |
The Individual Participant Data meta-analysis Methods Group contributes to Cochrane by providing guidance to those planning or undertaking Cochrane Reviews based on individual participant data. The group also conducts methodological research relating either specifically to individual participant data meta-analysis or to inform the conduct of systematic reviews more generally. Contact: Larysa Rydzewska |
| The Information Retrieval Methods Group provides advice to Cochrane on information retrieval policy and practice, to provide training and support, to conduct empirical research (including systematic reviews) into information retrieval methods, to help monitor the quality of searching techniques employed in Cochrane Reviews and to serve as a forum for discussion. Contact: Bernadette Coles |
The Non-Randomized Studies for Interventions Methods Group aims to help individual reviewers to carry out Cochrane Reviews which include non-randomised studies of interventions. It also aims to provide guidance about the inclusion of non-randomized studies of the effectiveness of health care interventions in Cochrane Reviews. Contact: Bev Shea |
| The Patient Reported Outcomes Methods Group focusses on patient-important outcomes in treatment trials. The goal is to see that patient-important outcomes are included in all Cochrane Reviews, where appropriate. A second goal is to assist reviewers preparing Cochrane Reviews in evaluating the methods and outcomes of patient-important outcomes used in clinical trials included in systematic reviews and meta-analyses. |
The Priority Setting Methods Group aims to inform Cochrane Groups about the empirical evidence available for methods to set research agendas or priorities, in particular (but not limited to) systematic reviews. Contact: Mona Nasser |
The Prognosis Methods Group aims to develop the best methodological standards for conducting systematic reviews of prognosis studies and develop prognosis Cochrane Reviews. The Group works with other Cochrane Groups to ensure the best use of evidence of prognosis when conducting and reporting Cochrane Reviews. Contact: Anneke Damen |
The Prospective Meta-Analysis Methods Group is open to anyone who is conducting, has conducted, or is interested in conducting a prospective meta-analysis, regardless of the area of health care investigated. Contact: Lisa Askie |
The Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group aims to provide guidance on the methods and processes involved in the synthesis and integration of qualitative evidence with Cochrane Reviews of interventions including methods for undertaking systematic reviews of implementation. Its purpose is to advise Cochrane and its network of people on policy and practice and qualitative evidence synthesis; develop and maintain methodological guidance; and provide training to those undertaking Cochrane Reviews. Contact: Jane Noyes |
The Rapid Reviews Methods Group will better inform ‘rapid review’ methodology. This is an area of new methodological development for Cochrane, which may influence the way in which a subset of reviews and/or other products by Cochrane are undertaken to accommodate condensed timelines for urgent decision-making. The group will address further research specific to the conduct of rapid reviews; supporting Cochrane groups to make more informed choices about their methods and possible processes to undertake abbreviated Cochrane Reviews making them more streamlined, timely, and relevant to end-users. Contact: Barbara Nussbaumer-Streit |
The Screening and Diagnostic Tests Methods Group manages the process of publishing Cochrane Reviews of diagnostic test accuracy. Members of the Group provide substantial support for the diagnostic test accuracy editorial process through their roles as editors and also as reviewers. Contact: Mariska Leeflang |
The Statistics Methods Group is a forum where all statistical issues related to the work of Cochrane are discussed. The Group has a broad scope which covers issues relating to statistical methods. It provides policy advice on statistical issues, organizes training activities, helps to develop software and performs research. It aims to ensure that adequate statistical and technical support is available to review groups. Contact: Jo McKenzie |