Official Journal of the Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs, Inc. (AMSPDC)
Guide for Authors
EDITOR
William F. Balistreri, MD The Journal of Pediatrics
Children's Hospital Medical Center
3333
Burnet Ave, MLC 3021
Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039
Monica L. Helton, Managing Editor
Phone: 513-636-7140; Fax: 513-636-7141 journal.pediatrics@cchmc.org http://ees.elsevier.com/jpeds/
PUBLISHER
Elsevier Inc.
360 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010-1710
Rachel Sampson, Journal Manager
Tel: 212-462-1963
General
Policies and Guide for Authors
The Journal of Pediatrics publishes Original Research Articles, Clinical and
Laboratory Observations, reviews of Medical Progress in pediatrics and related fields, Grand Rounds and clinicopathologic conferences
(CPCs), Invited Commentaries, Special Articles, Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs, Inc. (AMSPDC) commentaries,
and Insights.
Manuscripts are accepted for review with the stipulation that they are submitted solely to The Journal of Pediatrics.
The Journal will not consider for review manuscripts that have been published elsewhere, even if in another language, or manuscripts
that are being considered by another publication, or are in press. If any part of a manuscript by the same author or authors contains
any information that was previously published, is in press, or is under consideration by another publication, a reprint of the previous
article or a copy of the other manuscript should be submitted to the Editor, with a justification or explanation by the authors of any
potential overlap or duplication. If the Editor is made aware of such overlapping or duplicate manuscripts that have not been disclosed
by the authors, a written explanation will be requested. If, in the judgment of the Editor, the explanation is inadequate, the submission
will be rejected. If there is no disclosure, an appropriate official of the primary author's academic institution will be notified.
As a condition of authorship, all authors must have seen and approved the submission of the manuscript and be willing to take responsibility
for the entire manuscript. Multi-authored manuscripts should have a declaration of each author's contributions in the letter of submission.
If there are concerns about how all persons listed as authors meet the criteria for authorship according to the "Uniform Requirements
for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for Biomedical Publication" available at www.icmje.org,
we will request further information from the corresponding author and, if necessary, request written documentation of each person's work
on the report. The names of persons who have contributed substantially to a study but who do not fulfill the criteria for authorship
are to be listed in an acknowledgment that would be published in the online version of The Journal. If the byline includes
the name of a study group, a list of all members of the study group must be provided and would be published in the online version of The Journal. All authors of a submitted manuscript must sign a form declaring that they meet the criteria for authorship according
to www.icmje.org, approve the most recent submitted version of the manuscript,
and take full responsibility for the manuscript. This form will be sent to the corresponding author when the Editors reach a decision
that the manuscript may be potentially publishable. An explanation for the addition or removal of an author(s) must be provided with
direct verification from the added/removed author(s).
All accepted manuscripts are subject to editorial revision and shortening. Authors
should avoid redundancy between sections of text and between illustrations and text. Due to page limitations, the Editors may decide
that figures, appendices, tables, acknowledgments, and other material be published in the online version of The Journal of Pediatrics
only and referenced in the print edition.
Research manuscripts should include a statement that approval for human research was received
from the appropriate board. Manuscripts describing research involving human subjects should indicate that written informed consent was
obtained from the parents or guardians of the children who served as subjects of the investigation and, when appropriate, from the subjects
themselves. In the event that either the Editors or the reviewers question the propriety of the human investigation with respect to the
risk to the subjects or to the means by which informed consent was obtained, The Journal of Pediatrics may request more detailed
information about the safeguards employed and the procedures used to obtain informed consent. Copies of the minutes of the committees
that reviewed and approved the research also may be requested. Authors should verify compliance with the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) prior to submission.
Although currently not required for submission or publication, the
Editors encourage registration of clinical trials in an appropriate registry. Provide the site of the registry and the registration
number in the letter of submission and on the title page; this information may be published.
Conflict of Interest
Authors
should disclose on the title page of the manuscript any potential, perceived, or real conflict of interest, especially any financial
arrangement (e.g., grants received, advisory board memberships, share holdings) with a company whose product is discussed in the manuscript.
If the article is accepted for publication, the disclosure statement may be published.
Authors must describe the role of the study
sponsor(s), if any, in 1) study design; 2) the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; 3) the writing of the report; and 4)
the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. Authors should include statements even when the sponsor had no involvement in
the above matters. Authors should also state who wrote the first draft of the manuscript and whether an honorarium, grant, or other form
of payment was given to anyone to produce the manuscript.
Trade names of drugs and other products must not appear in the article title.
The trade name may appear once in the abstract and once in the introduction or methods section; all other mention of the product must
be in the form of the generic name (see Drug Nomenclature).
Release to Media
It is a violation of the copyright agreement
to disclose the findings of an accepted manuscript to the media or the public before publication in The Journal of Pediatrics.
Information in the manuscript may be announced when it is published on The Journal's web site.
Preparation of Manuscripts Manuscripts
are to be submitted via the Elsevier Editorial System (EES), the electronic submission website at http://ees.elsevier.com/jpeds
. Authors should review carefully the Authors' Tutorial for the system at http://ees.elsevier.com/eeshelp/EES_Author_Tutorial.html
. Manuscripts must adhere to standard layout and length guidelines.
Length. Original articles should not exceed 6 published
pages (about 18 double-spaced manuscript pages, including the title page, references, figures, and tables). Failure to comply with length
restrictions may result in a delay in the processing of your paper.
The following length targets are recommended:
Abstract: <200
words for OA, <50 for CLO
Introduction: 1 page
Methods: 2-3 pages
Results: 2-3 pages Discussion: 3-5 pages
Graphics:
4 tables + figures total
References: 30
Potential Reviewers.
To assist with a prompt, fair review process, authors should
provide in the letter of submission the names, complete addresses, fax numbers, and e-mail addresses of 5 to 7 potential reviewers
who have the appropriate expertise to evaluate the manuscript. Failure to provide 5 to 7 potential reviewers may result in delays in
the processing of your manuscript. Authors may also provide the names of persons who should not be asked to review the manuscript.
Letter of Submission.
A Letter of Submission must accompany all submissions and provide the following information in accordance
with the "Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for Biomedical Publication" available
at http://www.icmje.org
Disclosure of any prior publications or submissions with any overlapping information;
a copy of the work(s) must be provided; or a statement that there are no prior publications or submissions with any overlapping information;
A statement that the work is not and will not be submitted to any other journal while under consideration by The Journal of
Pediatrics;
A statement of any potential conflict of interest, real or perceived, and of the role of the study sponsor,
if any; this must also appear on the title page;
A statement that each author listed on the manuscript has seen and approved
the submission of this version of the manuscript and takes full responsibility for the manuscript; if more than 6 authors, an explanation
of the contributions of each author must be provided.
Title Page.
The title page should include authors' full
names and highest academic degrees; departmental and institutional affiliations of each author; and sources of financial assistance or
potential conflicts of interest, if any. Listed authors should include only those individuals who have made a significant, creative contribution
to the manuscript as defined at www.icmje.org; a list of more than 6 authors
must be justified to the Editors in the Letter of Submission. One author must be designated as the correspondent, with complete address,
business telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address. The corresponding author is responsible for communicating with the Editorial
Office and all other co-authors. Proofs and order forms for reprints will be sent to the corresponding author if the manuscript is published.
Include a list of key words not in the title.
Abstract.
Full-length manuscripts for the Original Articles section of The
Journal of Pediatrics must include a structured abstract of 200 words or less, to appear after the title page, in the general
outline described by the Ad Hoc Working Group for Critical Appraisal of the Medical Literature (Ann Intern Med 1987; 106:598-604 and
1990; 113:69-76). The abstract must contain the following headings: Objective(s), Study design, Results, and Conclusion(s). The objective(s)
reflects the purpose of the study, that is, the hypothesis that is being tested. The study design should include the type of study, the
setting for the study, the subjects (number and type), the treatment or intervention, principal outcomes measured, and the type of statistical
analysis. The results section should include the outcome of the study and statistical significance if appropriate. The conclusion(s)
states the significance of the results.
In lieu of the structured abstract, Clinical and Laboratory Observations manuscripts should
include a brief summation of 50 words, without headings.
Laboratory Values.
Laboratory values should be described in metric
mass units. The International System of Units (SI units) can be provided in parentheses immediately after metric units. Conversion tables
are available (see JAMA 1986; 255:2329-39 or Ann Intern Med 1987; 106:114-29).
Drug Nomenclature.
Drugs should be described
in both the United States Adopted Name (USAN) and International Nonproprietary Name (INN) nomenclature. At first usage, cite the USAN
with the INN in parentheses; subsequent appearances should use the USAN only.
References.
References must be numbered according
to order of appearance in the text and use superscript or parenthesized numbers in the text. For reference style, follow the format set
forth in "Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals" http://www.icmje.org/ ), with journal abbreviations
according to Cumulated Index Medicus. If the reference is to an abstract, letter, or editorial, place the appropriate term in brackets
after the title.
Examples of references (if 6 or fewer authors or editors, list all; if 7 or more, list first 6 and add et
al):
For journal articles
Kramarz P, DeStefano F, Gargiullo PM, Chen RT, Lieu TA, Davis RL, et al. Does influenza vaccination
prevent asthma exacerbations in children? J Pediatr 2001; 138:306-10.
Cozzi F, Morini F. Possible mechanisms of pacifier protection
against SIDS [letter]. J Pediatr 2001;138:783.
For books
Rosenstein BJ, Fosarelli PD. Pediatric pearls: the handbook
of practical pediatrics. 3rd ed. St Louis: Mosby; 1997.
Virginia Law Foundation. The medical and legal implications of AIDS. Charlottesville
(VA): The Foundation; 1987.
For chapters in books
Neufeld EF, Muenzer J. The mucopolysaccharidoses. In: Scriver CR,
Beaudet AL, Sly WS, et al, eds. The metabolic and molecular bases of inherited diseases. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2001. p. 3421-52.
For web sites
American Medical Association [homepage on the Internet]. Chicago: The Association; c1995-2002 [updated 2001
Aug 23; cited 2002 Aug 12]. AMA Office of Group Practice Liaison; [about 2 screens]. Available from: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/1736.html
Tables.
Tables are to be uploaded into EES as separate documents. A concise title should be supplied for each. Tables should
be self-explanatory and should supplement, not duplicate the text. If a table or any data therein have been previously published, a footnote
must give full credit to the original source. (See "Permissions.")
Figure Legends.
Each illustration must be provided with
a legend. Legends should be double-spaced on a separate page within the main document file following the references page. If an illustration
has been previously published, the legend must give full credit to the original source. (See "Permissions.")
Illustrations.
A reasonable number of black-and-white illustrations will be reproduced at no cost to the authors, but the Editors retain the right to
edit or delete illustrations and tables for the sake of brevity. Figure legends must be separate from the figures. (See "Figure Legends"
above.) Each figure must be a separate file when uploaded into EES.
All illustrations must be clear and legible. Patterns or shadings
must be distinguishable from each other and dark enough for reproduction. Lines, symbols, and letters must be smooth and complete. Illustrations
may be original drawings in black ink with typographic lettering; typewritten or freehand lettering is unacceptable.
Color illustrations
are acceptable. Note that the colors must be dark enough and of sufficient contrast for reproduction. Fluorescent colors do not reproduce
well. Avoid using color descriptors in the figure legends. Authors are expected to pay the extra cost associated with reproduction of
color illustrations in the print version of The Journal. After final acceptance the publisher will contact authors with pricing
and instructions for payment. If the Editors determine that color illustrations will be clear in black and white, the illustrations can
be published in black and white in the print version and in color in the online version only at no cost to the authors.
If you are
unable to upload illustrations into EES, please contact technical support by going to http://ees.elsevier.com/jpeds/ for
contact information.
Illustrations in Electronic Format.
For figures submitted in electronic format, including color illustrations,
all images should be at least 5 inches wide. Images may be provided in a variety of formats, preferably .tif or .eps. Line art (black
lines on a white background) must be created at 1,000 dpi. Combination line art (e.g. line art with gray fill patterns) must be created
at 1,200 dpi. Black and white or color photographs must be created at 300 dpi. We will need print-quality hard copies of all illustrations
only if the manuscript is accepted for publication. For complete instructions, please go to http://ees.elsevier.com/jpeds/
and click on Artwork Guidelines.
In addition, short movie, animation, or audio files can be published in the online
version of The Journal; a reference to online material would appear in the print version. Each file should be uploaded into
EES as an "e-component." For specifications for these types of files, please go to http://ees.elsevier.com/jpeds/ and
click on Artwork Guidelines.
Permissions
Direct quotations, tables, or illustrations that have appeared in
copyrighted material must be accompanied by written permission for their use from the copyright owner and original authors along with
complete information as to source.
Written permission from the patient, or parent or guardian of a minor child, is required for publication
of photographs or other images that include the upper portion of the face; black bars over the eyes are not sufficient. Patient initials
should not be used anywhere in the text, tables, or figures.
Articles appear in both the print and online versions of The Journal
of Pediatrics, and wording of the letter should specify permission in all forms and media. Failure to obtain permission rights for
electronic publication may result in the images not appearing in the online version.
Abbreviations.
Complex terms used frequently
in the manuscript may be abbreviated. Abbreviations are placed in parentheses at first use in the abstract and again at first use in
the text. The manuscript should include a list of all abbreviations used.
Clinical and Laboratory Observations
Manuscripts
in this format should fill 3 journal pages or less; the text should be 1000 words or less with a brief abstract of 50 words or less.
A combined total of 2 illustrations and tables and approximately 10 references are recommended.
Medical Progress
Authors
considering preparation of a review article for the Medical Progress section should e-mail a proposal letter and outline to the Editors
for approval before submitting the full manuscript.
Invited Commentaries
Commentaries are generally invited only. Authors
who wish to propose a commentary can e-mail a proposal letter and outline to the Editors for approval before submitting the full manuscript.
Grand Rounds
Authors of manuscripts for the Grand Rounds section should e-mail a proposal letter and outline to the Editors
for approval before submitting the full manuscript. Manuscripts for the Grand Rounds section may be prepared in traditional clinicopathologic
conference (CPC) style or as a didactic discussion.
Insights Submissions to the Insights section of The Journal
should succinctly illuminate clinical problems or solutions of interest to readers and must fit on one published page. Captioned photographs,
brief anecdotes or analyses, cartoons, short movie, animation, and audio files (see "Illustrations in Electronic Format" above) are welcome;
however, a fresh, useful clinical insight must be offered. All material must be original. Text must not exceed 300 words and is subject
to shortening if the text and figure(s) do not fit on one published page. Figure(s) and references may be placed in the online only version
of The Journal if the piece exceeds one published page. Original, signed, written permission from the patient, or parent or
guardian of a minor child, is required for publication of recognizable images in all forms and media. (See "Permissions" above.) Contributors
will be required to sign a standard copyright transfer agreement; therefore, all submissions must have a title. Submissions will undergo
review by the Editors, and their decision to accept or reject will be final.
Letters to the Editor Letters pertaining to
papers published in The Journal within the past year or to related topics should not exceed 300 words. Provide a unique title
for the Letter on the title page with complete contact information for the author(s). Double-space the text of the Letter. References,
including reference to the pertinent article(s) in The Journal, should conform to style for manuscripts (see above).
AMSPDC Section
Pages of The Journal are reserved for the Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs, Inc. (AMSPDC), which is solely responsible
for their content. Only authors interested in this section should contact AMSPDC directly. All other manuscripts must be submitted as
detailed above.
Bonita Stanton, MD
Schotanus Professor and Chair
Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics
Wayne State
University School of Medicine
Children's Hospital of Michigan
3901 Beaubien Blvd., Suite 1K40
Detroit, Michigan 48201
Phone: 313-745-5870
Announcements.
Announcements of scheduled meetings, symposia, or postgraduate courses of interest to
the pediatric readership may be sent to the Editorial Office via e-mail for consideration at least 5 months in advance of the meeting
date or deadline. News items of general interest to pediatricians and related specialists will also be considered.
Submissions for
the Announcements section should include the following information (* = required):
Title *
Dates *
Host/Organizer/Sponsor
Location
Description
For more information:
Person
Department
Institution/Organization *
Phone number *
Fax number *
Address *
City *
State/Province
Zip code *
Country *
E-mail address *
Webpage *
Supplements The Journal of Pediatrics publishes
funded supplements after approval and review by the Editorial Office. Initial inquiries and proposals for supplements should be directed
to
Brian Jenkins, Senior Supplements Editor
Elsevier Supplements Department
360 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010
Tel: 212-462-1924
Fax: 212-462-1935
E-mail: b.jenkins@elsevier.com
Books for Review The Journal
of Pediatrics does not publish book reviews. Books sent to the Editor cannot be returned.
Inquiries Regarding Decisions
All inquiries concerning manuscript decisions should be in writing from the designated corresponding author; please see contact information
above. The complete manuscript file will be forwarded to the appropriate Editor for response to the inquiry. The Editors are not available
for telephone calls regarding decisions.
Checklist
• Letter of submission
Names and complete
contact information for 5-7 suggested reviewers
Disclosure of any prior publications or submissions with any overlapping information;
a copy of the work(s) must be provided -OR- A statement that there are no prior publications or submissions with any overlapping information;
A statement that the work is not and will not be submitted to any other journal while under consideration by The Journal of Pediatrics;
A statement of any potential conflict of interest, real or perceived; this includes a description of the role of the study sponsor(s),
if any, in 1) study design; 2) the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; 3) the writing of the report; and 4) the decision
to submit the paper for publication. Include statements even when the sponsor had no involvement in the above matters. Also state who
wrote the first draft of the manuscript and whether an honorarium, grant, or other form of payment was given to anyone to produce the
manuscript. This information must also appear on the title page;
A statement that each author listed on the manuscript has
seen and approved the submission of this version of the manuscript and takes full responsibility for the manuscript; if more than 6 authors,
an explanation of the contributions of each author must be provided.
• Title page
o Title of article
o Full name(s), academic degrees, and affiliations of authors o Name, address, e-mail address, telephone and fax numbers of corresponding
author o Name of reprint request author or notation of no reprints o List of key words not in the title o Source of funding
and conflict of interest statement, if applicable o Short running title (<12 words)
• Abstract (double-spaced),
structured (<200 words) for Original Article or unstructured (<50 words) for Clinical and Laboratory Observations • Article
proper (double-spaced), including
o List of abbreviations (double-spaced) o References (double-spaced), on a separate page
o Figure legends (double-spaced), on a separate page
• Tables including title (double-spaced), each on a separate
page, saved as a separate file • Illustrations, each saved as a separate file; if mailed, properly labeled (4 sets of glossy
prints) • Letter(s) of permission to reproduce previously published material in all forms and media-must be mailed •
Letters of permission to publish patient photographs in all forms and media-must be mailed • Copies of prior and/or in press
publications-if not uploaded, may be faxed or mailed
