How to Publish in Biomedical Journals Tips of the Trade from an Itinerant Scientist and Journal Editor Steven J. Fliesler, PhD Professor, Depts. of Ophthalmology and Pharmacological & Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine Section Editor, Experimental Eye Research Editorial Board, Board, the Journal of Lipid Research Academic Research Capstone (updated March 2007) Useful Resources * How to Publish in Biomedical Journals (Liz Wager http://www.emwa.org/Articles/PubinBJs.html ) Wager E, Jefferson T & Godlee F (2002). Peer Review: A Survival Guide for Healthcare Professionals, BMJ Books, London * Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for Biomedical Publication International Committee of Medical Journal Editors http://www.icmje.org http://www.icmje.org// • Markovitz B. Electronic journals: time for a new paradigm in biomedical communication. J Intensive Care Med 1998;13:158-167. First Things First Choose the right journal *Consider the implications of your research, your intended audience and the message you want to communicate. Ask colleagues which journals they read and respect; where are most papers in your field published? Browse back-issues to understand the journal's scope. (“who and what”-- “Impact Factor”) Check that the format you have chosen is acceptable (e.g., don't send a review to a journal that only publishes original research). Instructions to Authors When all else fails….READ THE DIRECTIONS! Usually in inside back cover (print version) or on website for journal Points of journal style (manuscript text layout, subheadings, length, etc.; literature citations; illustration format/restrictions) Specific directions for submitting manuscript (print vs. electronic submission) READ THE DIRECTIONS AGAIN! The Journal of the American Medical Association--To Promote the Science and Art of Medicine and the Betterment of the Public Health Instructions for Authors MANUSCRIPT CRITERIA AND INFORMATION http://jama.ama-assn.org/ifora_current.dtl JAMA is an international, peer-reviewed, general medical journal that is distributed to readers in more than 140 countries and is published in multiple international editions and languages. Manuscript Submission. We encourage authors to submit manuscripts via e-mail. Send manuscripts to the Editor, JAMA, at jamams@jama-archives.org. Include a cover letter and complete contact information for the corresponding author: address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address. Tables, figures, and text should be included in the same file if possible. Manuscripts submitted by e-mail should not also be submitted by mail or fax. See Manuscript Checklist and details in these instructions for additional requirements. Editorial office contact information: JAMA, 515 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610, USA; telephone: (312) 464-2402; fax: (312) 464-5824; e-mail: jamams@jama-archives.org. Categories of Articles Original full-length articles (previously unpublished material) Short communications / case reports Letters to the Editor / commentary Review articles Special communications (alerts, etc.) Each journal has its own scope and types of articles accepted for publication, Restrictions to form and style for each, etc. Criteria for Manuscripts (What the Editors look for) Material is original and high-quality Writing is clear and grammatically correct; style conforms to journal guidelines Study methods are appropriate Data are valid (reproducible; statistical signif.) Conclusions are supported by the data Information is important (impact on field) Topic has general biomedical interest (or specific interest to the journal’s audience) *Note: some journals have exceedingly stringent acceptance criteria, and only publish a small percentage of articles submitted (e.g., Science, Nature, Cell, etc.) Choosing the Correct Journal for Your Manuscript Submission “Aim high…but within reason (chances of success)” “JIR targets hypocrisy, arrogance, and ostentatious sesquipedalian circumlocution. We're a friendly escape from the harsh and the hassle. JIR makes you feel good!” Norm Sperling Editor http://www.jir.com/home.html spoofs parodies whimsies burlesques lampoons satires Sections/Components of Manuscript Abstract (typically 250-300 words; some may have subheadings: Purpose; Methods; Outcome Measures; Results; Conclusions) Introduction Materials and Methods Results Discussion / Conclusions Acknowledgments Literature cited Tables; Figure Legends/Figures Face Page Title of article Author list / Institutional affiliations Designated “corresponding author” contact information (incl. email, phone/fax) Running (short) title Keywords (*may be separate page) Abbreviations (*may be separate page) Note: some journals discourage headers/footers with author ID info on subsequent ms pages (“blind” review) Figures Graphs and other line art / illustrations; images (photos / photomicrographs) Publication quality? Conform to journal specifications? Number (too many? too few?) B&W vs. color (necessary? $$$) Labels? *Journal usually specifies to annotate each figure (on back) with fig. no., last name of corresponding author, and indication of preferred orientation IMPORTANT NOTE: Submitted figures (electronic format) may be subject to extraordinary scrutiny, looking for signs of “manipulation” See editorial by Nicholas Wade (New York Times, Jan. 24, 2006): “It May Look Authentic; Here's How to Tell It Isn't” Many leading journals are now instituting this practice The New York Times (January 24, 2006) It May Look Authentic; Here's How to Tell It Isn't By NICHOLAS WADE Among the many temptations of the digital age, photo-manipulation has proved particularly troublesome for science, and scientific journals are beginning to respond. Some journal editors are considering adopting a test, in use at The Journal of Cell Biology, that could have caught the concocted images of the human embryonic stem cells made by Dr. Hwang Woo Suk. At The Journal of Cell Biology, the test has revealed extensive manipulation of photos. Since 2002, when the test was put in place, 25 percent of all accepted manuscripts have had one or more illustrations that were manipulated in ways that violate the journal's guidelines, said Michael Rossner of Rockefeller University, the executive editor. The editor of the journal, Ira Mellman of Yale, said that most cases were resolved when the authors provided originals. "In 1 percent of the cases we find authors have engaged in fraud," he said. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/24/science/24frau.html?ex=1140411600&en=4658d23018bca48a&ei=5070 Forms, Forms, Forms Checklist (items specified by journal) Copyright transfer agreement (all authors sign? corresponding author signs on behalf of all coauthors?) In addition to “ownership”: *manuscript is original, and not under consideration for publication elsewhere *all coauthors have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript being submitted Other authorizations (e.g., to reproduce material from another copyrighted source) Assurances (formal statement regarding ethical treatment of animals and/or human subjects used in research) Cover Letter: Be Professional Use official letterhead (verifies where you work). Get the editor's name right! (misspelling editor’s name or sending a letter addressed to previous editor does not inspire confidence). Describe SUCCINCTLY what you found and why this will interest the readers of the journal; what is key message / implications of your findings? WHY are you submitting to THIS particular journal? Show an understanding of the journal's readership and/or previous related publications. Consult the Instructions to Authors for necessary wording (e.g., that the paper is not being considered for publication by other journals; etc.) Can recommend/exclude referees! Now that it’s submitted…. Journals usually acknowledge receipt of submissions (typically by email) Usually assign a reference number for all further correspondence. Once you have received this acknowledgement, ALL YOU CAN DO IS WAIT! Some journals (notably the pay journals and electronic ones) aim to make a decision in a couple of weeks. For the rest, decision-making usually takes from 2 to 6 months. The Big Clock (1948) Stages of the Process* Editorial office receives manuscript Editor (or Section Editor) assigns it to an Editorial Board Member (EBM) EBM sends it to referees for review (usually with time limit, e.g,. 2 wks) Referees file review report; EBM makes recommendation to Editor/Section Editor Editor/Section Editor informs authors of decision * Different journals may vary in the exact stages and means used for handling manuscripts Possible Outcomes Outright rejection (gee, that was quick!) Rejection with an invitation to make major changes and resubmit (usually re-reviewed by same referees as original) Conditional acceptance (pending minor revisions in response to referees’ comments) Acceptance (unconditional; no revisions) “Yeah, baby, YEAH!” Manuscript rejected? DON’T JUMP OFF A BRIDGE! Read the referees' or Editor's comments carefully after the initial disappointment has worn off. Put away the reviews for a couple of days, then read them again and decide, with your coauthors, whether or not to change the paper. Re-submitting to the same journal is not usually worthwhile. However, if you feel the critiques are completely flawed, or you are able to answer the major criticisms, it may be worth appealing the decision to the Editor. (In most cases, though, it is better to submit elsewhere.) “Conditional” Acceptance? Conditional on the authors responding suitably to the referees' comments. NOTE: Usually, you DO NOT have to make ALL the changes indicated by the referees (unless explicitly told to do so by the Editor), but you do have to adequately address all their concerns. If you are unwilling to change something, you can REBUT the criticisms, but must give compelling arguments. Prepare a detailed letter of response describing EXACTLY what changes have been made to the original manuscript. If reviewers number their comments, use their numbering system for your response. “Conditional” Acceptance? If you find errors overlooked by the referees or you feel inspired to make changes not suggested by the reviewers, you should identify these in the cover letter. (In most cases, Editors are happy to accept these, since it is easier to make changes at this stage than after typesetting. ) Some journals return revised papers to the original referees; alternatively, the Editor may decide directly whether to accept the revised manuscript. Editors also may send your paper to another reviewer, e.g., a statistician. Regardless, you will get a response to your revised paper. In some cases, the Editor will request that you make further changes. The same rules apply. Once the paper is accepted: You will receive formal notification of acceptance (email; letter). RETAIN THIS NOTIFICATION as proof of acceptance. (e.g., In case you want to cite your work elsewhere before it is published, you may need to provide evidence that your manuscript is "in press“). Some journals now immediately posting the manuscript version to their web sites (“EPublished ahead of print”) Another good reason to make sure everything is 100% correct in the final version submitted to the journal. After the dust settles…. You will receive “page proofs” of your manuscript from the publisher. Before it is typeset, it will undergo technical editing. (sub-editors are experts in preparing papers for printing, good at picking up errors/inconsistencies, and putting paper into that journal’s style. Journals usually expect a rapid response to proofs (24-48 hours, faxed, emailed, or both). Make sure Editor is informed, re: changes to corresponding author's contact info. Normally, ALL CHANGES are marked directly on the proofs; it also is a good idea to provide a cover letter, reiterating the corrections. Sit back, relax…. or start your next paper! Electronic (Web-Based) Journals http://www.health.library.mcgill.ca/ejournal/intro.htm#ejournals Electronic Biomedical Publishing BioMed Central (BMC) - the new barrier-free NIH repository for peer-reviewed primary research reports in the life sciences. Through a series of newly created BMC journals, now indexed in PubMed, the site publishes research articles in all areas of biomedical research with full peer review. PubMed Central - developed by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), PubMed Central is an open access archive of journal literature for all of the life sciences. NetPrints: Clinical Medicine and Health Research - a collaboration between the BMJ Publishing Group and Stanford University Library's HighWire Press, NetPrints is another web-based repository for "preprints". The philosophy underlying the site is set out in an article in the December 11, 1999 issue of the British Medical Journal. Electronic Publishing Resources Bibliography of Canadian Medical Periodicals - compiled by David Crawford Biomedical Journal Title Search, converts abbreviated journal titles into full titles or vice versa. Ohio State University Biomedical Publishers, provides an alphabetical listing of biomedical publishers. Vanderbilt University Citation Style Guides for Internet and Electronic Sources. Provides examples of how to cite different electronic resources in bibliographies. University of Alberta Libraries. Citing Datafiles & Internet Sources - McIntyre Library, University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire Electronic Reference Formats - American Psychological Association Instructions to Authors in the Health Sciences - provides instructions for over 2,000 journals in the health sciences. Medical College of Ohio National Library of Medicine Recommended Formats for Bibliographic Citation. Supplement: Internet Formats. July 2001 One day you wake up, and you realize…. …you’re one of the few, the proud, the PUBLISHED!