Scope of our work

Activities
Cochrane Methods Groups base their activities around the six core functions outlined by The Cochrane Collaboration. These are:
1. Providing policy advice.
2. Providing training and support.
3. Conducting methodological research.
4. Helping to monitor the quality of Cochrane Reviews.
5. Serving as a forum for discussion.
6. Ensuring that the group functions interactively within The Cochrane Collaboration.
Each Methods Group carries out its work in line with some or all of these functions, as described in more detail in this section.

The Prognosis Methods Group's activities are: 
1. Policy advice which will be provided by the convenors and include:
a. Contributions about relevant methods from the prognosis group to sections of the Cochrane handbook of Systematic Reviews of Interventions and writing and maintaining a chapter about reviews of prognosis for inclusion in Part B of the Cochrane Handbook, as prognosis methods develop.  

b. Providing methodological advice and guidance to the Cochrane Collaboration Steering Group and Cochrane Review Groups (CRGs) as required.

2. Providing training and support through workshops at Cochrane Colloquia, other relevant conferences, and regional Contributors' Meetings. 

3. Conducting methodological research
During the first twelve months after the Prognosis Methods Group is registered as a Cochrane entity, the groups research agenda will be developed and priorities set. Once the research agenda is developed, working parties for each component of the research agenda will be formed and collaborations with relevant working parties from other Methods Groups developed. A preliminary list of potential methodological issues includes:
a. Definition of Prognosis Studies
b. Search strategies in prognosis
c. Risk of bias in prognosis studies
d. Data analysis in prognosis studies including assessment of impact of risk factors.

4. Helping to monitor the quality of systematic reviews. 
As a longer-term goal, the Prognosis Methods Group will develop and disseminate appropriate methodological standards for prognosis systematic reviews.

5. Serving as a forum for discussion.
The Prognosis Methods Group will provide an open forum for all those interested in prognosis research. We will provide opportunities for researchers to collaborate and share information regarding reviews or methodological studies that are currently in progress. The Group will strive to involve a large number of collaborators with active interests in the area of prognosis research. We will recruit individuals currently active in other Cochrane entities, and encourage participation of researchers outside the Cochrane Collaboration.

6. Ensuring that the Group functions interactively with the Cochrane Collaboration.
The Prognosis Methods Groups will provide interim reports about its activities to the Cochrane Collaboration Steering Group, CRGs and Fields as well as making reports available on the website.  Prognostic research and the results of prognosis reviews will be relevant to most CRGs and review authors. We will also interact closely with methods groups, and collaborate closely where overlapping activities are identified.