Journal of Royal College of Nursing, Australia

Guidelines for Contributors



Collegian is a refereed journal with an Editorial Board that meets high standards of academic and clinical expertise. Collegian reflects the broad interests of nurses and the nursing profession. Papers are invited on contemporary clinical, professional and policy issues of interest to nurses such as:
• Original clinical and educational research,
• Scholarly critique of policy and nursing issues
• Clinical case reports
• Historical or political critique of nursing and health care issues

In addition, Collegian seeks to promote nursing through publication of reviews, nursing commentaries and letters.

Content
Feature articles in the substantive areas listed comprise the main content of the journal. Original, previously unpublished articles from nurses or others are welcome. Papers should provide new insight, challenge traditional perspectives or provide new knowledge related to the discipline of nursing, the practice of health care or the health care industry.

Other content, in the form of reviews, letters and commentaries, which have national interest, is welcomed. All material submitted is subject to editorial review. Presentation of material should conform, as applicable, to the publication guidelines.

Review process
Articles submitted are managed by the Editor-in-Chief or an Editor, and are subject to a double blind peer review by a minimum of two reviewers.

Preparation and submission of manuscripts
Articles should comply with the following:
• be between 2500 - 4500 words in length;
• typed on one side of the page;
• double spaced;
• include a 25 mm margin on both sides of the page;
• have pages numbered consecutively; and,
• each diagram, graph and table should be clearly labeled and provided on a separate page. The exact placement of these in the text should be identified in the paper.

A cover sheet should be included which lists the following information:
• title of the paper;
• name in full for each author;
• title, qualifications and current position for each author;
• the address, telephone and facsimile numbers and email address of the contact author; and
• word count.

Acknowledgements. The source of financial grants and the contributions of colleagues should be acknowledged. This should be on a separate page following the title page.
The remainder of the paper should not contain any author identification.


An Abstract up to 250 words maximum should be included. The abstract should be informative and report on the methodology and key findings of the paper. The abstract should not contain abbreviations or references. Up to five keywords must be provided.

Text. Appropriate headings and subheadings should be used consistent with the style of the paper.

References The author is responsible for providing accurate references. Referencing must follow the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.), 2001 format. The reference list must include details only of those works cited in the text, and all references cited in text must be listed. For more information, a writer's kit can be obtained from the RCNA website at www.rcna.org.au. Note that the RCNA Publication Standards contain some common examples of the use of APA style in referencing. Some authors may need to refer to the full publication manual for guidance.

For more detailed information contact:

Editor-in-Chief, Collegian, Royal College of Nursing, Australia, PO Box 219, DEAKIN WEST ACT 2600
Telephone: 02 6283 3400, Fax: 02 6282 3565, Email: Collegian@rcna.org.au


Submission of Manuscripts All manuscripts, correspondence and editorial material for publication should be submitted online via the Elsevier Editorial System at http://ees.elsevier.com/coll. Authors simply need to "create a new account" (i.e., register) by following the instructions at the website, and using their own e-mail address and selected password. Authors can then submit manuscripts containing text, tables, and images (figures) online. The entire peer-review process will then be managed electronically to ensure timely review and publication. Authors can expect an initial decision on their submission within 6 weeks.

Following Registration, Enter the "Author area" and follow the instructions for submitting "Entry data" and a complete manuscript, including abstract, tables, figures and the cover letter.

Under "Entry data," indicate the number of authors in the box and justify more than 7 authors. If you wish to publish colour figures and agree to pay the "colour charge" check the appropriate box. Colour illustrations incur a colour charge of US312 for the first page and US208 for every additional page containing colour. Figures can be published in colour at no extra charge for the online version. If you wish to have figures in colour online and black and white figures printed, please submit both versions.

Every submission, regardless of category, must include the following. Please have these items ready before you logon to the system.

A cover letter, stating:

Conflict of Interest: when the proposed publication concerns any commercial product, either directly or indirectly, the author must include in the cover letter a statement (1) indicating that he or she has no financial or other interest in the product or distributor of the product or (2) explaining the nature of any relation between himself or herself and the manufacturer or distributor of the product. Other kinds of associations, such as consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interests or patent-licensing arrangements, also must be disclosed. If, in the Editor's judgment, the information disclosed represents a potential conflict of interest, it may be made available to reviewers and may be published at the Editor's discretion; authors will be informed of the decision before publication.

Sources of outside support for research: including funding, equipment, and drugs.
The letter can be attached during the submission process, or keyed or pasted in during submission.

The complete manuscript, including title page, abstract, text, tables, acknowledgments, required disclosures (see below), references and illustrations.

Note that the online manuscript submission program requires separate entries of some information that also appears in the manuscript. These separate entries are needed to manage processing and reviewing your manuscript and correspondence.

Illustrations: Submitting your illustrations, pictures, tables and other artwork (such as multimedia- and supplementary files) in an electronic format helps us produce your work to the best possible standards, ensuring accuracy, clarity and a high level of detail. These pages show how to prepare your artwork for electronic submission and include information on common problems, suggestions on how to ensure the best results, and image creation guides for popular applications. Please visit the following website for more information regarding artwork: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/authorsview.authors/authorartworkinstructions

Written permission from the publisher (copyright holder) to reproduce any previously published table(s), illustration(s) or photograph(s) in both print and electronic media.

Written permission from unmasked patients appearing in photographs.

Copyright
A copyright agreement form is sent to authors when the article is accepted for publication in Collegian and must be completed and returned prior to publication. This transfers copyright for the article to the Royal College of Nursing, Australia as publishers. Authors are responsible for providing the Editor-in-Chief or Editor with written evidence from the owners of any copyright material included in their paper. Papers submitted to Collegian should not be under consideration for publication elsewhere.

Correspondence All correspondence relating to the journal should be directed to: Editor-in-Chief, Collegian at the above Email address.