Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 18, 2025

Comparing Bibliometric Analysis Using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science Databases
Published on: October 24, 2019
Group authorships in Cochrane had low compliance with Cochrane recommendations
Mikkel Zola Andersen1,2, Siv Fonnes1,2, Kristoffer Andresen1,2
1Department of Surgery, Center for Perioperative Optimization, Herlev and Gentofte Hospitals, University of Copenhagen, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 1, Herlev, Denmark.
Objective:
Recently, group authorships have become more common. Group authorship describes a situation where the name of a group of people is included in the byline of an article. Historically, however, group authorships have been associated with citation errors and difficulties identifying who could be regarded as an author. Cochrane is a collaboration that publishes high-quality systematic reviews and meta-analyses and transparency in authorship should be high. Group authorships in Cochrane have not previously been examined. This study aimed to describe group authorships in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR).
Methods:
In total, 8396 reviews from the CDSR were screened for group authorships from inception to 31 December 2019. Data from group authorships were extracted and analyzed.
Results:
A total of 41 reviews with group authorships were included. Almost half of group authorships (46%, 19/41) were published from 2015 to 2019. Median number of group members was 32 (range 6-91). Median publication time (protocol to review) of group authorships was 3.1 years. Of all group authorships, 39% met ICMJE's first authorship criterion, 41% met the second, and 12% met the third criterion. For only two studies all authors met the three authorship criteria.
Conclusion:
A low prevalence of group authorships existed in Cochrane reviews. Reviews with group authorships took median three years to publish, and very few of group authorships in Cochrane complied with the ICMJE authorship criteria.
Related Concept Videos
Cofactors and Coenzymes
Cofactors and Coenzymes
Cofactors can be metallic ions or organic molecules called coenzymes. These types of helper...
Feedback Inhibition
The Scientific Method
Generally, predictions are tested using carefully-designed experiments. Based on the outcome of these...
The Scientific Method
The Scientific Method

