Cite a Cochrane Review like a journal article: authors, year, title, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, volume(issue), article number, and DOI.
If you write health content, you’ll meet Cochrane Reviews a lot. Getting the reference right keeps readers’ trust and helps editors move fast. The good news: the format follows standard journal rules, with a few quirks like article numbers and frequent updates. This guide shares clear patterns, plain wording, and ready-to-copy lines you can adapt to your source.
How To Reference A Cochrane Review: Step-By-Step
1) Collect The Core Fields
You need the author list, publication year, full title, journal name, volume, issue, article number, and the DOI. Open the review on the Cochrane Library and use the “Cite” or “View/save citation” button near the DOI. That panel exposes every field, including the exact article number string and the Crossref DOI.
2) Confirm You’re Citing The Review, Not A Protocol
Cochrane publishes protocols, full reviews, and updates. Protocols outline planned methods. Reviews report results. If the page label says “Protocol,” treat it as such; don’t cite it as a review. If the record shows a newer update, cite the version you relied on, not an older year from the same topic.
3) Match Your Style Guide
Most courses, journals, and ad platforms expect a consistent house style. Health writing often uses APA 7, Vancouver or AMA, and many universities use Harvard. Each style orders fields a bit differently, but all include the same data points. Use the templates below and swap in your source facts.
| Style | Reference List Template | In-Text Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| APA 7 | Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of review. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Volume(Issue), Article number. https://doi.org/xxxx | (Author & Author, Year) |
| Vancouver / AMA | Author AA, Author BB. Title of review. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Year;Volume(Issue):Article number. doi:xxxx | Superscript numbers in order of appearance |
| Harvard | Author, A.A. and Author, B.B., Year. Title of review. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Volume(Issue), Article number. doi:xxxx | (Author and Author Year) |
4) Format Names And Titles The Right Way
Follow the punctuation and casing used by your style. APA uses sentence case for the title; Vancouver and Harvard use sentence case as well. Keep Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in italics. For Vancouver, the accepted NLM abbreviation is Cochrane Database Syst Rev.
5) Include The Article Number, Not Page Range
Cochrane Reviews use article numbers, such as “CD000123,” instead of page spans. In APA, place the article number where a page range would sit. In Vancouver and AMA, place it after the volume and issue, before the DOI. Never invent page numbers.
6) Add The DOI Every Time
Always include the DOI using the “https://doi.org/” form. The DOI stays stable across platform links and helps readers reach the exact version you used.
APA, Vancouver, And Harvard: Side-By-Side Samples
APA 7 Sample
Clarke, S., Jordan, R., & Patel, N. (2023). Vitamin D for adults with asthma. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 5(2), CD013308. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD013308.pub2
Vancouver / AMA Sample
Clarke S, Jordan R, Patel N. Vitamin D for adults with asthma. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023;5(2):CD013308. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD013308.pub2
Harvard Sample
Clarke, S., Jordan, R. and Patel, N., 2023. Vitamin D for adults with asthma. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 5(2), CD013308. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD013308.pub2
Finding The Details Fast On The Cochrane Page
Use The Citation Panel
On a review page, click the small link near the DOI. You’ll see ready-made strings for APA and Vancouver, and a BibTeX or RIS export. Copy your style, then scan the author names and title casing against your house guide.
Check The Version Stamp
Near the top of the page, a date stamp shows “First published” and “Updated.” If your piece relies on an update, cite the review with the latest year shown in the record. If you quoted text that exists only in an older version, state that version in your text.
Locate The Article Number
You’ll find it just after the volume and issue. It starts with “CD” followed by digits. That string belongs in the article number slot in every style shown in this guide.
When You’re Citing A Protocol Or An Update
Protocols
Protocols live in the same journal and have DOIs as well. The label “Protocol” appears under the title. Keep the style pattern, and include “Protocol” in the title if it appears in the source record. Don’t swap “Protocol” for “Review.”
Updates
When Cochrane authors revise findings, the record shows a new year and a fresh DOI suffix. Use the year shown beside the latest update. If you need to mention both the original year and the update year in your text, you can write “updated in 2024” next to your in-text citation or within a bracketed note.
Common Pitfalls And Easy Fixes
Missing Article Number
If your draft shows page numbers, you likely copied a generic journal template. Swap the pages for the “CD” code. Your link will then match the record and sail through editorial checks.
Wrong Journal Name
Always cite the journal, not “Cochrane Library.” The journal sits inside the Library platform. In Vancouver, the accepted abbreviation is Cochrane Database Syst Rev.
Author Initials And Ampersands
APA uses an ampersand before the last author in the reference list. Vancouver joins names with spaces and commas, no ampersand. Harvard uses “and.” That small switch trips many writers during fast edits, so build a quick checklist.
Too Many Authors To List
APA 7 lists up to twenty names before an ellipsis. Vancouver often lists the first six, then adds “et al.” Harvard rules can vary by campus. If you’re short on space, follow your style’s cap.
Linking To Authoritative Guidance
You can confirm APA handling of Cochrane Reviews on the official page covering clinical and health references, which states that Cochrane items follow the journal pattern. See APA on Cochrane reviews. Cochrane’s own Style Manual also explains how its records carry article numbers and how references should link in the text; see the manual section on citing studies and references.
Quick Workflow You Can Reuse
Grab The Fields
Open the review, click the citation link, copy the base string, and paste it into your editor. Keep the DOI link intact.
Apply Your Style
Swap title casing, switch the journal label or abbreviation, and move punctuation so it matches the target style. Check author initials and separators.
Place Your In-Text Cite
In APA or Harvard, place author-year near the sentence that uses the finding. In Vancouver or AMA, add a superscript number that aligns with your numbered list.
| Element | Where To Find It | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Author names | Top of the review under the title | Order matters; keep initials as shown |
| Year | Date stamp near the abstract | Use the latest year shown for the version used |
| Article number | With the volume and issue | Starts with “CD” followed by digits |
| DOI | Near the “Cite” link | Use the https://doi.org/ form |
| Journal name | Near the title and volume | Use full name or NLM short form per style |
Extra Variations You Might See
Supplements And Appendices
Some records include extra files. You don’t need to cite them separately if you are citing the review as a whole. If you cite a specific supplement, add a short note after the citation in your text.
Group Authors
At times the byline lists a group, then individual names. Follow your style: APA places the group name in the author slot; Vancouver can list the group and add members after a semicolon if the record shows them.
Early View Items
If a record shows an “ahead of issue” flag without a volume or issue, include the year, the article number, and the DOI. Update your reference when the volume and issue appear.
Mini Checklist Before You Publish
Field Order Matches Your Style
Scan each citation for order and punctuation. Journal name in italics? Correct. Volume before issue? Correct. Periods and commas in the right places? Correct.
Links Resolve
Click each DOI. If one fails, return to the review page and copy the link again. Shortened or redirected links can break trackers or reader access.
In-Text Cites Align With The List
Count your superscripts or author-year pairs. Every in-text cite needs a partner in the list, and every list item needs at least one touch point in the text.
Reusable Snippets You Can Adapt
APA 7 Plain Template
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of review. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Volume(Issue), Article number. https://doi.org/xxxx
Vancouver / AMA Plain Template
Author AA, Author BB, Author CC. Title of review. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Year;Volume(Issue):Article number. doi:xxxx
Harvard Plain Template
Author, A.A., Author, B.B. and Author, C.C., Year. Title of review. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Volume(Issue), Article number. doi:xxxx
You’re Set To Cite Cochrane Reviews With Confidence
With the fields gathered from the review page, the right style template, and a quick check for article numbers and DOIs, your references will match what editors expect and readers can verify. Keep this page pinned, and your next Cochrane Review citation will take seconds.