Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals
- International Committee of Medical Journal Editors
Abstract
A small group of editors of general medical journals met informally in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1978 to establish guidelines for the format of manuscripts submitted to their journals. The group became known as the Vancouver Group. Its requirements for manuscripts, including formats for bibliographic references developed by the US National Library of Medicine (NLM), were first published in 1979. The Vancouver Group expanded and evolved into the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), which meets annually; gradually it has broadened its concerns. The Committee has produced 5 editions of the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals. Over the years, issues have arisen that go beyond manuscript preparation. Some of these issues are now covered in the Uniform Requirements; others are addressed in separate statements. Each statement has been published in a scientific journal. The fifth edition (1997) is an effort to reorganize and reword the fourth edition to increase clarity and address concerns about rights, privacy, descriptions of methods, and other matters. The total content of the Uniform Requirements may be reproduced for educational, not-for-profit purposes without regard for copyright; ICMJE encourages distribution of the material. Journals that agree to use the Uniform Requirements (over 500 do so) are asked to cite the 1997 document in their instructions to authors.
Footnotes
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Members of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors: Frank Davidson, Annals of Internal Medicine; Richard Smith, BMJ; Bruce P. Squires, Canadian Medical Association Journal; George Lundberg, JAMA; Richard Glass, JAMA; Richard Horton, Lancet, Martin VanDer Weyden, Medical Journal of Australia; Robert Utiger, New England Journal of Medicine; Richard G. Robinson, New Zealand Medical Journal; Magne Nylenna, Tidsskrift for Den Norske Laegeforening; Lois Ann Colaianni, US National Library of Medicine; Linda Hawes Clever, Western Journal of Medicine; and Patricia Woolf, Princeton University.
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This document is not covered by copyright. It may be copied and distributed without charge for not-for-profit purposes.
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The Uniform Requirements has been published in several journals. Please cite a version that appeared in the primary journal literature on or after January 1,1997.
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Inquiries and comments should be sent to Kathleen Case, ICMJE Secretariat Office, Annals of Internal Medicine, American College of Physicians, Independence Mall West, Sixth Street at Race, Philadelphia, PA 19106-1572 (e-mail: Kathyc@acp.mhs.compuserve.com).
