International Network for the Availability of Scientific Information (INASP) - Submission of articles to Medline

Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for Biomedical Publication.
Updated October 2004
http://www.icmje.org/

Review this checklist carefully to ensure that your manuscript is complete and conforms to MEJFP manuscript submission guidelines. Submit all materials electronically to the e-mail address aabyad@cyberia.net.lb. Submit manuscript and all materials as one electronic file, except for tables and figures. Each table and figure must be a separate file.

All submissions should have:

Abstracts
All manuscripts (except editorials, essays, and letters to editor) must include an abstract.
Include four-part structured abstract for research articles.
Key Words

Article Text
Do not exceed 2,500 words for body of manuscript (excluding abstract, references, tables, and legends).

References
Check all references for accuracy and completeness. Put references in proper format and order. Make sure each reference is cited in the text. Reference list should NOT include presentations, personal communications, or articles not yet accepted for publication.

Figures and Illustrations
Include photocopies of any figures or illustrations with all copies of the manuscript.
Also provide native digital images of illustrations/figures in gif, jpg, format, minimum 300 dpi.
Provide original copies of black-and-white laser graphics; use shading with contrast.
Include legends for all figures and illustrations.

Please also include any:

Accepted file formats:

Submit hard copies of the following by mail:

Manuscript Preparation
In general manuscripts should be prepared according to guidelines described in "Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals," which can be found in the following locations:

- www.icmje.org
- N Engl J Med. 1997;336(4):309-315.
- JAMA. 1997;277(11):927-934.
- Ann Intern Med. 1997;126(1):36-47.

Manuscript Style
Manuscripts should be clear, succinct, well documented, and conform to the "Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals," which can be found in the March 19, 1997, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA 1997;277(11):927-34).

Manuscript Format
Manuscripts that deviate significantly from the format specified below will be returned to authors without review.The entire manuscript, including title page, reference list, tables, legends, and text, should be double-spaced on one side of 81/2 x 11-in. white paper. Pages should be numbered. The manuscript should not include a running header or footer, and the name of the author(s) should not appear on the manuscript anywhere but on the title page, as noted below.Authors should submit one copy of the manuscript electronically via e-mail to aabyad@cyberia.net.lb (your attachment should include, in one file, the entire manuscript, including tables, reference list, etc but with figures/illustrations as separate files. and three printed copies of the entire manuscript, including tables, figures, reference list, etc. Each copy should be stapled in the upper left-hand corner. Format of the copies should be prepared as described below. Each copy of the manuscript should include photocopies of any illustrations or figures.One-inch margins should be used on all sides. Manuscripts should be typewritten or printed with letter-quality printers; obvious dot matrix printing is not acceptable. Justify only the left-hand margin. Do not hyphenate words at the margin. Use one space, not two, following the period at the end of each sentence.Elements of the manuscript, in the order in which they should appear, include the following:

Title Page
Limit titles to 75 characters in length. Titles should be descriptive and summarize the most important point of the manuscript.On three copies of the manuscript, the title page should include the following information: manuscript title; name, professional degree, and institutional affiliation of each author; name, address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address of the corresponding author; the date on which the manuscript was submitted; a word count for the body of the text (ie, main text, excluding abstract, tables, legends, and references); financial support for the project being reported, if applicable; and a statement about the name, date, and location of any professional meetings at which the content of the manuscript has been presented. Two to six key words, using standard Index Medicus terminology, should also be included on the title page.On two copies of the manuscript, the title page should include only the title of the article, word count, and date of submission. No information that might identify the author should be included on these two copies of the title page.

Abstract
All manuscripts (excluding editorial commentary, essays, and letters to the editor) require an abstract of no more than 200 words. The abstract should be printed on a separate page, following the title page. It should be labeled as the abstract and include the title of the manuscript. The name of the author(s) should not appear on the abstract.Rather than stating what will be described in the paper, abstracts should actually summarize or review the main points of the paper. For example, instead of saying, "This article will describe the relationship between test scores and clinical performance," the abstract should describe the methods used to investigate the relationship and report the actual results that were obtained.Articles reporting the results of research should be in structured format, consisting of four paragraphs, labeled Background and Objectives, Methods, Results, and Conclusions.

Main Text
The length of the body of the text (excluding abstract, references, tables, and legends) should normally be between 1,000 and 2,500 words. Presentation of a manuscript in the format described below will improve the likelihood that the manuscript will be rated favorably by peer reviewers. In general, authors should avoid having their manuscripts stand out as different by preparing them in unusual or unconventional formats.Scholarly review articles should be well referenced and should avoid anecdotal reports and personal opinions. Such manuscripts should provide the reader with background on why the topic of the manuscript is important to the discipline of family medicine and/or medical education. Relevant literature should be reviewed and cited. The main argument or points of the paper should proceed logically and coherently, focusing on issues of particular relevance to family medicine academicians, including researchers, educators, and/or clinicians. The manuscript should conclude with a discussion of recommendations and/or implications for family medicine academicians that is based on the issues raised in the main arguments/point of the paper.Essays and commentary should relate to medical education, practice, or research. Authors should be attentive to readability and clarity of writing, as only exceptionally well-written essays and commentary will be considered for publication.Manuscripts reporting research (both qualitative and quantitative investigations) or educational interventions should generally be divided into four sections, titled Background and Objectives, Methods, Results, and Conclusions.

Introduction
The introduction section of manuscripts reporting research or educational interventions should generally include a brief review of relevant literature to establish the need for the research project and/or the educational intervention being reported. The introduction should always address the following questions:1. What issue is being addressed in the research?2. Why is the issue important?3. How will the discipline of family medicine and/or medical education benefit from having addressed the issue?4. What have others done to address the issue?5. What remains to be done to address the issue?6. What will you do (ie, what are your study's objectives)?The introduction section of all research papers should include an explicit statement of the research objectives and hypotheses. If the research is evaluating a new curriculum or educational intervention, the introduction should also comment on how the intervention is different than curricula or interventions that have been previously reported or that exist at other institutions.

Methods
For both qualitative and quantitative research, the methods should be described in sufficient detail to permit readers to fully understand how the research was performed. This should include a complete description of sampling methods, instruments used, methods of data collection and data analysis, and steps taken to avoid or adjust for bias and confounding. Copies of actual survey instruments, evaluative tests, and curricula are generally not suitable for publication in the body of the manuscript, but may be considered for summarization or reproduction in tables or appendices. In selected cases, editorial staff may request a copy of such documents before a decision is made on a manuscript. For research involving human subjects, authors should also indicate the status of the research with their institution's human subjects review board.Manuscripts reporting educational methods, curricula, or interventions should include the goals and objectives of the educational method, curricula, or intervention, along with a description in sufficient detail to permit readers to understand how the educational activity might be reproduced at their own institutions. Programs that are completely unique to a particular institution, without potential for reproduction elsewhere, may be assigned a lower priority for publication.Research on educational methods, curricula, or other interventions should generally include an evaluation of the effect of the intervention. A description of the techniques used for evaluation should be described in the methods section of the manuscript. Manuscripts that merely describe an educational activity, without any evaluation of its effect, often receive lower priority for acceptance for publication because they offer no evidence that the proposed educational activity is beneficial.Several methods may be used for evaluating the effect of an educational method, curriculum, or intervention. Methods (both qualitative and/or quantitative) that convincingly demonstrate changes in learners' behaviors and attitudes (particularly over long time periods) are generally the most desirable.Even for manuscripts reporting non-interventional work, it is important that authors carefully describe methods, curricula, and other aspects of their work to provide a full sense of the scope and nature of the project.

Results
Results should be presented in coherent fashion, and should be specifically tied to the objectives and methods presented earlier in the manuscript. Results are often most effectively reported in tables, reserving the text for general descriptive statements and clarifications. In general, quantifiable results should be reported numerically, rather than with relative terms such as "most" or "many." It is unnecessary to present all results collected in the research process. Rather, results pertinent to the a priori hypotheses and objectives are of most importance.

Discussion
The discussion section should (a) reiterate the principal findings of the research, (b) comment on methodological weaknesses of the study, and (c) discuss the importance and/or implications of the investigation. Authors should be careful not to draw conclusions or make inferences that are not specifically supported by the data reported in the study. When the article reports on a new educational intervention, the discussion should comment on what had to be deleted from an educational program to permit inclusion of the new intervention.

References
References should be listed on a separate page(s) following the text. Emphasize recent references. The reference list should not include manuscripts in preparation, manuscripts submitted for publication but not yet accepted, observations, or personal communications.Personal communications should be included parenthetically in the text, ie, "In a conversation with H.E. Marman, MD, (August 1998) . . ." or " Similar findings have been noted by Roberts6 and by H.E. Marman, MD (written communication, August 1998)."References to unpublished material may include

1) articles that have been read before a conference but not published and 2) material accepted for publication but not yet published.Information about software programs should not be included in the references but can be listed parenthetically in the text, ie, ÒThe investigators compared findings using Ethnograph,¨ a software program for the computer-assisted analysis of text-based data (version 3.0, March 1988, Qualis Research Associates, Amherst, Mass, 413-256-8835)."References should be numbered in the order in which they appear in the text. References should be double spaced and written in the style shown in the examples below. Each reference should include the names and initials of the author(s), title of the journal (abbreviated according to Index Medicus usage) or book, the year, volume, and first and last page numbers.

Journal Reference:
1. DeHaven MJ, Wilson GR, O'Connor-Kettlestrings P. Creating a research culture: what we can learn from residencies that are successful in research. Fam Med 1998;30(7):
501-7.

Book Reference:
2. Stanton TK, Giles DE, Cruz NI. Service learning: a movement's pioneers: reflections on its origins, practice, and future. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1999.

Book Chapter:
3. Rhyne R, Cushman S, Kantrowitz M. An introduction to community-oriented primary care (COPC). In: Rhyne R, Bogue R, Kulkulka B, Fulmer H, eds. Community-oriented primary care: health care for the 21st century. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association, 1998:1-15.

Unpublished Material:
4. Simpson DE, Morzinski J. Moving beyond the traditional faculty development program. Presented at the 1996 Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Annual Spring Conference in San Francisco.5. Jones PQ, Moon ML. Assessing the knowledge of practicing physicians. Fam Med 1999;in press.The journal does not verify the accuracy of literature citations in reference lists. Therefore, it is essential for authors to ensure that all citations are correct and complete.

Acknowledgments
Acknowledgments should appear on a separate page, following the reference list. Acknowledgments should be brief.

Appendices
The use of appendices is discouraged in Family Medicine. If the material in question is essential to understanding the article, it may be handled as a table or figure or integrated into the text. Appendices may be published on rare occasions when they contain helpful information for the readers not covered in the manuscript, ie, additional reading materials, addresses and telephone numbers for national organizations, etc.

Tables
Tables should be self-explanatory, concise, and should not duplicate material presented in the text. Tables should include labels and explanatory notes sufficient to permit readers to understand them without reference to the text. Submit each table on a separate page (not within body text) and reference the table within the text, ie: (Table 1.)

Figures and Illustrations
Illustrations and figures (including charts and graphs) must be in high-quality, camera-ready, reproducible form. The following are acceptable: high-resolution digital images saved in a TIFF or eps format, with a minimum 300 dpi resolution; photographs; computer-generated laser graphics; and professionally drawn illustrations. Digital images or black-and-white prints are preferred; however, color prints (but not slides) are also acceptable.

As noted previously, each copy of the manuscript should contain photocopies of all figures and illustrations. In addition, submit digital images of the native figure file in jpg or gif format (300 dpi minimum) or submit two camera-ready copies of figures and illustrations. On the back of each copy, use a self-adhesive label to indicate the figure number, the last name of the first author, and the proper orientation (ie, "top"). Do not use paper clips or write on the back of photographs.All figures and illustrations should be accompanied by a legend, printed on a separate page. The legend should be included in the manuscript on the page preceding the illustration or figure. Legends should include sufficient explanatory information to permit readers to understand the illustration or figure without reference to the text.

Style Guidlines

Headings. Use ALL CAPITALS to indicate major sections of a paper, and Initial Capitals to indicate subsections.
SI Units. Include SI units in parentheses after conventional units. See the January 6, 1993, issue of JAMA (vol. 269, p. 156) for a table of preferred SI units and conversion factors.
Measurements. Do not put periods after metric measurements (e.g., 3.5 mmol per L, 11.6 mg per kg).
Numbers. Spell out numbers one through nine. Use numerals for 10 and higher. Exception: Always use numerals in dosages, percentages, degrees of temperature, and metric measurements.
Drug Names. Use the generic name for all drugs. Include the trade name in parentheses after the first mention of a drug in the text.
Abbreviations. Except for units of measurement, abbreviations are discouraged. When first used, an abbreviation should be preceded by the words for which it stands.
Percentages. Use the word "percent" rather than the percent sign (%).
Style Questions. For questions about medical writing style, consult the American Medical Association Manual of Style.2
Formatting Text. Note the following general text formatting guidelines: (1) do not justify the right margin; (2) do not use bold print or italics; and (3) use a single, standard typeface of letter quality.
Use of Inclusive, Humanistic Language. Avoid sexual and racial bias; use gender-inclusive language whenever possible. Do not mention the race of a patient in a case summary unless it is clinically relevant. Refer to "men and women" rather than "males and females" where possible. Do not refer to a patient as a case or a subject.

Submission of Manuscripts

Mail manuscripts to A. Abyad , MD, Editor,A. Abyad, MD, MPH, AGSF
Director, Abyad Medical Center & Middle East Longevity Institute
Coordinator. Ain WaZein Elderly Care Center
Abyad Medical Center
Azmi Street , Abdo Center, 2nd Floor
POBOX 618
Tripoli-Lebanon Tel & Fax : 961-6-443684/5/6
E-mail : aabyad@cyberia.net.lb

In addition to the required number of printed copies, also send an electronic copy of the manuscript to aabyad@cyberia.net.lb
All manuscripts must be accompanied by necessary statements

Manuscript Agreement

Each author must read and sign all 4. statements:

Manuscript title:	_________________________
First author's name:	_________________________

1. Authorship statement (must be signed by all authors). I have participated sufficiently in the conception and design of this work or the analysis and interpretation of the data, as well as the writing of the manuscript, to take public responsibility for it. I believe the manuscript represents valid work. I have reviewed the final version, and I approve it for publication. Neither this manuscript nor one with substantially similar content under my authorship has been published or is being considered for publication elsewhere, except as may be described in an attachment to this statement.