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RESEARCH IN SOCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PHARMACY
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Guide for Authors
Manuscript Categories
Research Articles. Research articles describe experimental or observational investigations that
used formal methods for data collection and reporting of results. There are no restrictions on manuscript length or number of citations
for Research Articles.
Research Briefs. Research articles that can provide their results in a shorter format; they have
a maximum of 2,000 words, exclusive of abstract, acknowledgements, figures, tables, and references. The abstract should not exceed 200
words. Manuscripts are permitted to have a maximum of four figures and/or tables and 30 references.
Commentaries. Commentaries
are editorials on philosophical issues, medication use policies, methodological arguments, or other pertinent subjects.
Editorials.
Editorials are typically invited commentary pertaining to one or more component articles in an issue of the journal.
Proposed
Models. Proposed models are comprehensive, well-executed papers that seek to propose and advance for scholarly discourse a model
to guide future research or practice in pharmacy or medication use policy. There are no restrictions on manuscript length or number
of citations for Proposed Models.
Reviews. Reviews are comprehensive, well-referenced descriptive papers on research topics
directly related to clinical practice and/or medication use policy, or other phenomena that have implications for patients' well-being.
There are no restrictions on manuscript length or number of citations for Reviews.
Letters to the Editor. Letters to the Editor
serve as a forum for the expression of ideas or for commenting on matters of interest. It is also an avenue for critiquing or expanding
on the information presented in a previously published manuscript. Authors are required to identify themselves. The Editor reserves the
right to reject, shorten, excerpt, or edit letters for publication.
Stylistic Considerations
The style specifications
for RSAP must be followed. Below are general guidelines for manuscript format and style. If in doubt about style, authors should
refer to the American Medical Association (AMA) Manual of Style, 9th ed, or consult a recent issue of RSAP.
Text. The text should be scholarly, readable, clear and concise. Standard nomenclature should be used. Unfamiliar terms and acronyms
should be defined at first mention. Manuscripts that were prepared for oral presentation must be rewritten for print. Authors of research
papers are discouraged from writing excessively long introduction or discussion sections.
Word style. Consult a current edition
of Webster's dictionary for guidance on spelling, compounding, and word separation. Foreign words, not in general use, should be italicized.
For proper use of chemical and biochemical terms, mathematical equations, mathematical expressions, special symbols, subscripts, superscripts,
or Greek letters, please refer to the AMA Manual of Style.
Numbers. Numbers must be written as Arabic numerals unless
they occur at the beginning of a sentence, in which case the number should be spelled out. The exception to this rule is when the number
"one" is used in isolation within the text and substituting an Arabic number would seem awkward (eg, "there was only one logical solution
to the problem"). A number containing a decimal must be styled as an Arabic number. All fractions must be written as decimal equivalents.
Measurements. The metric system will be used for all measurements; however, conventional units should be used instead of SI units.
Do not use periods when abbreviating units of measure.
Reference numbers. These numbers should be superscript Arabic numerals
placed at the end of the sentence, outside the final period or other punctuation. Subsequent citations to the same reference must be
indicated by the same number originally assigned to that reference. Do not place parentheses around the reference numbers.
Personal
Communications. If the source of material referred to in an article is from a personal communications, it should be referenced as
such in parentheses immediately following reference to the material, followed by the date (eg, written communication, October 2, 2002).
Hypertext Links. Authors may identify uniform resource locators (URLs) for Internet web sites that provide the reader with additional
information on the topic addressed in the manuscript. Although URLs are an important feature of electronic publishing, authors are encouraged
to be selective in their choice of sites to include. Do not include URLs for web pages with newspaper or journal articles that will be
removed or archived to another web page. Links to pharmaceutical manufacturers or other sources of product information are acceptable;
however, providing a URL to the reader should not be substituted for adequate discussion within the manuscript itself. Do not include
links to sites that are not accessible without a password.
Manuscript Organization
Within the document, each page of the
manuscript should be arranged and numbered consecutively in the following order: title page, abstract, footnotes, text, references, tables,
figure legends, and illustrations. To assist our reviewers in making comments/suggestions, please line number your manuscript in MS
Word (File/Page Setup/Layout tab/Line Numbering/Add line numbering/Continuous).
Title Page
The title page should have the
following information: a concise title, name of each author, terminal degree, academic/professional title and affiliation, and city and
state where located. If an author has relocated to another institution, please include his/her affiliation during the time the author
worked on the manuscript. At the lower left of the page, indicate the name of the corresponding author and provide his/her mailing address,
telephone number, facsimile number, and e-mail address. At the bottom of the title page, indicate 3 to 5 keywords.
Abstract
Research articles, Proposed Models, and Reviews must include an abstract of 200 to 300 words. The abstract should include a brief (1
to 3 sentences) statement for each of the following sections: Background, Objectives, Methods, Results, and Conclusions, each starting
on a new line.
Main Body of Text
The use of subheadings to divide the text is encouraged. Primary headings should be in
bold capital letters and should contain no more than 35 characters or spaces. Secondary headings should be in bold title case and appear
above the paragraph. Tertiary headings should be in bold with only the initial letter capitalized. Tertiary headings should end with
a period and should appear before the beginning of the first sentence in that section.
Acknowledgments
Any special funding
received for research that is the subject of the manuscript should be included under a section entitled "Acknowledgments" at the end
of the text. If the authors wish to thank colleagues or others who provided assistance with their research or manuscript preparation,
those acknowledgments also should be included under this section. Any statements concerning liability for the content of the manuscript
may be included here as well (eg, "the ideas expressed in this manuscript are those of the author and in no way are intended to represent
the position of").
Reference Section
References to a published source should be provided for all information in the manuscript
that contains dates, facts, or opinions other than those of the author. Authors are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of
all citations. References should be numbered consecutively in the order in which the information contained in the referenced publication
appears or is referred to in the manuscript. Do not create a second abbreviated reference or use "ibid" to refer to information cited
in a previous reference. Instead, if information from the same source is referred to a second time in the manuscript, cite the same reference
number originally assigned to that source.
Each journal citation must include the surnames and complete initials of all authors.
For manuscripts with 7 or more authors, the first 3 authors should be listed, followed by "et al." The names of all periodicals cited
must be abbreviated in accordance with abbreviations adopted by the National Library of Medicine and used in Index Medicus.
An example and special instructions for specific types of references are provided below. For additional guidance, please refer to the American Medical Association Manual of Style, 9th ed, or to a recent issue of RSAP.
Journal articles. For
references to journal articles, first list the names of the authors beginning with the last name of the first author, followed by his/her
initials. The authors' names are followed by the title of the article. The first letter of the title is capitalized, but the remainder
of the title should be in lower case letters, except for the first letter of proper names. A period should be placed after the title.
Next, give the properly abbreviated title of the journal being referenced. The title of the journal should be in italics followed by
a period. One space should be left between the journal and the year of publication. A semicolon should be placed after the year of publication,
followed by the volume number in which the article appeared. After the volume number, place a colon followed by the number of the first
page of the article, then a dash, then the number of the last page of the article, followed by a period. If the article does not appear
on consecutive pages, use a semicolon between each segment of pages (eg, 172-175;179-183;199.)
Example:
Gaither CA. Career commitment:
mediator of the effects of job stress on pharmacists' work-related
attitudes. J Am Pharm Assoc. 1999;39:353-61.
Reference
to a book. List the last name of the first author of the book, followed by the first and middle initial if given, just as in a journal
reference. The names of all authors of the book must be listed. Place a period after the last author's initials. Next, state the title
of the book using standard rules for capitalization within titles. A period should be placed at the end of the title. If more than one
edition of the book has been published, then the edition number must be given. An ordinal number should be used to indicate the edition
number (eg, 9th), followed by a space and "ed." Next, provide the city and state where the publisher is located. Use the abbreviations
for states provided in the AMA style manual rather than postal abbreviations. A colon should separate the city and state from the name
of the publisher. The full name of the publisher should be given, followed by a semicolon. Next, provide the year of publication, followed
by a colon and the page or page numbers referenced.
Example:
Dillman DA. Mail and telephone surveys: the total design method.
John Wiley & Sons: Hoboken, NJ,
1978:54.
Reference to a chapter in a book. To reference a single chapter in a book, first
list the authors and state the title as you would if citing a journal article. The chapter title should be followed by the word "In"
followed by a colon. Next, list the name(s) and initials of the editors of the book, followed by a comma and the abbreviation "ed" or
"eds" if more than one editor, followed by a period. Next include the title of the book, location of the publisher, publisher's name,
year of publication and page numbers in the same format as for a reference to an entire book (see previous example).
Example:
Scott DM. Ambulatory care. In: McCarthy RL, Schafermeyer KW, eds. Introduction to Health Care Delivery: A Primer for Pharmacists.
Sudbury, MA: 257-87.
Thesis or Dissertation. For references to theses or dissertations, place the title of the thesis or dissertation
in italics. Include the location of the institution, its name, and the year the thesis or dissertation was completed.
Example:
Thorn MD. A Comparative Review of the Statistical and Research Quality of the Medical and Pharmacy Literature [masters thesis].
Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina, 1982.
Reference to a Web Site. For references to journals, e-magazines, or other
publications on the Internet, state the names of the authors, title of the article, publication title, and volume and publication date
in the same format as you would for a journal reference. For references to other information, give the title of the web page, followed
by the name of the organization or web site that published the information. For all references to online material, the author should
include "Available at:" followed by the uniform resource locator (URL) for the page of the web site referenced (eg, www.hcfa.gov/stats.htm), followed by a period. Finally, write "Accessed" followed by the month, day, and year on which the information was obtained from
the site, followed by a period.
Example:
Healthy People 2010, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services. Available at:  http://www.healthypeople.gov/ . Accessed January 10, 2005.
Unpublished
Works. References to unpublished material such as articles or abstracts presented at professional meetings but not published, provide
the name of the meeting where the article was presented.
Articles in Press. For references to information in books or articles
that are currently in press, provide all of the available information for the reference. In place of page numbers, designate that the
publication is "in press."
Example:
Adamcik B, Hurley S, Erramouspe J. Assessment of pharmacy students' critical thinking and
problem-solving abilities. Am J Pharm Educ. 1996;60:in press.
Tables and Figures
Tables may be created using
Microsoft Word and included in the same Word document with the manuscript. Likewise, figures created using Microsoft Word can be included
in the manuscript document. Photographs and other images created outside of the Microsoft Word environment must be provided as TIFF or
EPS files at the resolutions specified elsewhere on this page.
Tables. Table should be created in Microsoft Word© table
format. Data must be placed in separate cells of the table to prevent text and numbers from shifting when the table is converted for
publication on the Internet. You can insert empty cells to create spacing. Footnotes should be placed at the bottom of the table inside
a single row or cell and should be indented. Symbols for footnoting should use alphabetic symbols in proper order (e.g., "a", then "b",
then "c", and so on).
Tables should not duplicate information provided in the text. Instead, tables should be used to provide additional
information that illustrates or expands on a specific point the author wishes to make. Each table should be self-explanatory and begin
on a separate page in the document. Tables should be numbered using Arabic numbers according to the order in which they are referred
to in the text. The table number and a concise title should be placed above the body of the table.
Figures. Figures should
be numbered using Arabic numbers, based on the order in which they are presented in the text. Figure legends should be concise and self-explanatory.
All illustrative materials for the figures should be submitted as high-resolution gif or jpg files. The key to any symbols in a graph
or chart should be included as part of the illustration itself, rather than in the legend. If figures contain illustrations that have
been published elsewhere, a letter of permission to reprint from the original publisher must accompany the manuscript.
*If
using EPS, save with "fonts included" and use TIFF preview.
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Type of Figure
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Acceptable
Quality
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Preferred Quality
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Color Mode
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File Formats
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| Graph
or diagram w/ text |
300 dpi |
1200 dpi or higher |
CMYK (color);
Grayscale (halftones and black and white) |
.bmp, .eps*, .jpg, or .tiff |
| Photographs |
300 dpi |
1200 dpi or higher |
CMYK
(color);
Grayscale (halftones and black and white) |
.bmp, .eps, .jpg, .png, .tff, or .wmf |
| Web Page
(screen capture) |
72 dpi |
300 dpi or higher |
RGB |
.bmp, .gif, or .jpg |
A graphic image embedded into a MS Word file has a resolution of only 72 dpi (computer screen resolution). As a result,
when printed, the graphics will look fuzzy. If possible, send graphics with a resolution of at least 300 dpi. Preferably, save the original
image at a high resolution (ie, 1200 dpi or higher) and with the image quality set at maximum. Each high-resolution graphic image should
be saved and submitted in a separate file from the manuscript text.
Original (first generation) graphics are the preferred files to
work with because they have the highest resolution (ie, at this point the image has not been compressed to reduce its size). If necessary,
high-resolution graphics can be reduced to a lower resolution for use on the web and within the .pdf files. However, low-resolution graphics
cannot be improved and may result in poor online and printed images.
Use a professional graphics program such as Adobe PhotoShop to
edit and/or save photographs and graphics. Because of difficulties with exporting graphics from Microsoft PowerPoint, please send the
original graphic (the one imported into PowerPoint), saved in an acceptable file format, such as jpg or eps (see chart for more
options). However, if the graphic was created in PowerPoint, send it as a PowerPoint file.
Manuscript Submission
The manuscript should be created and saved in Microsoft Word for Windows. If you use WordPerfect or another word processing program,
please use the "save as" option to save the file in Microsoft Word for Windows file format.
Copyright Form
Manuscript submitted
to the Journal should be unpublished and not under consideration elsewhere. Under the terms of the Copyright Revision Act of
1976 (Public Law 94-533) it is necessary to have the rights of the authors transferred to the publisher in order to provide for the widest
possible dissemination of professional and scientific literature.
Assurances
For all research manuscripts (including educational
research), the author should indicate in the cover letter that the research has been reviewed and approved by the appropriate human research
or ethics review committee, or that it has been determined to be exempt from such review. For research that has undergone such review
and approval, a statement to that effect should be included in the methods section.
Submission of Manuscripts
As of July
15, 2005, all new manuscripts must be submitted through the RSAP online submission and review Web site ( http://ees.elsevier.com/rsap/
). Authors are requested to submit the text, tables, and artwork in electronic form to this address. Authors may suggest the names and
contact information for reviewers; however, the selection of reviewers remains the purview of the Editor.
Submission items include
a cover letter, key words, the manuscript (including title page, abstract, manuscript text, references, and table/figure legends), tables,
and figures. Revised manuscripts should also be accompanied by a unique file (separate from the covering letter) with responses to reviewers'
comments. The preferred order of files is as follows: cover letter, suggested reviewers (if applicable), response to reviews (revised
manuscripts only), manuscript file(s), table(s), figure(s). Files should be labelled with appropriate and descriptive file names (e.g.,
SmithText.doc, Fig1.eps, Table3.doc). Upload text, tables and graphics as separate files. Do not import figures or tables into the text
document. Complete instructions for electronic artwork submission can be found on the Author Gateway, accessible through the journal
home page.
Authors who are unable to provide an electronic version or have other circumstances that prevent online submission must
contact the Editor prior to submission to discuss alternate options. The Publisher and Editors regret that they are not able to consider
submissions that do not follow these procedures.
Informed Consent Statement
Articles involving research conducted in human
subjects must include a statement in the Methods, indicating approval by the Institutional Review Board and that informed consent was
obtained from each subject. Subjects should be identified only by number, not name or initials.
RSAP uses a Web-based
online manuscript submission and review system. Please visit http://ees.elsevier.com/rsap to submit your manuscript electronically.
The website guides authors stepwise through the creation and uploading of the various files. Note that original source files, not PDF
files, are required. Authors may send queries concerning the submission process manuscript status or journal procedures to the Editorial
Office. Once the submission files are uploaded the system automatically generates electronic (PDF) proof, which is then used for reviewing.
All correspondence, including the Editor's decision and request for revisions, will be by e-mail.
Correspondence
Cover
letters and other correspondence with the editor should be directed to:
Shane P. Desselle, PhD
University of Oklahoma
College of Pharmacy
4502 E. 41st St.
Tulsa, OK 74135
shane-desselle@ouhsc.edu
Updated June
2008
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