JAMA Instructions for Authors

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General Information

JAMA, in continuous publication since 1883, is an international peer-reviewed general medical journal published 48 times per year. JAMA has complete editorial independence of its owner and publisher, the American Medical Association.¹ The Editor in Chief of JAMA is Catherine D. DeAngelis, MD, MPH. See JAMA’s Key and Critical Objectives. JAMA is the most widely circulated general medical journal in the world and is published in multiple international editions and languages; the online version is made freely available to institutions in developing countries. JAMA’s acceptance rate is approximately 9% of the nearly 6000 manuscripts received annually. Median turnaround time from submission to publication is 95 days, from submission to rejection is 8 days, and from acceptance to publication is 35 days. For additional information, see JAMA. 2009;301(8):870.²

Manuscripts should be submitted online via the JAMA online manuscript submission and review system at http://manuscripts.jama.com. For more information, see Manuscript Submission.

Editorial Office Contact Information. JAMA, 515 N State St, Chicago, IL 60654, USA; telephone: (312) 464-4444 or (312) 464-2402; fax: (312) 464-5824; e-mail: jamams{at}jama-archives.org.

Editorial Policies for Authors

Most of JAMA’s editorial policies for authors are summarized in these instructions. Citations to editorials with additional information are also provided.

Authorship Criteria and Contributions and Authorship Form. 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.^3,4

All authors (ie, the corresponding author and each coauthor) must complete and submit an Authorship Form with signed statements on Authorship Responsibility, Criteria, and Contributions; Financial Disclosure and Funding/ Support; and either Copyright Transfer/Publishing Agreement or Federal Employment.^3(pp128-133) In addition, authors are required to identify their contributions to the work described in the manuscript (see Authorship Form).

For reports of original data and systematic reviews, authors’ specific contributions will be published in the Acknowledgment section (see Manuscript Preparation and Submission Requirements, Acknowledgment Section). All other persons who have made substantial contributions to the work reported in this manuscript (eg, data collection, analysis, or writing or editing assistance) but who do not fulfill the authorship criteria should be named with their specific contributions in an Acknowledgment in the manuscript. Written permission to include the names of individuals in the Acknowledgment section must be obtained (see Manuscript Preparation and Submission Requirements, Acknowledgment Section).

The authors also must certify that the manuscript represents valid work and that neither this manuscript nor one with substantially similar content under their authorship has been published or is being considered for publication elsewhere (see also Duplicate/Previous Publication or Submission). Authors of manuscripts reporting original data or systematic reviews must provide an access to data statement from at least 1 named author, often the corresponding author (see also Data Access and Responsibility). If requested, authors should be prepared to provide the data and must cooperate fully in obtaining and providing the data on which the manuscript is based for examination by the editors or their assignees.

Role of the Corresponding Author. The corresponding author (or coauthor designee) will serve on behalf of all coauthors as the primary correspondent with the editorial office during the submission and review process. If the manuscript is accepted, the corresponding author will review an edited typescript and proof, make decisions regarding release of information in the manuscript to the news media, federal agencies, or both, and will be identified as the corresponding author in the published article. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that the Acknowledgment section of the manuscript is complete. “Acknowledgment” is the general term for the list of contributions, credits, and other information included at the end of the text of a manuscript but before the references. The corresponding author must obtain written permission from each person named in the Acknowledgment section and must be willing to provide the editors with copies of these permissions if requested to do so (see Acknowledgment Section for more details). The corresponding author must sign the Acknowledgment statement part of the Authorship Form confirming that all persons who have contributed substantially but who are not authors are identified in the Acknowledgment section and that written permission from each person acknowledged has been obtained.

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 If that is not the case, a group must designate 1 or more individuals as authors or members of a writing group who meet full authorship criteria and requirements. Other group members who are not authors may be listed in an Acknowledgment.^3(pp135-138)

Conflicts of Interest and Financial Disclosures. A conflict of interest may exist when an author (or the author’s institution or employer) has financial or personal relationships or affiliations that could influence (or bias) the author’s decisions, work, or manuscript. All authors are required to disclose all potential conflicts of interest, including specific financial interests and relationships and affiliations (other than those affiliations listed in the title page of the manuscript) relevant to the subject of their manuscript. Authors should err on the side of full disclosure and should contact the editorial office if they have questions or concerns.

All such disclosures must be listed in the Acknowledgment section at the end of the manuscript. Authors without conflicts of interest, including specific financial interests and relationships and affiliations relevant to the subject of their manuscript, should include a statement of no such interests in the Acknowledgment section of the manuscript. Failure to include this information in the manuscript may delay evaluation and review of the manuscript.

Authors are expected to provide detailed information about all relevant financial interests and relationships or financial conflicts within the past 5 years and for the foreseeable future (including, but not limited to employment/affiliation, grants or funding, consultancies, honoraria, speakers’ bureaus, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, royalties, or patents filed, received, pending, or in preparation), particularly those present at the time the research was conducted and through publication, as well as other financial interests (such as patent applications in preparation), that represent potential future financial gain. Although many universities and other institutions have established policies and thresholds for reporting financial interests and other conflicts of interest, JAMA requires complete disclosure of all relevant financial relationships and potential financial conflicts of interest, regardless of amount or value. For example, authors of a manuscript about hypertension should report all financial relationships they have with all manufacturers of products used in the management of hypertension, not only those relationships with companies whose specific products are mentioned in the manuscript. If authors are uncertain about what constitutes a relevant financial interest or relationship, they should contact the editorial office.

For all accepted manuscripts, each author’s disclosures of conflicts of interest and relevant financial interests and affiliations and declarations of no such interests will be published. Decisions about whether such information provided by authors should be published, and thereby disclosed to readers, are usually straightforward. Although editors are willing to discuss disclosure of specific conflicts of interest with authors, JAMA’s policy is one of complete disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest, including specific financial interests and relationships and affiliations (other than those affiliations listed in the title page of the manuscript) relevant to the subject of their manuscript. The policy requesting disclosure of conflicts of interest applies for all manuscript submissions, including letters to the editor and book reviews. If an author’s disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is determined to be inaccurate or incomplete after publication, a correction will be published to rectify the original published disclosure statement, and additional action may be taken as necessary.

Authors also are required to report detailed information regarding all financial and material support for the research and work, including but not limited to grant support, funding sources, and provision of equipment and supplies, in the Acknowledgment section of the manuscript.

All authors must also complete and sign a statement on Financial Disclosure and Funding/Support that is part of the Authorship Form.^6,7

Funding/Support and Role of Sponsor. All financial and material support for the research and the work should be clearly and completely identified in an Acknowledgment section of the manuscript. The specific role of the funding organization or sponsor in each of the following should be specified: “design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; and preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript.”^6,7

Data Access and Responsibility. For all reports (regardless of funding source) containing original data, at least 1 named author (eg, the principal investigator) who is independent of any commercial funder or sponsor must 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 This exact statement should be included in the Acknowledgment section at the end of the manuscript. Modified statements or generic statements indicating that all authors had such access are not acceptable.

For industry-sponsored studies, an analysis of the data (based on the entire raw data set and evaluation of the study protocol, and prespecified plan for data analysis) must be conducted by an independent statistician at an academic institution, rather than by statisticians employed by the sponsor or by a commercial contract research organization. The independent biostatistician must be a faculty member at a medical school or academic medical center, or an employee of a government research institute, that has oversight over the person conducting the analysis and that is independent of the commercial sponsor. Details of this independent statistical analysis, the name and institutional affiliation of the independent statistician, and whether compensation or funding was received for conducting the analyses should be reported in the Acknowledgment section of the manuscript.⁷ The results of this independent statistical analysis should be the results reported in the manuscript.

Acknowledgment Section. The “Acknowledgment section” is the general term for the list of contributions, credits, and other information included at the end of the text of a manuscript but before the references. The Acknowledgment section includes authors’ contributions; information on author access to data; disclosure of potential conflicts of interest, including financial interests and relationships; sources of funding and support; an explanation of the role of sponsor(s); information on independent statistical analysis (if required); names, degrees, and affiliations of participants in a large study or other group; any important disclaimers; information on previous presentation of the information reported in the manuscript; listing of supplemental material; and the contributions, names, degrees, affiliations, and indication if compensation has been received for all persons who have made substantial contributions to the work but who are not authors.

Authors must obtain written permission to include the names of all individuals included in the Acknowledgment section and the corresponding author must confirm that such permission has been obtained in the Authorship Form.

Duplicate/Previous Publication or 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 related or possibly duplicative materials (ie, those containing substantially similar content or using the same or similar data) that have been previously published or are under consideration elsewhere must be provided at the time of manuscript submission.^3(pp151-152)

Timeliness of Data. Research reports submitted to JAMA should be timely and current and should be based on data collected as recently as possible.⁸ Manuscripts based on data from randomized controlled trials should be reported as soon as possible after the trial has ended, ideally within 1 year after follow-up has been completed. For cohort studies, the date of final follow-up should be no more than 3 to 4 years before manuscript submission. Likewise, data used in case-control or cross-sectional studies should have been collected as recently as possible, but no more than 3 to 4 years before manuscript submission. Because manuscripts in which the most recent data have been collected more than 4 years ago (ie, prior to 2005) ordinarily will receive lower priority for publication, authors of such manuscripts should provide a detailed explanation of the relevance of the information in light of current knowledge and medical practice.

Survey Research. Manuscripts reporting survey data, such as studies involving patients, clinicians, the public, or others, should report data collected as recently as possible, ideally within the past 2 years.⁸ Survey studies should have sufficient response rates (generally at least 60%) and appropriate characterization of nonresponders to ensure that nonresponse bias does not threaten the validity of the findings. For most surveys, such as those conducted by telephone, personal interviews (eg, drawn from a sample of households), mail, e-mail, or via the Web, authors are encouraged to report the survey outcome rates using standard definitions and metrics, such as those proposed by the American Association for Public Opinion Research.⁹

Reporting Race/Ethnicity. If race and/or ethnicity is reported, indicate in the Methods section who classified individuals as to race/ethnicity, the classifications, and whether the options were defined by the investigator or the participant. Explain why race and/or ethnicity was assessed in the study.¹⁰

Ethical Approval of Studies and Informed Consent. For all manuscripts reporting data from studies involving human participants or animals, formal review and approval, or formal review and waiver, by an appropriate institutional review board or ethics committee is required and should be described in the Methods section.^3(p226) For those investigators who do not have formal ethics review committees, the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki should be followed.¹¹ For investigations of humans, state in the Methods section the manner in which informed consent was obtained from the study participants (ie, oral or written). Editors may request that authors provide documentation of the formal review and recommendation from the institutional review board or ethics committee responsible for oversight of the study.

Identification of Patients in Descriptions, Photographs, Video, and Pedigrees. A signed statement of informed consent to publish (in print and online) patient descriptions, photographs, video, and pedigrees should be obtained from all persons (parents or legal guardians for minors) who can be identified (including by the patients themselves) in such written descriptions, photographs, or pedigrees and should be submitted with the manuscript and indicated in the Acknowledgment section of the manuscript. Such persons should be shown the manuscript before its submission.^3(pp229-232) Omitting data or making data less specific to deidentify patients is acceptable, but changing any such data is not acceptable.

Patient Permission Form: The form is available here.

Personal Communications and Unpublished Data. A signed statement of permission should be included from each individual identified as a source of information in a personal communication or as a source for unpublished data, and the date of communication and whether the communication was written or oral should be specified.^3(p199)

Previous Presentation or Release of Information. A complete report following presentation at a meeting or publication of preliminary findings elsewhere (eg, an abstract) is eligible for consideration for publication. Media coverage of presentations at scientific meetings will not jeopardize consideration, but direct release of information through press releases or news media briefings may preclude consideration by JAMA.¹² 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, etc, should also report this information to the relevant government agency.

Embargo Policy. All information regarding the content and publication date of accepted manuscripts is strictly confidential. Unauthorized prepublication release of accepted manuscripts may result in rescinding the acceptance and rejecting the paper. Information contained in or about accepted articles cannot appear in print, audio, video, or digital form or be released by the news media until 3 pm central time on Tuesday, the day before its publication date (or other specified embargo release date for the cases in which articles are released early).¹²

Unauthorized Use. Published manuscripts become the permanent property of the American Medical Association (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.

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Editorial Review and Publication

Authors will be sent notifications of the receipt of manuscripts and editorial decisions by e-mail. During the review process, authors can check the status of their submitted manuscript via the online manuscript submission and review system.

JAMA’s acceptance rate is approximately 9% of the nearly 6000 manuscripts received annually; median turnaround time from submission to publication is 95 days, from submission to rejection is 8 days, and from acceptance to publication is 35 days. For additional information, see JAMA. 2009;301(8):870.²

JAMA-EXPRESS. JAMA-EXPRESS provides rapid peer review and publication of major clinical trials and other original research studies that have immediate or public health importance.¹³ Authors who wish to have manuscripts considered for JAMA-EXPRESS should send the manuscript file and a request letter to jamaexpress{at}jama-archives.org or call (312) 464-2402. Authors will be notified promptly whether the manuscript is approved for rapid peer review. Authors of those manuscripts determined not to qualify for rapid review may be invited to submit the manuscript for further consideration under the standard review process.

Editorial and Peer Review. All submitted manuscripts are reviewed initially by a JAMA editor. Manuscripts are evaluated according to the following criteria: material is original and timely, writing is clear, study methods are appropriate, data are valid, conclusions are reasonable and supported by the data, information is important, and topic has general medical interest. From these basic criteria, the editors assess a paper’s eligibility for publication. 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 made known to 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.

Editing. Accepted manuscripts are edited in accordance with the AMA Manual of Style, 10th edition,³ and returned to the corresponding author (or his/her designee) for approval. Authors are responsible for all statements made in their work, including changes made during editing and production that are authorized by the corresponding author.

Corrections. Requests to publish corrections should be sent to the editorial office. Corrections are reviewed by editors and authors, published promptly, and linked online to the original article.

Reprints. Reprints may be ordered when the edited typescript is sent for approval to the corresponding author. Reprints ship 2 weeks after publication.

ePrints. Corresponding authors who provide an e-mail address for publication will receive an electronic link that provides 25 free online accesses to the PDF view of their article.

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Categories of Articles

JAMA publishes original contributions, reviews, brief reports, special communications, commentaries, and 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 frequently published types of articles are described herein.

Original Contribution. These reports typically include randomized trials (see Clinical Trial), intervention studies, cohort studies, case-control studies, epidemiologic assessments, other observational studies, surveys with high response rates (see Survey Research), cost-effectiveness analyses and decision analyses (see Reports of Cost-effectiveness Analyses and Decision Analyses), and studies of screening and diagnostic tests (see also Reports of Diagnostic Tests). Each manuscript should clearly state an objective or hypothesis; the design and methods (including the study setting and dates, patients or participants with inclusion and exclusion criteria and/or participation or response rates, 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 context with the published literature and addressing study limitations; and the conclusions. Data included in research reports must be original and should be as timely and current as possible (see Timeliness of Data). A structured abstract is required; for more information, see instructions for preparing structured abstracts. Maximum length: 3000 words of text (not including abstract, tables, figures, references, and online-only material) with no more than a total of 5 tables and/or figures.

Clinical Trial. In these studies, individuals are randomly allocated to receive or not receive a preventive, therapeutic, or diagnostic intervention and then followed up to determine the effect of the intervention. All randomized clinical trials should include a flow diagram (Figure), and authors should provide a completed randomized trial checklist (see CONSORT Flow Diagram and Checklist) and a trial protocol. All clinical trials must be registered at an appropriate online public registry before submission of a manuscript based on the trial. These and other requirements are detailed below. Each manuscript should clearly state an objective or hypothesis; the design and methods (including the study setting and dates, 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 context with the published literature and addressing study limitations; and the conclusions. A structured abstract is required, and trial registration information (name, number, and URL) must be listed at the end of the abstract; for more information, see instructions for preparing structured Abstracts. Maximum length: 3000 words of text (not including abstract, tables, figures, references, and online-only material) with no more than a total of 5 tables and/or figures.

Trial Registration: As a member of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), JAMA requires, as a condition of consideration for publication, registration of all trials in a public trials registry that is acceptable to the ICMJE and that requires the minimum registration data set as described by the ICMJE.^4,14,15 Acceptable trial registries include the following:

• http://www.anzctr.org.au
• http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
• http://isrctn.org
• http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/index.asp
• http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr

For this purpose, a clinical trial is any study that prospectively assigns human participants to intervention or comparison groups to evaluate the cause-and-effect relationship between a medical intervention and a health outcome. All clinical trials, regardless of when they were completed, and secondary analyses of original clinical trials must be registered before submission of a manuscript based on the trial. For clinical trials starting patient enrollment after July 2005, trials must be registered before onset of enrollment. Studies designed for other purposes, such as to study pharmacokinetics or major toxicity (eg, phase 1 trials), are exempt. Trial registry name, registration identification number, and the URL for the registry should be included at the end of the abstract and also in the space provided on the online manuscript submission form.

Protocols: Authors of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are also encouraged to submit trial protocols along with their manuscripts.

CONSORT Flow Diagram and Checklist: Manuscripts reporting the results of RCTs should include the CONSORT flow diagram showing the progress of patients throughout the trial (see Figure). The CONSORT checklistalso should be completed and submitted with the manuscript.¹⁶

Reports of Diagnostic Tests. These manuscripts may be classified as Original Contributions, Brief Reports, or Research Letters. Authors of reports of diagnostic tests are encouraged to submit the STARD flow diagram and checklist.

Reports of Cost-effectiveness Analyses and Decision Analyses. These manuscripts may be classified as Original Contributions, Brief Reports, or Research Letters. Authors of reports of cost-effectiveness analyses and decision analyses must submit a copy of the decision tree comprising their model. This is for editorial evaluation and review, not necessarily for publication, unless it is included in the body of the manuscript.

Systematic Review (Including Meta-analysis). These manuscripts are systematic, critical assessments of literature and data sources pertaining to clinical topics, emphasizing factors such as cause, diagnosis, prognosis, therapy, or prevention. All articles or data sources should be searched for and selected systematically for inclusion and critically evaluated, and the search and selection process should be described in the manuscript. The specific type of study or analysis, population, intervention, exposure, and tests or outcomes should be described for each article or data source. The data sources should be as current as possible, ideally with the search having been conducted within several months of manuscript submission. A structured abstract is required; for more information, see instructions for preparing structured Abstracts. Maximum length: 3500 words of text (not including abstract, tables, figures, references, and online-only material), with no more than a total of 4 tables and/or figures and no more than 50-75 references.

Reports of Meta-analyses: Meta-analyses also will be considered as reviews as long as they follow the instructions for systematic reviews.^3(pp528-529) Authors of reports of meta-analyses of randomized trials are encouraged to submit the PRISMA flow diagram and checklist. Authors of meta-analyses of observational studies are encouraged to submit the MOOSE checklist.

Caring for the Critically Ill Patient. These manuscripts are original research reports, preferably clinical trials, or systematic reviews (see above classifications for manuscript submission requirements by category of article) that address virtually any aspect of critical illness, from prevention and triage, through resuscitation and acute treatment, to rehabilitation and palliative care. Manuscripts that provide new insights into the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of critically ill patients, as well as those that explore pathophysiological, technological, ethical, or other related aspects of critical care medicine, are welcome. For reports of original data and systematic reviews, a structured abstract is required; see instructions for preparing structured Abstracts. Maximum length: 3000 words of text (not including abstract, tables, figures, references, and online-only material) with no more than a total of 5 tables and/or figures.

Brief Report. These manuscripts are short reports of original studies or evaluations or unique, first-time reports of clinical case series. Note: JAMA rarely publishes case reports. A structured abstract is required; for more information, see instructions for preparing structured Abstracts. Recommended length: 1000-1500 words (not including abstract, tables, figures, references, and online-only material) with no more than a total of 3 tables and/or figures.

Commentary. These papers may address virtually any important topic in medicine, public health, research, ethics, health policy, or health law and generally are not linked to a specific article. Commentaries should be well focused, scholarly, and clearly presented and must have no more than 2 authors. Maximum length: up to 1200 words of text—or 1000 words of text with 1 small table or figure—and no more than 10 references. Commentaries not meeting these guidelines will not be considered. 

A Piece of My Mind. Most essays published in A Piece of My Mind are personal vignettes (eg, exploring the dynamics of the patient-physician relationship) taken from wide-ranging experiences in medicine; occasional pieces express views and opinions on the myriad issues that affect the profession. If the patient(s) described in these manuscripts is identifiable, a Patient Permission form must be completed and signed by the patient(s) and submitted with the manuscript. Omitting data or making data less specific to deidentify patients is acceptable, but changing any such data is not acceptable. Manuscripts are not published anonymously or pseudonymously. Length limit: 1800 words.

Letter to the Editor. Letters discussing a recent JAMA article will have the best chance of acceptance if they are received within 4 weeks of the article’s publication. Letters may have no more than 3 authors. They should not exceed 400 words of text and 5 references; letters not meeting these specifications are generally not considered. They should be double-spaced and a word count should be provided. The text of letters should include the names, academic degrees, and primary institutional affiliations for all authors, and the e-mail address for the corresponding author. Letters must not duplicate other material published or submitted for publication and should not include unpublished data. Letters will be published at the discretion of the editors and are subject to abridgement and editing for style and content.

Letter in Reply. Replies by authors should not exceed 500 words of text and 6 references. They should have no more than 3 authors.

Research Letter. Research Letters reporting original research should not exceed 600 words of text and 6 references and may include 1 table or figure. They may have no more than 5 authors; other persons who have contributed to the study may be indicated in an Acknowledgment, with their permission, including their academic degrees, affiliation, contribution to the study, and an indication if compensation was received for their role. Letters must not duplicate other material published or submitted for publication. In general, Research Letters should be divided into the following sections: To the Editor (which serves as an introduction), Methods, Results, and Comment. Research Letters should be double-spaced and a word count should be provided with each letter. They should not include an abstract, but otherwise should follow all of the guidelines in Manuscript Preparation and Submission Requirements. Research Letters considered for publication undergo external peer review.

On Call. JAMA On Call is a peer-reviewed section devoted to postgraduate medical education and training. It provides an ongoing forum for discourse on educational, professional, and scientific topics of special relevance to residents and fellows. Topics of interest include but are not limited to education and training, career development, technology, international medicine, ethical and medicolegal concerns, psychosocial issues, and historical perspectives. The manuscript content must be original and may represent Original Contributions, Systematic Reviews, or scholarly Commentaries (see Categories of Articles for manuscript submission and abstract requirements by category of article). Manuscripts reporting original research may be up to 3000 words (excluding abstract, references, tables or figures); others should be limited to fewer than 2000 words. Manuscripts undergo internal review by the section editorial board, as well as external peer review as appropriate.

Poetry and Medicine. Poems related to the medical experience, whether from the point of view of a health care worker or patient, or simply an observer, will be considered. Poems should be original, not previously published or under consideration elsewhere, and no longer than 50 lines. Authors may submit multiple poems to JAMA simultaneously. Questions about submitting poems may be sent to jamapoems{at}jama-archives.org.

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Articles Requiring a Presubmission Inquiry

The following categories of articles require a presubmission inquiry and discussion with an editor:

Controversies. The Controversies section provides a forum for debate, discussion, and examination of challenging issues and difficult questions in clinical medicine, research, public health, or health policy. The section uses a “view-counterview” or “point-counterpoint” format, in which 2 articles address the topic or issue and present opposing viewpoints or positions. Manuscripts should be well argued, cogent, and scholarly, with appropriate documentation for scientific content and factual assertions and should have no more than 2 authors. Recommended length: up to 1200 words of text, with no more than 10 references and 1 table or figure. Authors interested in submitting a paper for the Controversies section should contact the editorial office prior to manuscript submission by sending an e-mail to phil.fontanarosa{at}jama-archives.org.

Clinical Crossroads. Clinical Crossroads is a patient-focused, evidence-based review and discussion of a diagnostic or treatment decision faced by an actual patient and physician. Clinical Crossroads can address any medical condition but the topic should be relevant for primary care physicians. Case reports are not considered for Clinical Crossroads. Clinical Crossroads should follow the guidelines in JAMA. 2006;295(24):2888-2889.¹⁷ An unstructured abstract should be provided. Maximum length: 4000 words of text (not including abstract, tables, figures, references, and online-only material) with no more than a total of 5 tables and/or figures and no more than 50-75 references. If the patient(s) described in these manuscripts is identifiable, a Patient Permission form must be completed and signed by the patient(s) and submitted with the manuscript (see also Identification of Patients in Descriptions, Photographs, Video, and Pedigrees). Potential authors should contact the editorial office to determine whether the topic is appropriate for Clinical Crossroads by sending an e-mail to margaret.winker{at}jama-archives.org.

Clinical Review. These systematic reviews address a specific question or issue that is relevant for clinical practice and provide an evidence-based, balanced, patient-oriented review on a focused topic. Clinical reviews should include the clinical question or issue and its importance for general medical practice, specialty practice, or public health; description of how the relevant evidence was identified, assessed for quality, and selected for inclusion; synthesis of the available evidence such that the best-quality evidence (eg, well-conducted clinical trials, meta-analyses, and prospective cohort studies) should receive the greatest emphasis; and discussion of controversial aspects and unresolved issues. A structured abstract is required; for more information, see instructions for preparing structured Abstracts. Maximum length: 3500 words of text (not including abstract, tables, figures, references, and online-only material), with no more than a total of 4 tables and/or figures and no more than 50-75 references. Authors interested in submitting a Clinical Review manuscript should contact the editorial office prior to manuscript preparation and submission by sending an e-mail to Mary McDermott at mdm608{at}northwestern.edu

Grand Rounds. These papers present a case-based discussion of a clinically relevant topic. They are to a great extent a faithful reproduction of the actual Grand Rounds presentation that was made by the author. We recommend that the presentation be transcribed or taped to assist the author in maintaining the realism of the presentation. Grand Rounds papers begin with a case presentation or, preferably, an interview with the actual patient who has the disease or condition under discussion. Following the case summary, the topic is presented in the same way as it was at the actual “live” Grand Rounds, addressing the available evidence on epidemiology, etiology, clinical presentation and evaluation, and therapy, when appropriate. A narrative (unstructured) abstract of 200 words or fewer is required. Maximum length: 3000 words of text (not including abstract, tables, figures, references, and online-only material), with no more than 50 references and no more than a total of 4 tables and/or figures. For a recent example, see JAMA. 2007;297(4):395-400. If the patient(s) described in these manuscripts is identifiable, a Patient Permission form must be completed and signed by the patient(s) and submitted with the manuscript (see also Identification of Patients in Descriptions, Photographs, Video, and Pedigrees). Authors interested in submitting a Grand Rounds presentation should contact the editorial office prior to manuscript preparation and submission by sending an e-mail to dscooper@jhmi.edu.

Health Law and Ethics. These manuscripts discuss important issues in law and/or ethics with implications for patient care or physician practice and are of general medical interest. The manuscript may report original data from a research investigation or it may be a scholarly, well-referenced, systematic review of a topic. Systematic reviews should include a Methods section with descriptions of the data search and selection process, critical evaluation of the cited articles or data sources, and acknowledgment of any controversial aspects of the topic. The manuscript content must be original, and manuscripts derived from previously published material (for example, a law review article) are not acceptable. For reports of original data and systematic reviews, a structured abstract is required; see instructions for preparing structured abstracts. Maximum length: up to 3000 words of text (not including references or abstract) with no more than a total of 4 tables and/or figures and no more than 50 references. Manuscripts submitted for Health Law and Ethics may be recommended for consideration as Commentaries after favorable peer review. Authors interested in submitting a Health Law and Ethics manuscript should contact the editorial office prior to manuscript preparation and submission by sending an e-mail to helene.cole{at}jama-archives.org.

Patient-Physician Relationship. Articles published in this section are evidence-based, clinically relevant considerations of various aspects of the patient-physician relationship and its importance in medical care. These articles may be Clinical Trials, Systematic Reviews (in either case meeting the JAMA requirements for articles in those categories), or original data-based papers dealing with a topic important to the relationship between patients and physicians. A structured abstract is required; see instructions for preparing structured Abstracts. For other manuscripts, a narrative (unstructured) abstract of 200 words or fewer is required. Maximum length: 3000 words of text (not including abstract, tables, figures, references, and online-only material), with no more than 50-75 references and no more than a total of 4 tables and/or figures. Authors interested in submitting a Patient-Physician Relationship manuscript should contact the editorial office prior to manuscript preparation and submission by sending an e-mail to richard.glass{at}jama-archives.org.

Special Communication. These manuscripts describe an important issue in clinical medicine, public health, health policy, or medical research in a scholarly, thorough, well-referenced, systematic or evidence-based manner. A narrative (unstructured) abstract of 200 words or fewer is required. Maximum length: 3000 words of text (not including tables, figures, or references) with no more than a total of 4 tables and/or figures and no more than 50 references. Authors interested in submitting a Special Communication manuscript must contact the editorial office prior to manuscript preparation and submission by sending an e-mail to cathy.deangelis{at}jama-archives.org.

The Rational Clinical Examination. These systematic review articles rigorously assess the evidence produced during the clinical encounter between patient and physician. The article should evaluate, in a qualitative manner, and if the evidence justifies doing so, in a quantitative manner, reports of tests of the usefulness of individual items in the patient’s history and physical examination. In addition, the article may evaluate how these items are modified in the presence of simple laboratory or radiological tests. An extension of this series is the Rational Clinical Procedures series, in which clinical procedures frequently performed by the clinician are evaluated for their diagnostic usefulness and also may be demonstrated with illustrations, animations, or video. Maximum length: 4000 words of text (not including abstract, tables, figures, references, and online-only material) with no more than a total of 5 tables and/or figures. Potential authors should contact the editorial office in advance to determine whether the topic is appropriate for the Rational Clinical Examination series by sending an e-mail to drummond.rennie{at}ucsf.edu.

Book and Media Reviews. Reviews of books and new media are invited by the editor. Questions may be directed to john.zeller{at}jama-archives.org.

Questions about any other categories of articles should be directed to the editorial office (see Editorial Office Contact Information).

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Manuscript Preparation and Submission Requirements

Manuscript Submission. Manuscripts should be submitted online via the JAMA online manuscript submission and review system. At the time of submission, complete contact information (postal/mail address, e-mail address, telephone and fax numbers) for the corresponding author is required. First and last names, e-mail addresses, and institutional affiliations of all coauthors are also required. Manuscripts submitted through the online system should not also be submitted by mail or e-mail. After the manuscript is submitted online, the corresponding author will receive a manuscript number. Each author should complete an Authorship Formand submit the completed form by regular mail or fax. Please include the manuscript number on the Authorship Form in the space provided. See Manuscript Checklist, Authorship Form, Manuscript Preparation and Submission Requirements,^3,4 and other details in these instructions for additional requirements.

Cover Letter. Include a cover letter and complete contact information for the corresponding author (postal/mail address, e-mail address, and telephone and fax numbers) and whether the authors have published or submitted any related papers from the same study (see Duplicate/Previous Publication or Submission).

Manuscript Style. Manuscripts should be prepared in accordance with the AMA Manual of Style, 10th edition,³ and/or the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals.⁴

Manuscript Components. Include a title page, abstract, text, references, and as appropriate, figure legends, tables, and figures. Start each of these sections on a new page, numbered consecutively, beginning with the title page.

Recommended File Sizes. We recommend individual file sizes of no more than 500 kB and not exceeding 1 MB, with the total size for all files not exceeding 5 MB (not including any video files).

Manuscript File Formats. For submission and review, acceptable manuscript file formats include Word and WordPerfect. Do not submit your manuscript in PDF format.

Use 10-, 11-, or 12-point font size, double-space text, and leave right margins unjustified (ragged).

Title Page. The title page should include a word count for text only (eg, not including abstract, acknowledgment, or references) and the full names, highest academic degrees, and affiliations of all authors. If an author’s affiliation has changed since the work was done, the new affiliation also should be listed.

Abstracts. Include a structured abstract of no more than 300 words for reports of original data, reviews and, meta-analyses. Abstracts should be prepared in JAMA style— 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 some special features.

All reports of original data, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and clinical reviews 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.”¹⁸

Abstracts for 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 may be written as phrases rather than complete sentences. Each section should include the following content:

Context: The abstract should begin with a sentence or 2 explaining the clinical (or other) importance of the study question.

Objective: State the precise objective or study question addressed in the report (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.

Design: Describe the basic design of the study. State the years of the study and the duration of follow-up. If applicable, include the name of the study (eg, the Framingham Heart Study). As relevant, indicate whether observers were blinded to patient groupings, particularly for subjective measurements.

Setting: Describe the study setting to assist readers to determine the applicability of the report to other circumstances, for example, general community, a primary care or referral center, private or institutional practice, or ambulatory or hospitalized care.

Patients or Other Participants: State the clinical disorders, important eligibility criteria, and key sociodemographic features of patients. The numbers of participants and how they were selected should be provided (see below), including the number of otherwise eligible individuals 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 individuals have a fixed and usually equal chance of selection); population-based sample; referred sample; consecutive sample; volunteer sample; convenience sample.

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.

Main Outcome Measure(s): Indicate the primary study outcome measurement(s) 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. State clearly if the hypothesis being tested was formulated during or after data collection. Explain outcomes or measurements unfamiliar to a general medical readership.

Results: The main outcomes of the study should be reported and quantified, and must include measures of absolute risks (such as increase/decrease or absolute differences between groups), along with confidence intervals (for example, 95%) or P values. Approaches such as number needed to treat to achieve a unit of benefit may be included when appropriate. Measures of relative risk also may be reported (eg, relative risk, hazard ratios) and should include confidence intervals. Studies of screening and diagnostic tests should report sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratio. If predictive value or accuracy is reported, 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.

Conclusions: Provide only conclusions of the study directly supported by the results, along with implications for clinical practice, avoiding speculation and overgeneralization. Indicate whether additional study is required before the information should be used in usual clinical settings. Give equal emphasis to positive and negative findings of equal scientific merit.

Trial Registration: For clinical trials, the name of the trial registry, registration number, and URL of the registry must be included.

Abstracts for 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, Results, 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:

Context: A sentence or 2 explaining the importance of the review question.

Objective: State the precise primary objective of the review. 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.

Data Sources: Succinctly summarize data sources, including years searched. The search should include the most current information possible, ideally with the search being conducted within several months before the date of manuscript submission. 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, state the exact indexing terms used for article retrieval, including any constraints (for example, English language or human study participants). If abstract space does not permit this level of detail, summarize sources in the abstract including databases and years searched, and place the remainder of the information in the Methods section.

Study Selection: Describe inclusion and exclusion criteria used to select studies for detailed review from among studies identified as relevant to the topic. Details of selection should include particular populations, interventions, outcomes, or methodological designs. The method used to apply these criteria should be specified (for example, blinded review, consensus, multiple reviewers). State the proportion of initially identified studies that met selection criteria.

Data Extraction: Describe guidelines used for abstracting data and assessing data quality and validity (such as criteria for causal inference). The method by which the guidelines were applied should be stated (for example, independent extraction by multiple observers).

Results: State the main results of the review, whether qualitative or quantitative, and outline the methods used to obtain these results. Meta-analyses should state the major outcomes that were pooled and include odds ratios or effect sizes and, if possible, sensitivity analyses. Numerical results should be accompanied by confidence intervals, if applicable, and exact levels of statistical significance. Evaluations of screening and diagnostic tests should include sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, receiver operating characteristic curves, and predictive values. Assessments of prognosis should summarize survival characteristics and related variables. Major identified sources of variation between studies should be stated, including differences in treatment protocols, co-interventions, confounders, outcome measures, length of follow-up, and dropout rates.

Conclusions: The conclusions and their applications (clinical or otherwise) should be clearly stated, limiting interpretation to the domain of the review.

Abstracts for Clinical Reviews: Clinical Review articles should include an abstract of no more than 250 words with the following sections: Context, Evidence Acquisition, Results, and Conclusions.

Context: Include 1 or 2 sentences describing the clinical question or issue and its importance in clinical practice or public heath.

Evidence Acquisition: Describe the data sources used, including the search strategies, years searched, and other sources of material, such as subsequent reference searches of retrieved articles. Methods used for quality assessment and inclusion of identified articles should be explained.

Results: The major findings of the review of the clinical issue or topic should be addressed in an evidence-based, objective, and balanced fashion, with the highest quality evidence available receiving the greatest emphasis.

Conclusions: The conclusions should clearly answer the questions posed if applicable, be based on available evidence, and emphasize how clinicians should apply current knowledge.

Abbreviations. Do not use abbreviations in the title or abstract and limit their use in the text. Expand all abbreviations at first mention in the text.

Units of Measure. Laboratory values are expressed using conventional units of measure, with relevant Système International (SI) conversion factors expressed secondarily (in parentheses) only at first mention. Articles that contain numerous conversion factors may list them together in a paragraph at the end of the Methods section. In tables and figures, a conversion factor to SI should be presented in the footnote or legend. The metric system is preferred for the expression of length, area, mass, and volume. For more details, see the Units of Measure conversion table on the Web site for the AMA Manual of Style.

Names of Drugs, Devices, and Other Products. Use nonproprietary names of drugs, devices, and other products, unless the specific trade name of a drug is essential to the discussion.^3(pp567-569)

Gene Names, Symbols, and Accession Numbers. Authors describing genes or related structures in a manuscript should include the names and official symbols provided by the US National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) or the HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee. Before submission of a research manuscript reporting on large genomic data sets (eg, protein or DNA sequences), the data sets should be deposited in a publicly available database, such as NCBI’s GenBank and a complete accession number (and version number if appropriate) must be provided in the Methods section or Acknowledgment of the manuscript.

Glossary of Methodologic Terms. A glossary of methodologic terms is available here.

Reproduced Material. JAMA does not republish text, tables, figures, or other material from other publishers, except under rare circumstances. Please delete any such material and replace with originals.

References. Authors are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of their references and for correct text citation. 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 style^3(pp39-79) and abbreviate names of journals according to the journals list in PubMed. List all authors and/or editors up to 6; if more than 6, list the first 3 followed by “et al.” Note: Journal references should include the issue number in parentheses after the volume number.

Examples of reference style:

1. Svetkey LP, Stevens VJ, Brantley PJ, et al; for the Weight Loss Maintenance Collaborative Research Group. Comparison of strategies for sustaining weight loss: the Weight Loss Maintenance randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2008;299(10):1139-1148.

2. Ramphal R. Infections due to Pseudomonas species and related organisms. In: Fauci AS, Braunwald E, Kasper DL, et al, eds. Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Medical; 2008:949-956.

3. The key and critical objectives of JAMA. http://jama.ama-assn.org/misc/aboutjama.dtl. Accessed December 29, 2008.

Tables. Number all tables in the order of their citation in the text. Include a title for each table (a brief phrase, preferably no longer than 10 to 15 words). Include all tables in a single file following the manuscript. Refer to Categories of Articles because there may be a limit on the number of tables for the type of manuscript. If a table must be continued, repeat the title on a second sheet, followed by “(cont).”

Instructions for Table Creation: These instructions are available here.

Figures. Number all figures (graphs, charts, photographs, and illustrations) in the order of their citation in the text. Include a title for each figure (a brief phrase, preferably no longer than 10 to 15 words). For initial manuscript submissions, figures must be of sufficient quality for editorial assessment and peer review. If the manuscript is accepted, authors will be asked to provide figures that meet the Guidelines for Figures in Accepted Manuscripts. Graphs, charts, titles, and legends in accepted manuscripts will be re-created or edited according to JAMA style and standards prior to publication. All illustrations of accepted manuscripts will be redrawn by JAMA medical illustrators. Online-only figures will not be edited or re-created (see Online-Only Material).

Image Integrity: Preparation of scientific images (clinical images, radiographic images, micrographs, gels, etc) for publication must preserve the integrity of the image data. Digital adjustments of brightness, contrast, or color applied uniformly to an entire image are permissible as long as these adjustments do not selectively highlight, misrepresent, obscure, or eliminate specific elements in the original figure, including the background. Selective adjustments applied to individual elements in an image are not permissible. Individual elements may not be moved within an image field, deleted, or inserted from another image. Cropping may be used for efficient image display but must not misrepresent or alter interpretation of the image by selectively eliminating relevant visual information. Juxtaposition of elements from different parts of a single image or from different images, as in a composite, must be clearly indicated by the addition of dividing lines, borders, and/or panel labels.

When inappropriate image adjustments are detected by the JAMA staff, authors will be asked for an explanation and will be requested to submit the image as originally captured prior to any adjustment, cropping, or labeling. Authors may be asked to resubmit the image prepared in accordance with the above standards.

Guidelines for Figures in Accepted Manuscripts: These guidelines are available here.

Acceptable Figure File Size: To reduce the time that it takes to upload files to the JAMA submission site and for reviewers to download files from the site, we recommend that the file size of figures be compressed before uploading them. This can be done by using compression software or by decreasing the resolution of individual files.

Acceptable Figure File Formats: At submission, the following file formats are acceptable: AI, BMP, DOC, EMF, EPS, JPG, PDF, PPT, PSD, TIF, WMF, or XLS. Figures may be embedded at the end of the manuscript text file or loaded as separate files for submission purposes.

Figure Legends (Captions): Include a legend for each photograph, graph, and illustration at the end of the manuscript (maximum length, 40 words). For photomicrographs, include the type of specimen, original magnification or a scale bar, and stain. For gross pathology specimens, label any rulers with unit of measure.

Number of Figures: Refer to Categories of Articles as there may be a limit on the number of figures for the type of manuscript.

Online-Only Material. Authors may submit supporting material to accompany their article for online-only publication when there is insufficient space to include the material in the print article. This material should be important to the understanding and interpretation of the report and should not repeat material in the print article. The amount of online-only material should be limited and justified. Online-only material should be original and not previously published.

Online-only material will undergo editorial and peer review with the main manuscript. If the manuscript is accepted for publication and if the online-only material is deemed appropriate for publication by the editors, it will be posted online at the time of publication of the article as additional material provided by the authors. This material will not be edited or formatted; thus, authors are responsible for the accuracy and presentation of all such material.

Online-only material should be submitted in a single Word document with pages numbered consecutively. Each element included in the online-only material should be cited in the text of the main manuscript (eg, see eTable) and numbered in order of citation in the text (eg, eTable 1, eTable 2, eFigure 1, eFigure 2, eMethods). The first page of the online-only document should list the number and title of each element included in the document.

Online-Only Text: Online-only text should be set in Times New Roman font, 10 point in size, and single-spaced. The main heading of the online-only text should be in 12 point and boldface; subheadings should be in 10 point and boldface.

Online-Only References: All references cited within the online-only document must be included in a separate reference section, including those that also were cited in the main manuscript. They should be formatted just as in the main manuscript and numbered and cited consecutively in the online-only material.

Online-Only Tables: Online-only tables should be inserted in the document and numbered consecutively according to the order of citation as eTable 1, eTable 2, etc. The text and data in online tables should be Arial font, 10 point in size, and single-spaced. The table title should be set in Arial font, 12 point, and bold. Headings within tables should be set in 10 point and bold. Table footnotes should be set in 8 point and single-spaced. See also instructions for Tables above. If a table runs on to subsequent pages, repeat the column headers at the top of each page. Wide tables may be presented using a landscape orientation.

Online-Only Figures: Online-only figures should be inserted in the document and numbered consecutively according to the order of citation as eFigure 1, eFigure 2, etc. Figure titles should be set in Arial font, 12 point, bold, and single-spaced. Text within figures should be set as Arial font, 10 point. Figure legends should be set in 8 point and single-spaced. Graphs and diagrams should be exported directly out of the software application used to create them in a vector file format, such as .wmf, and then inserted into the Word document. Image file formats such as .jpg, .tif, and .gif are generally not suitable for graphs. Photographs, including all radiological images, should be prepared as .jpg (highest option) or .tif (uncompressed ) files at a resolution of 300 dpi and width of 3-5 inches, but the resolution of photographic files with an original resolution <300 dpi should not be increased digitally to achieve a 300-dpi resolution. Photographs should be inserted in the document with the “Link to File” button turned off. Wide figures may be presented using a landscape orientation.

Video. For editorial and peer review of an initial submission, submit videos according to the following specifications:

• Acceptable file formats: .mov, .wmv, .mpg, .mpeg, .mp4, or .avi
• Maximum file size: 10 MB
• Minimum dimensions: 320 pixels wide by 240 pixels deep
• Maximum length: 5 minutes
• Verify that the videos are viewable in QuickTime or Windows Media Player.

For each video, provide a citation in the appropriate place in the manuscript text and include a title (a brief phrase, preferably no longer than 10 to 15 words) and a caption at the end of the manuscript. In the video caption, specify the video file format and briefly describe the content of the video. The same title and caption must be entered in the designated fields on the Web-based manuscript submission system when uploading each video. If multiple video files are submitted, number them in the order in which they should be viewed.

If patient(s) are identifiable in the video, authors must submit with the manuscript the Patient Permission form completed and signed by the patient. See also Identification of Patients in Descriptions, Photographs, Video, and Pedigrees.

If the author does not hold copyright to the video, the author must obtain permission for the video to be published in JAMA. This permission must be for unrestricted use in all print, online, and licensed versions of JAMA.

Note: If the manuscript and accompanying video(s) are accepted for publication, all video files will be placed into a journal video frame and may be edited by the journal staff according to journal style. The journal staff may contact you to request the original full-size video without text or labels to be sent by e-mail, FTP, or CD/DVD.

Audio. Audio files may be submitted as an mp3 file, no larger than 10 MB.

For each audio file, provide a citation in the appropriate place in the manuscript text and include a title (a brief phrase, preferably no longer than 10-15 words) and a caption at the end of the manuscript.

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Manuscript Checklist

• 1. Review manuscript submission requirements in these instructions and on our Web-based submission and review system.
• 2. Include a cover letter as an attachment.
• 3. Designate a corresponding author and provide a complete postal/mail address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address.
• 4. Provide first (given) and last (family) names, e-mail addresses, and institutional affiliations for any coauthors.
• 5. On the title page, include a word count for text only, exclusive of title, abstract, references, tables, and figure legends.
• 6. Provide an abstract that conforms to the required abstract format.
• 7. Double-space manuscript and leave right margins unjustified (ragged).
• 8. 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.
• 9. Include a title for each table and figure and online-only material (a brief, succinct phrase, preferably no longer than 10 to 15 words) and explanatory legend as needed.
• 10. Have each author read, complete, and sign the Authorship Formwith statements of Authorship Responsibility, Criteria, and Contributions; Financial Disclosure and Funding/ Support; and Copyright Transfer/Publishing Agreement. After submission, add the manuscript number to the top of each author form and send in the author forms by mail or fax to the editorial office.
• 11. Indicate specific contributions from each author in the Acknowledgment section at the end of the manuscript (see authorship checklist on the Authorship Form).
• 12. For reports of original data, include statement from at least 1 author that she or he “had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis” in the Acknowledgment section at the end of the manuscript.
• 13. Include all authors’ potential conflicts of interest, including financial interests and relationships and affiliations relevant to the subject of their manuscript in the Acknowledgment section of the manuscript.
• 14. Include all sources of financial and material support and assistance along with detailed information on the roles of each sponsor or funder in each of the following: “design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; and preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript” in the Acknowledgment section of the manuscript.
• 15. In the Acknowledgment section of the manuscript, include the names, academic degrees, affiliations, and specific contributions of all persons who have contributed to the work reported in the manuscript (eg, data collection, analysis, writing or editing assistance, review of manuscript) but who do not fulfill authorship criteria, and also indicate whether any compensation was received for such contributions. Written permission must be obtained from all persons named in the Acknowledgment section and the corresponding author must confirm that such written permission has been obtained (see also the Acknowledgment statement in the Authorship Formthat must be signed by the corresponding author).
• 16. Include a copy of written permission from each individual identified as a source for personal communication or unpublished data.
• 17. If appropriate, include information on institutional review board/ethics committee approval or waiver and informed consent.
• 18. The reproduction of material (including tables and figures) that was previously published is discouraged. Original material should be provided, except under extraordinary circumstances.
• 19. Include consent for publication forms for identifiable patient descriptions, photographs, video, and pedigrees.

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REFERENCES

• 1. DeAngelis CD, Maves MD. Update of the editorial governance plan for JAMA. JAMA. 2004;291(1):109. FULL TEXTMedline
• 2. Fontanarosa PB, DeAngelis CD. Thank you, JAMA peer reviewers and authors. JAMA. 2009;301(8):870.
• 3. Iverson C, Christiansen S, Flanagin A, et al. AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors. 10th ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2007.
• 4. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Uniform requirements for manuscripts submitted to biomedical journals. http://www.icmje.org. Updated October 2007. Accessed June 11, 2008.
• 5. Flanagin A, Fontanarosa PB, DeAngelis CD. Authorship for research groups. JAMA. 2002;288(24):3166-3168. Medline
• 6. DeAngelis CD, Fontanarosa PB, Flanagin A. Reporting financial conflicts of interest and relationships between investigators and research sponsors. JAMA. 2001;286(1):89-91. Medline
• 7. Fontanarosa PB, Flanagin A, DeAngelis CD. Reporting conflicts of interest, financial aspects of research, and role of sponsors in funded studies. JAMA. 2005;294(1):110-111. Medline
• 8. Fontanarosa PB, DeAngelis CD. Information for authors—2004. JAMA. 2004;291(1):107-108.
• 9. Standard Definitions: Final Dispositions of Case Codes and Outcome Rates for Surveys. 6th ed. Lenexa, KS: American Association for Public Opinion Research; 2009. http://www.aapor.org/Standard_Definitions/1481.htm. Accessed October 21, 2009.
• 10. Winker MA. Measuring race and ethnicity: why and how? JAMA. 2004;292(13):1612-1614. Medline
• 11. World Medical Association. Declaration of Helsinki: ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects. http://www.wma.net/en/30publications/10policies/b3/index.html. Accessed January 15, 2010.
• 12. Fontanarosa PB, Flanagin A, DeAngelis CD. Update on JAMA’s policy on release of information to the public. JAMA. 2008;300(13):1585-1587. Medline
• 13. Fontanarosa PB, DeAngelis CD. Update on JAMA-EXPRESS: rapid peer review and publication. JAMA. 2008;300(24):2920-2921. Medline
• 14. DeAngelis CD, Drazen JM, Frizelle FA, et al; International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Clinical trial registration: a statement from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. JAMA. 2004;292(11):1363-1364. Medline
• 15. DeAngelis CD, Drazen JM, Frizelle FA, et al; International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Is this clinical trial fully registered? a statement from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. JAMA. 2005;293(23):2927-2929. Medline
• 16. Moher D, Schulz KF, Altman D; CONSORT Group. The CONSORT statement: revised recommendations for improving the quality of reports of parallel-group randomized trials. JAMA. 2001;285(15):1987-1991. Medline
• 17. Winker MA. Clinical Crossroads: expanding the horizons. JAMA. 2006;295(24):2888-2889.
• 18. Haynes RB, Mulrow CD, Huth EJ, Altman DG, Gardner MJ. More informative abstracts revisited. Ann Intern Med. 1990;113(1):69-76. Medline

Last updated December 7, 2009.