A Multidisciplinary Journal of Oral & Craniofacial Sciences
Guide for Authors
Submissions Authors are requested to submit their original manuscript and figures online via Editorial Manager [replace
with EES]. Editorial Manager [replace with EES] is a web-based submission and review system. Authors may submit manuscripts and track
their progress through the system to publication. Reviewers can download manuscripts and submit their opinions to the editor. Editors
can manage the whole submission/review/revise/publish process.
Dr G R Holland and Professor P M Speight c/o Libby Calvert, Administrative Editor, Archives of Oral Biology,
Elsevier, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1865 843418; fax: +44 (0)1865 843992; Email: AOB@elsevier.com.
Submission of a paper implies that it has not been published previously, that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere,
and that if accepted it will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or in any other language, without the written consent
of the publisher. Each manuscript must be accompanied by a statement signed by the corresponding author that the manuscript in its submitted
form has been read and approved by all authors. Authors should supply details of related papers submitted or recently published elsewhere.
If the manuscript reports experiments or observations using animals or human subjects a statement must be included in the letter
of submission indicating that the protocol has been examined and approved by an institutional review board.
Authors are invited to
suggest upto three referees they consider suitable to review their submission. Full postal and Email addresses should be included. The
editors may or may not, at their discretion, utilise these suggestions.
Scientific Standards The aim of Editors and referees
is to maintain a high standard of scientific communication. Normally papers are assessed by two referees selected by the Editor, and
decisions regarding acceptance are based mainly upon the advice of the referees. Where appropriate, the referees' views are forwarded
to the authors for their consideration. Authors may occasionally consider referees' suggestions to be ill-conceived but if their text
is misunderstood by referees it is likely to be misunderstood by readers of the journal.
Types of Contributions Original
papers and review articles are welcomed. There will be no differentiation on the basis of length into full or short communications. All
submissions will be refereed. Reviews may be submitted in outline prior to full submission.
Manuscript Preparation Papers
should be as concise as possible and, in view of the international character of the journal, English usages that may present difficulties
to readers whose first language is not English should be avoided. The spellings used can be in English or American, but must
be consistent
within the manuscript. Authors should express their own findings in the past tense and use the present tense where reference is made
to existing knowledge, or where the author is stating what is known or concluded. Original papers should follow the pattern of: Introduction,
Materials and Methods, Results or Findings, Discussion.
Authors will gain much assistance by consulting: Edward J. Huth, Scientific
Style and Format (Sixth Edition). The Council of Biology Editors Manual for Authors, Editors and Publishers, Cambridge.
Editors
reserve the right to revise the wording of papers in the interest of the Journal's standards of clarity and conciseness.
General Manuscripts must be word processed (preferably in Word format), double-spaced with wide margins and a font size of 12 or 10 pt. For
hardcopy submissions, good quality printouts are required. The corresponding author should be identified (include a Fax number and E-mail
address). Full postal addresses must be given for all co-authors. Please check the current style of the journal, particularly the reference
style (Vancouver), and avoid excessive layout styling as most formatting codes will be removed or replaced during the processing of your
article. In addition, do not use options such as automatic word breaking, justified layout, double columns or automatic paragraph numbering
(especially for numbered references). The Editors reserve the right to adjust style to certain standards of uniformity. Authors should
retain copies of all versions of their manuscript submitted to the journal. Authors are especially requested to be vigilant over the
submission of the correct version of the manuscript at the various stages of the editorial process.
Text Follow this order
when typing manuscripts: Title, Authors, Affiliations, Abstract, Keywords, Main text, Acknowledgments, Appendix, References, Vitae, Figure
Captions and then Tables. Do not import the Figures or Tables into your text. The corresponding author should be identified with an asterisk
and footnote. All other footnotes (except for table footnotes) should be identified with superscript Arabic numbers.
Title page As titles frequently stand alone in indexes, bibliographic journals etc., and indexing of papers is, to an increasing extent, becoming
computerized from key words in the titles, it is important that titles should be as concise and informative as possible. Thus the animal
species to which the observations refer should always be given and it is desirable to indicate the type of method on which the observations
are based, e.g. chemical, bacteriological, electron-microscopic or histochemical etc. A "running title" with not more than 40 letters
and spaces must also be supplied. A keyword index must be supplied for each paper.
Structured abstracts The paper should
be prefaced by an abstract aimed at giving the entire paper in miniature. Abstracts should be no longer than 250 words and should be
structured as per the guidelines published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA 1995;273: 27-
34). In brief, the
abstract should be divided into sections including the following: (1) Objective; (2)Design -if clinical to include setting, selection
of patients, details on the intervention, outcome measures, etc.; if laboratory research to include details on methods; (3) Results;
(4) Conclusions.
Received/Accepted Dates A received date will be added to all papers when they are received by the Accepting
Editor. An accepted date will also be added when the papers are received at the publishing office.
Introduction This should
be a succinct statement of the problem investigated within the context of a brief review of the relevant literature. Literature directly
relevant to any inferences or argument presented in the Discussion should in general be reserved for that section. The introduction may
conclude with the reason for doing the work but should not state what was done nor the findings.
Materials and Methods Enough
detail must be given here so that another worker can repeat the procedures exactly. Where the materials and methods were exactly as in
a previous paper, it is not necessary to repeat all the details but sufficient information must be given for the reader to comprehend
what was done without having to consult the earlier work.
Authors are requested to make plain that the conditions of animal experiments
were humane; for instance, the mode of anaesthesia and of killing should be specified. In human experimentation, authors should state
briefly that the subjects gave informed consent, and preferably that the work was approved by an appropriate ethics committee or review
board.
Results or Findings These should be given clearly and concisely. Care should be taken to avoid drawing inferences
that belong to the Discussion. Data may be presented in various forms such as histograms or tables but, in view of pressure on space,
presentation of the same data in
more than one form is unacceptable.
It is usually necessary to analyze numerical results statistically.
A statement of the number, their mean value and some appropriate measure of their variability is usually sufficient. The method of analysis
followed should be indicated. A statement that the
difference between the mean values of two groups of data is statistically significant
should give the probability level set as significant by the investigator and indicate the statistical test used. It is not sufficient
to quote the use of a statistical package without naming the tests used.
Discussion This section presents the inferences
drawn from the Results: these should be recapitulated only sparingly, sufficient to make the argument clear.
Acknowledgments As appropriate.
References: All manuscripts should use the 'Vancouver' style for references, which should be numbered
consecutively in the order in which they are first cited in the text and listed at the end of the paper.
For journal references,
all authors should be included when there are six or fewer (first six followed by 'et al.' when seven or more), followed by the title
of article, name of journal abbreviated according to British Standard 4148: 1975 (or left in full), year, volume,
and first and last
pages.
For example: 1. Dezan CC, Nicolau J, Souza DN, Walter LRF. Flow rate, amylase activity, and protein and sialic acid concentrations
of saliva from children aged 18, 30 and 42 months attending a baby clinic. Arch Oral Biol 2002; 47: 423?427.
For
book references,the author(s)should be followed by the chapter title (if appropriate), editor(s) (if applicable), book title, place of
publication, publisher, year and page numbers. For example:
2. Gorlin RJ, Pindborg JJ, Cohen MM Jr. Syndromes of the Head and Neck,
2nd Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1976.
Papers in the course of publication should only be entered in the references if the paper
has been accepted by a journal, and then given in the standard manner in the text and list of references but with the words "In press"
following the name of the journal.
Units and Symbols In general, Archives of Oral Biology will use the recommended
SI (Systeme Internationale) units and symbols. The use of the litre, usually better written in full, in place of SI dm3 and
ml3 in place of SI cm, will continue to be accepted. For details of the SI symbols, authors are referred to: Symbols, Signs
and Abbreviations (1969) by the Royal Society of Metric and Decimal Systems in Council of Biology
Editors Style Manual (1978) 4th edn,
published by Council of Biology Editors Inc. Units of enzyme activity must be clearly defined, preferably using SI units. Centrifugal
force should be stated in multiples of g, rather than as rev/min.
Units and abbreviations
As Archives of Oral Biology
is a journal with a multidisciplinary readership, abbreviations, except those universally understood such as mm, g, min. u.v., w/v and
those listed below should be avoided if possible. Examples of abbreviations which maybe used without definition: ADP, AMP, ATP
DEAE-cellulose DNA, RNA EDTA EMG tris
Other abbreviations used to improve legibility should be listed as a footnote
on the title page.
Chemical symbols may be used for elements, groups and simple compounds, but excessive use
should be avoided.
Abbreviations other than the above should not be used in titles.
Bacterial nomenclature. Organisms should be referred to by
their scientific names according to the binomial system. When first mentioned the name should be spelt in full and underlined to denote
italics. Afterwards the genus should be abbreviated to its initial letter, e.g. 'S. aureus' not 'Staph. aureus'. If
abbreviation is likely to cause confusion or render the intended meaning unclear the names of microbes should be spelt in full. Only
those names which were included in the Approved List of Bacterial Names, Int J Syst Bacteriol 1980; 30: 225?420 and those which
have been validly published in the Int J Syst Bacteriol since 1 January 1980 have standing in nomenclature. If there is good
reason to use a name that does not have standing in nomenclature, the names should be enclosed in quotation marks and an appropriate
statement concerning the nomenclatural status of the name should be made in the text (for an example see Int J Syst Bacteriol
1980; 30: 547?556). When the genus alone is used as a noun or adjective, use lower case roman not underlined, e.g.'organisms were staphylococci'
and 'streptococcal
infection'. If the genus is specifically referred to underline e.g. 'organisms of the genus Staphylococcus'.
For genus in plural, use lower case roman e.g. 'salmonellae'; plurals may be anglicized e.g.'salmonellas'. For trivial names, use lower
case roman e.g.
'meningococcus'.
Numbers, measurements and statistics. Numbers one to nine are spelled unless they aremeasurements
(e.g.5mL). Numbers greater than nine are spelled out if they begin in a sentence, or when clarity requires it. Numbers above and including
10 000 have a space, not
a comma. A decimal point is preceded by a number or cypher e.g. '0.5'.Decimal points in columns should be aligned
vertically. Dates are usually provided in full: 14 April 1949. Measurements may be expressed in SI or non-metric units. Use 10 ml/h rather
than -1 or per.
Abbreviations. Use capitals for: MIC, MBC, WBC, RBC, DNA, RNA, Group A, B etc. for antigenic or other groups,
PHLS, CDSC, CDC, WHO, CSF, MSU, EMU, CSU. Use cfu, pfu, mm, m, min, h, in, ft, g, kg, mL, L, im, iv, iu, P(probability). Use sp. and
spp. (species, singular and plural). Use Gram's stain and Gram-negative bacillus. Use in-vitro (adjective) but in vitro(adverb), post-mortem
(adjective) but post mortem (adverb). Spelling. Use British spellings: Haemophilus, haematology, paediatrics, leucocyte, leukaemia, bacteraemia,
sulphonamides, aetiology; but note neutropenia, fetal. Please note the journal uses UK
'z' spelling (e.g., colonizes).
Drugs.
These should be referred to by their approved and not proprietary names; for guidance, see the British National Formulary.
Proprietary
Names So far as possible, proper names should be used instead of proprietary names. Where it is desirable to indicate a particular
brand of preparations, the proprietary name and source should be given in parentheses after the proper name, e.g. Testicular hyaluronidase
(Testovase, Bovine Enterprises Ltd, 327 Farm Road, London E23).
Illustrations In the initial online submission and review
stage, authors are required to provide electronic versions of their illustrations. When an article has been accepted, authors must be
prepared to provide all illustrations in electronic and camera-ready format, (suitable for reproduction, which may include reduction,
without retouching).
The Artwork Quality Control Tool is now available to users of the online submission system. To help authors
submit high-quality artwork early in the process, this tool checks the submitted artwork and other file types against the artwork requirements
outlined in the Artwork Instructions to Authors on www.elsevier.com/arkworkinstructions. The Artwork Quality Control Tool automatically
checks all artwork files when they are first uploaded. Each figure/file is checked only once, so further along in the process only new
uploaded files will be checked.
General:Information relating to the preferred formats for Artwork and Illustrations may be
found at www.elsevier.com/authors. Photographs, charts and diagrams are all to be referred to as "Figure(s)" and should be numbered consecutively
in the order to which they are referred. They should accompany the manuscript, but should not be included within the text. All hard copy
illustrations should be clearly marked on the back with the figure number and the author's name. All figures are to have a caption. Captions
should be supplied on a separate sheet.
Line drawings:All lettering, graph lines and points on graphs should be sufficiently
large and bold to permit reproduction when the diagram has been reduced to a size suitable for inclusion in the journal. Dye-line prints
or photocopies are not suitable for reproduction. Do not use any type of shading on computer-generated illustrations.
Photographs:Original
photographs must be supplied as they are to be reproduced (e.g. black and white or colour). If necessary, a scale should be marked on
the photograph. Please note that photocopies of photographs are not acceptable.
Colour:Certain illustrations will be approved
for publication in colour but only if, in the opinion of the Editors, the figures convey information not apparent in monochrome.
Please
note that if figures are supplied in colour, they will automatically be available online in colour at no extra charge, even if the print
version is monochrome.
Tables:Tables should be numbered consecutively and given a suitable caption and each table typed on
a separate sheet. Footnotes to tables should be typed below the table and should be referred to by superscript lowercase letters. No
vertical rules should be used. Tables should not duplicate results presented elsewhere in the manuscript, (e.g. in graphs).
Acceptance After acceptance, authors may be requested to provide Elsevier with hard-copy and electronic versions of their manuscript
and their figures. The electronic copy, on floppy disk, CD-ROM or ZIP, should match the hardcopy exactly, therefore always keep a backup
copy of the electronic file for reference and safety. Full details of electronic submission and formats can be obtained from www.elsevier.com/authors
.
Always keep a backup copy of the electronic file for reference and safety. Full details of electronic submission and formats can
be obtained from www.elsevier.com/authors.
Hardcopy submissions Authors should submit an electronic copy of their paper
with the final version of the manuscript. The electronic copy should match the hardcopy exactly. Always keep a backup copy of the
electronic file for reference and safety. Full details of electronic submission and formats can be obtained from Author Services at Elsevier.
Proofs Proofs will be sent to the author (first-named author if no corresponding author is identified on multiauthored
papers) by PDF wherever possible and should be returned within 48 hours of receipt, preferably by e-mail. Corrections should be restricted
to typesetting errors; any other amendments made may be charged to the author. Any queries should be answered in full. Elsevier will
do everything possible to get your article corrected and published as quickly and accurately as possible. Therefore, it is important
to ensure that all of your corrections are returned to us in one all-inclusive e-mail or fax. Subsequent additional corrections will
not be possible, so please ensure that your first communication is complete. Should you choose to mail your corrections, please return
them to: Log-in Department, Elsevier, Stover Court, Bampfylde Street, Exeter, Devon EX1 2AH, UK.
Offprints Twenty-five
offprints will be supplied free of charge. Offprints and copies of the issue can be ordered at a specially reduced rate using the order
form sent to the corresponding author after the manuscript has been accepted. Orders placed late (after publication) for reprints will
incur a 50% surcharge.
Copyright All authors must sign the "Transfer of Copyright" agreement before the article can be
published. This transfer agreement enables Elsevier Ltd to protect the copyrighted material for the authors, but does not relinquish
the author's proprietary rights. The copyright transfer covers the exclusive rights to reproduce and distribute the article, including
reprints, photographic reproductions, microfilm or any other reproductions of similar nature and translations. Includes the right to
adapt the article for use in conjunction with computer systems and programs, including reproduction or publication in machine-readable
form and incorporation in retrieval systems. Authors are responsible for obtaining from the copyright holder permission to reproduce
any figures for which copyright exists.
Author enquiries For enquiries relating to the submission of articles (including
electronic submission where available) please visit www.elsevier.com/authors. This website provides information on article submission
as well as detailed artwork guidelines, copyright information, frequently asked questions and more.
Contact details for questions
arising after acceptance of an article, especially those relating to proofs, are provided after registration of an article for publication.
Funding body agreements and policies
Elsevier has established agreements and developed policies to allow authors whose
articles appear in journals published by Elsevier, to comply with potential manuscript archiving requirements as specified as conditions
of their grant awards. To learn more about existing agreements and policies please visit http://www.elsevier.com/fundingbodies
