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MANUSCRIPT CRITERIA AND INFORMATION
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. All manuscripts should be sent to the Editor, JAMA, 515 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610, USA; telephone: (312) 464-2402; fax: (312) 464-5824; e-mail: jamams{at}ama-assn.org. We encourage authors to submit manuscripts via e-mail. When submitting by e-mail, print mail address and telephone and fax numbers also should be included. 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.
Previous Publication or Duplicate Submission. Manuscripts are considered with the understanding that they have not been published previously in print or electronic format and are not under consideration by another publication or electronic medium. Copies of possibly duplicative materials that have been previously published or are being considered elsewhere must be provided at the time of manuscript submission.1(pp98-102)
Previous Presentation or Release of Information. A complete report following presentation at a meeting or publication of preliminary findings elsewhere (eg, an abstract) can be considered. Media coverage of meeting presentations will not jeopardize consideration, but direct release of information through press releases or news media briefings may preclude consideration by JAMA.2 Rare instances of papers reporting public health emergencies should be discussed with the editor. Authors submitting manuscripts or letters to the editor regarding adverse drug or medical device reactions, reportable diseases, and the like should also report such to the relevant government agency.
JAMA-EXPRESS. JAMA-EXPRESS provides rapid peer review and publication of original research of major clinical or public health importance.3 All such manuscripts must be screened and approved for JAMA-EXPRESS before submission. Authors who wish to have manuscripts considered for JAMA-EXPRESS should send the manuscript file and a request letter to jamaexpress{at}ama-assn.org or call (312) 464-2402.
Categories of Articles
JAMA publishes original contributions, reviews, brief reports, special communications, commentaries, and many other categories of articles. Topics of interest include all subjects that relate to the practice of medicine and the betterment of public health worldwide. The most frequent categories of articles are described herein.
Original Contributions. Randomized trials, intervention studies, studies of screening and diagnostic tests, cohort studies, cost-effectiveness analyses, case-control studies, and surveys with high response rates. Registered trials should include the registry and registration number. Each manuscript should clearly state an objective or hypothesis; the design and methods (including the study setting and time period, patients or participants with inclusion and exclusion criteria, or data sources and how these were selected for the study); the essential features of any interventions; the main outcome measures; the main results of the study; a comment section placing the results in the context of published literature; and the conclusions. For more information, see instructions for preparing structured abstracts. Typical length: 2000-4000 words (not including tables, figures, and references).
Reviews. Systematic, critical assessments of literature and data sources pertaining to clinical topics, emphasizing factors such as cause, diagnosis, prognosis, therapy, or prevention. All articles and data sources reviewed should include information about the specific type of study or analysis, population, intervention, exposure, and tests or outcomes. All articles or data sources should be selected systematically for inclusion in the review and critically evaluated, and the selection process should be described in the paper. Meta-analyses also will be considered as reviews.1(pp528-529) For more information, see instructions for preparing structured abstracts. Typical length: 2000-4000 words (not including tables, figures, and references).
Brief Reports. Short reports of original studies or evaluations or unique, first-time reports of clinical cases (individual or a series). Typical length: 750-1200 words (not including tables, figures, and references).
Letters to the Editor. Letters discussing a recent JAMA article should be received within 4 weeks of the article's publication and should not exceed 400 words of text and 5 references. Research Letters reporting original research, including case series or case reports, also are welcome and should not exceed 500 words of text and 6 references, and may include 1 table or figure. Letters should be double-spaced and a word count should be provided with each letter. Letters can be faxed to the editorial office at (312) 464-5225 (also mail a hard copy) or sent via e-mail to jama-letters{at}ama-assn.org.
Criteria for Manuscripts
Manuscripts should meet the following criteria: material is original; writing is clear; study methods are appropriate; the data are valid; conclusions are reasonable and supported by the data; information is important; and topic has general medical interest. From these basic criteria, we assess a paper's eligibility for publication. We receive approximately 4000 papers each year, but publish only about 10% of unsolicited manuscripts.
Author Information
Designate a corresponding author and provide a complete address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address. The corresponding author will be identified as such in the published article.
Authorship Requirements. Each author should have participated sufficiently in the work to take public responsibility for appropriate portions of the content. One or more authors should take responsibility for the integrity of the work as a whole, from inception to published article. Authorship credit should be based only on (1) substantial contributions to conception and design, or acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; and (2) drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; and (3) final approval of the version to be published. Conditions 1, 2, and 3 must all be met.4
Authors are required to identify their contributions to the work described in the manuscript. With the cover letter include (1) the statement on and checklist for authorship responsibility, criteria, and contributions, (2) the statement on financial disclosure, and (3) either the statement on copyright transfer or the statement on federal employment. Each of these 3 statements must be read and signed by all authors.1(p89-93) (4) The corresponding author must sign the Acknowledgment statement. Authors should obtain written permission from all individuals named in an Acknowledgment, since readers may infer their endorsement of data and conclusions.1(p96) See Authorship Criteria and Responsibility Form.
Group Authorship. If authorship is attributed to a group (either solely or in addition to 1 or more individual authors), all members of the group must meet the full criteria and requirements for authorship as described above.5 A group must designate at least 1 or more individuals as authors or members of a writing group who meet full authorship criteria and requirements and who will take responsibility for the group. Other group members who are not authors may be listed in an Acknowledgment.1(p93),5
Conflict of Interest. Authors should indicate relevant conflicts of interest, including specific financial interests relevant to the subject of their manuscript, in their cover letter, on The Journal's financial disclosure form, or in an attachment to the form. Authors without relevant financial interests in the manuscript should indicate no such interest (See Authorship Criteria and Responsibility Form). 6
Data Access and Responsibility. For reports containing original data, at least 1 author (eg, the principal investigator) should indicate that she or he "had full access to all the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis."6
Editorial Review and Publication
Peer Review. All submitted manuscripts are reviewed initially by a JAMA editor. Manuscripts with insufficient priority for publication are rejected promptly. Other manuscripts are sent to expert consultants for peer review. Peer reviewer identities are kept confidential, but author identities are known by reviewers. The existence of a manuscript under review is not revealed to anyone other than peer reviewers and editorial staff. Information from submitted manuscripts may be systematically collected and analyzed as part of research to improve the quality of the editorial or peer review process. Identifying information remains confidential.
Rejected Manuscripts. Rejected manuscripts will not be returned to authors unless specifically requested. Print copies of original illustrations, photographs, and slides will be returned.
Editing. Accepted manuscripts are copyedited according to AMA style1 and returned to the author for approval. Authors are responsible for all statements made in their work, including changes made by the copy editor and authorized by the corresponding author.
Reprints. Reprint order forms are included with the edited typescript sent for approval to the corresponding author. Reprints ship 2 weeks after publication. For a printable PDF version of the reprint order form, please click here.
Embargo Policy. All information regarding the content and publication date of accepted manuscripts is strictly confidential. Information contained in or about accepted articles cannot appear in print, on radio or television, or in electronic form or be released by the news media until 3 PM CST on Tuesday, the day before its publication date.2
Unauthorized Use. Published manuscripts become the permanent property of the AMA and may not be published elsewhere without written permission. Unauthorized use of the JAMA name, logo, or any content for commercial purposes or to promote commercial goods and services (in any format, including print, video, audio, and digital) is not permitted by JAMA or the AMA.
Manuscript Preparation
Manuscripts should be prepared in accordance with the American Medical Association Manual of Style1 and/or the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals. 4
- If submitting by mail, submit the original manuscript and 3 photocopies; use 1 side of standard-sized paper and 1-inch margins.
- Double-space throughout, including title page, abstract, text, acknowledgments, references, figure legends, and tables. Start each of these sections on a new page, numbered consecutively, beginning with the title page.
- On the title page, include word count for text only, exclusive of title, abstract, references, figure legends, and tables.
- Use only 10- or 12-point font size.
- On the title page include the full names, highest academic degrees, and affiliations of all authors. If an author's affiliation has changed since the work was done, list the new affiliation as well.
- Units of Measure. Conventional units of measure are preferred, with Système International (SI) units expressed secondarily (in parentheses). In tables and figures, a conversion factor to SI may be presented in the footnote or legend to economize space. Exceptions to this policy include calories, hematocrit, glycosylated hemoglobin, blood cell counts, and ejection fraction, for which conventional units alone should be expressed. The metric system is preferred for the expression of length, area, mass, and volume. For more details, see the SI unit conversion table at http://jama.ama-assn.org/misc/auinst_si.dtl.
- Use nonproprietary names of drugs, devices, and other products, unless the specific trade name of a drug is directly relevant to the discussion.1(pp353-356)
- Do not use abbreviations in the title or abstract and limit their use in the text.
Abstract. Include a structured abstract of no more than 300 words for reports of original data, reviews, meta-analyses, and consensus statements. (See instructions for preparing structured abstracts.) For other major manuscripts, include an unstructured abstract of no more than 200 words that summarizes the objective, main points, and conclusions of the article. Abstracts are not required for editorials, commentaries, and special features.
Ethical Requirements. For experimental investigations of human or animal subjects, state in the Methods section that an appropriate institutional review board approved the project.1(p140) For those investigators who do not have formal ethics review committees, the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki should be followed.7 For investigations of human subjects, state in the Methods section the manner in which informed consent was obtained from the study participants.
Patient Descriptions, Photographs, and Pedigrees. Include a signed statement of informed consent to publish (in print and online) patient descriptions, photographs, and pedigrees from all persons (parents or legal guardians for minors) who can be identified in such written descriptions, photographs, or pedigrees. Such persons should be shown the manuscript before its submission.1(pp141-142) See online consent form.
Personal Communications and Unpublished Data. Include a signed statement of permission from each individual identified as a source of information in a personal communication or as a source for unpublished data, and specify the date of communication and whether the communication was written or oral.1(p125)
Permissions Required to Reproduce or Adapt Material. Acknowledge all text, illustrations, and tables adapted or reproduced from other publications and submit permission from the original publishers (or other copyright owner) to republish in print, online, and licensed versions of JAMA.1(p124) (See permission form.)
Funding/Support. All financial and material support for the research and the work should be clearly and completely identified in an Acknowledgment. The role of the funding organization or sponsor in the design and conduct of the study, in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data, and in the preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript should be specified.6
References. Number references in the order they appear in the text; do not alphabetize. In text, tables, and legends, identify references with superscript arabic numerals. When listing references, follow AMA style1(pp28-51) and abbreviate names of journals according to Index Medicus. Note: List all authors and/or editors up to 6; if more than 6, list the first 3 and et al.
Examples of Reference Style:
1. Agodoa LY, Appel L, Bakris GL, for the African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension (AASK) Study Group. Effect of ramipril vs amlodipine on renal outcomes in hypertensive nephrosclerosis: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2001;285:2719-2728.
2. Walker DH, Dumler JS. Ehrlichia chaffeenis (human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis), Ehrlichia phagocytophila (human granulocytotropic ehrlichiosis), and other ehrlichiae. In: Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Churchill Livingstone; 2000:2057-2064.
3. Key and critical objectives of JAMA. Available at: http://jama.ama-assn.org/about_current.dtl. Accessed November 30, 2001.
Authors are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of their references and for correct text citation.
Tables and Figures
Number all tables and figures in the order of their citation in the text. Include a title for each table and figure—a brief phrase, preferably no longer than 10 to 15 words.
Tables. Title all tables and number them in order of their citation in the text. Double-space each table on separate sheets of standard-sized white paper. If a table must be continued, repeat the title on a second sheet, followed by "(cont)." Also include copies of all tables on the disk that is submitted with the manuscript or at the end of the text document for electronic submissions.
Figures. For initial manuscript submissions, figures must be of sufficient quality for peer review.
Hard copy submissions: provide 1 set of figures and 3 sets of copies. For black-and-white graphs and illustrations, provide high-resolution (600 dpi minimum) laser printouts. For color graphs and illustrations, provide color inkjet or laser printouts. For photographs (halftone, including radiographic images, and color), provide high-quality, unlabeled prints. Do not mark directly on photographic prints. Apply indicators and labels only on a second print, overlay, or photocopy of the original print. Affix a sticker with figure number, title, name of first author, short form of the manuscript title, and an arrow indicating top to the back of each print.
E-mail submissions: embed all figures in the text document at the end of the file.
Photographs (hard copy and e-mail submissions): digitally processed images must not be altered. Include internal scale markers in photomicrographs and electron micrographs whether submitted as photographic prints or as digital files.
At the time of manuscript revision or acceptance, publication-quality photographic images will be requested. All graphs and illustrations will be re-created according to JAMA style and standards prior to publication. Original illustrations, photographs, and slides from rejected manuscripts will be returned to authors.
Legends. For hard copy submissions, include double-spaced legends (maximum length, 40 words) on separate pages. For e-mail submissions, include legends in the text document at the end of the file. For photomicrographs, include the type of specimen, original magnification, and stain.
MANUSCRIPT CHECKLIST
 1. Include original manuscript and 3 photocopies if submitting by mail.
2. If submitting by e-mail, include text, tables, and figures in a single file (if possible) as well as mailing address and telephone and fax numbers.
3. On the title page, include a word count for text only, exclusive of title, abstract, references, tables, and figure legends.
4. On the title page, designate a corresponding author and provide a complete address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address.
5. Provide an abstract that conforms with the required abstract format.
6. Double-space manuscript and leave right margins unjustified (ragged).
7. Check all references for accuracy and completeness. Put references in proper format in numerical order, making sure each is cited in sequence in the text.
8. Include a title for each table and figure—a brief, succinct phrase, preferably no longer than 10 to 15 words—and explanatory legend as needed.
9. Send 4 sets (1 original and 3 copies) of all figures and tables with titles and legends for each if submitting by mail.
10. Include statements signed by each author for authorship responsibility, criteria, and contributions; financial disclosure; and copyright transfer or federal employment.
11. Indicate specific contributions from each author (see authorship checklist).
12. Include statement signed by corresponding author that written permission has been obtained from all persons named in the Acknowledgment.
13. Include research or project support/funding in the Acknowledgment.
14. Include written permission from each individual identified as a source for personal communication or unpublished data.
15. Include written permission from publishers (or other copyright owner) to reproduce or adapt previously published text, figures, and tables in print, online, and licensed versions of JAMA. See online permission form.
16. Include informed consent forms for identifiable patient descriptions, photographs, and pedigrees. See online consent form.
STRUCTURED ABSTRACTS
All reports of original data, reviews, meta-analyses, and consensus statements should be submitted with structured abstracts as described below. No information should be reported in the abstract that does not appear in the text of the manuscript. The following is adapted from "More informative abstracts revisited."8
Reports of Original Data
Reports of original data should include an abstract of no more than 300 words using the following headings: Context, Objective, Design, Setting, Patients (or Participants), Interventions (include only if there are any), Main Outcome Measure(s), Results, and Conclusions. For brevity, parts of the abstract should be written as phrases rather than complete sentences. The content following each heading should be as follows:
1. Context. The abstract should begin with a sentence or 2 explaining the clinical (or other) importance of the study question.
2. Objective. A precise objective or study question addressed in the report should be stated (eg, "To determine whether . . ."). If more than 1 objective is addressed, the main objective should be indicated and only key secondary objectives stated. If an a priori hypothesis was tested, it should be stated.
3. Design. The basic design of the study should be described. The years of the study and the duration of follow-up, if any, should be stated. As many of the following terms as apply should be used.
A. For intervention studies: randomized controlled trial; nonrandomized controlled trial; double-blind; placebo-controlled; crossover trial; before-after trial.
B. For studies of screening and diagnostic tests: criterion standard (that is, a widely accepted standard with which a new or alternative test is being compared; this term is preferred to gold standard); blinded or masked comparison.
C. For studies of prognosis: inception cohort (subjects assembled at a similar and early time in the course of the disorder and followed thereafter); cohort (subjects followed forward in time, but not necessarily from a common starting point); validation cohort or validation sample if the study involves modeling of clinical predictions.
D. For studies of causation or association: randomized controlled trial; cohort; survey; case-control.
E. For descriptions of the clinical features of medical disorders: survey; case series.
F. For studies that include a formal economic evaluation: cost-effectiveness analysis; cost-utility analysis; cost-benefit analysis. For new analyses of existing data sets, the data set should be identified and the basic study design disclosed.
4. Setting. To assist readers to determine the applicability of the report to their own clinical circumstances, the study setting(s) should be described. Of particular importance is whether the setting is the general community, a primary care or referral center, private or institutional practice, or ambulatory or hospitalized care.
5. Patients or Other Participants. The clinical disorders, important eligibility criteria, and key sociodemographic features of patients should be stated. The numbers of participants and how they were selected should be provided (see below), including the number of otherwise eligible subjects who were approached but refused. If matching is used for comparison groups, characteristics that are matched should be specified. In follow-up studies, the proportion of participants who completed the study must be indicated. In intervention studies, the number of patients withdrawn because of adverse effects should be given. For selection procedures, these terms should be used, if appropriate: random sample (where random refers to a formal, randomized selection in which all eligible subjects have a fixed and usually equal chance of selection); population-based sample; referred sample; consecutive sample; volunteer sample; convenience sample.
6. Intervention(s). The essential features of any interventions should be described, including their method and duration of administration. The intervention should be named by its most common clinical name, and nonproprietary drug names should be used.
7. Main Outcome Measure(s). The primary study outcome measurement(s) should be indicated as planned before data collection began. If the manuscript does not report the main planned outcomes of a study, this fact should be stated and the reason indicated. If the hypothesis being tested was formulated during or after data collection, this information should be clearly stated.
8. Results. The main outcomes of the study should be provided and quantified, including confidence intervals (for example, 95%) or P values. For comparative studies, confidence intervals should relate to the differences between groups. Measurements that require explanation for a general medical readership should be defined. Important measurements not included in the presentation of results should be declared. As relevant, it should be indicated whether observers were blinded to patient groupings, particularly for subjective measurements. If differences for the major study outcome measure(s) are not significant, the clinically important difference sought should be stated and the confidence interval for the difference between the groups should be given. When risk changes or effect sizes are given, absolute values should be indicated. Approaches such as number needed to treat to achieve a unit of benefit are encouraged when appropriate; reporting of relative differences alone is insufficient. Studies of screening and diagnostic tests should report sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratio. If predictive value or accuracy is given, prevalence or pretest likelihood should be given as well. All randomized controlled trials should include the results of intention-to-treat analysis, and all surveys should include response rates.
9. Conclusions. Only those conclusions of the study that are directly supported by the evidence reported should be given, along with implications for clinical practice (avoiding speculation and overgeneralization). The conclusion should indicate whether additional study is required before the information should be used in usual clinical settings. Equal emphasis must be given to positive and negative findings of equal scientific merit.
Systematic Reviews/Meta-analyses
Manuscripts reporting the results of meta-analyses should include an abstract of no more than 300 words using the following headings: Context, Objective, Data Sources, Study Selection, Data Extraction, Data Synthesis, and Conclusions. The text of the manuscript should also include a section describing the methods used for data sources, study selection, data extraction, and data synthesis. Each heading should be followed by a brief description:
1. Context. The abstract should begin with a sentence or 2 explaining the importance of the review question.
2. Objective. The precise primary objective of the review should be stated. This statement should indicate whether the review emphasizes factors such as cause, diagnosis, prognosis, therapy, or prevention and include information about the specific population, intervention, exposure, and tests or outcomes that are being reviewed.
3. Data Sources. A succinct summary of data sources should be given, including years searched. Potential sources include computerized databases and published indexes, registries, abstract booklets, conference proceedings, references identified from bibliographies of pertinent articles and books, experts or research institutions active in the field, and companies or manufacturers of tests or agents being reviewed. If a bibliographic database is used, the exact indexing terms used for article retrieval should be stated, including any constraints (for example, English language or human subjects) and the dates of the search. If abstract space does not permit this level of detail, sources should be summarized in the abstract including databases and years searched, and the remainder of the information should be placed in the Methods section.
4. Study Selection. Inclusion and exclusion criteria used to select studies for detailed review from among studies identified as relevant to the topic should be described. Details of selection should include particular populations, interventions, outcomes, or methodologic designs. The method used to apply these criteria should be specified (for example, blinded review, consensus, multiple reviewers). The proportion of initially identified studies that met selection criteria should be stated.
5. Data Extraction. Guidelines used for abstracting data and assessing data quality and validity (such as criteria for causal inference) should be described. The method by which the guidelines were applied should be stated (for example, independent extraction by multiple observers).
6. Data Synthesis. The main results of the review, whether qualitative or quantitative, should be stated. Methods used to obtain these results should be outlined. Meta-analyses should state the major outcomes that were pooled and include od |
