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The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology is a refereed journal designed to meet the continuing education needs of the Academy members and the international dermatologic community. The Journal bases its policies on the guidelines set forth by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Council of Science Editors, and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

Disclaimer
Statements and opinions expressed in the articles and communications herein are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the Editor(s), Publisher, or the American Academy of Dermatology. The Editor(s), Publisher, and Academy disclaim any responsibility or liability for such material and do not guarantee, warrant, or endorse any products or services advertised in this publication, nor do they guarantee any claim made by the manufacturer of such products or services.

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CONTACT INFORMATION

EDITOR
Dirk M. Elston, MD
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina

DEPUTY EDITOR
Jane M. Grant-Kels, MD
University of Connecticut Health Center
Farmington, Connecticut
EDITORIAL OFFICE
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
9500 W Bryn Mawr Avenue, Suite 500
Rosemont, IL 60018-5216

For questions about manuscript preparation,
submission, and review, contact:

Email: [email protected]
Website: https://service.elsevier.com/app/home/supporthub/publishing/
PUBLISHER
Caroline Moors
Email: [email protected]
Elsevier Inc.
Radarweg 29
Amsterdam 1043 NX NLD

For questions about the proof of
your accepted paper, contact:
Angelina Huber-Feely
Journal Manager
Email: [email protected]

  • Key words: The selection of key words is the most important step in the submission process. This is how most clinicians and investigators will find your work, and the key words should be chosen carefully to allow ready retrieval of the study through PubMed and other search engines. Choose as many key words as necessary to ensure that literature searches capture your article. Make sure that every key term that appears in the title is chosen as a key word.
  • Title: The type of study should be stated in the title. This is especially important for randomized controlled trials, so they are appropriately captured in evidence-based reviews. The title should accurately reflect the outcome of the study, including efficacy or the lack thereof.
  • Capsule summary: An effective capsule summary should not duplicate the abstract. It should succinctly describe what was already known about the subject, what this study adds, and the implications for clinical practice.
  • Abstract: A well-written structured abstract should convey the question the authors attempted to answer, essential elements of the study design, results, limitations and conclusions drawn from the data.
  • Tables and graphs: Information should be presented in graphic and tabular form whenever possible to make it easy to understand. Graphs should be appropriate to scale and not exaggerate differences.
  • Brevity: Information should be presented well, and only once—never repeated in subsequent sections of the manuscript. Word limits are strict but supplementary material may be uploaded to Mendeley with a link in the print article. Include them for the reviewers as Mendeley supplemental image #1, etc.
  • Study design: Include a statement of institutional review board approval and specify the study design including prospective or retrospective, the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and statistical methods.
  • Figure legends: Figure legends should highlight important teaching points and should include the diagnosis so images are searchable. They should clearly indicate if the image was taken prior to or following therapy. Images from other sources should cite the origin and a permission form should accompany the manuscript.
  • Survey response rate: Manuscripts that rely on quantitative or qualitative survey data, whether of physicians, patients, or the general public, must adhere to standard guidelines when reporting data and should clearly define the population of interest as well as the denominator used when calculating response rates. Response rates must be included in the abstract and the body of the manuscript. Authors should report the percentage of participants who agreed to complete the survey or be interviewed when survey responses include qualitative data. With few exceptions, survey and qualitative study response rates of at least 60% are expected. If a 60% response rate is not attained, authors must explain how they have solved for bias. Surveys administered on online platforms where no denominator is delineated will not be considered. Survey studies and qualitative studies should be published as Research Letters, not Original Articles (See Survey Study Requirements under the Research Letters section below).
  • Papers based on Mendelian randomization analyses or the "All of Us" database: JAAD is no longer accepting Mendelian randomization analyses/studies and those based on the "All of Us" registry database.
  • Articles that address nonmedical and bibliometric topics not currently published in JAAD: This category includes articles addressing patient access, resident selection, residency training, faculty at teaching hospitals, manuscript and publishing trends, web search trends, and representation of individual groups in published studies. With rare exceptions specifically approved by the Editor, they should be submitted following all guidelines for Research Letters. They must present original data, use valid statistical methods, and address confounders and other limitations as we require for any other article. Articles about social media trends, and other non-medical topics without relevance to the clinical practice of dermatology will not be considered.
  • Disclosure of original data: All authors, sponsors of trials, and owners of commercially available data sets or registries must agree to the review of original data if questions arise regarding the reliability or interpretation of the reported data.
  • Data Mining from Data Registries: Studies derived from registries and other data repositories should specify the population represented in the registry and all steps taken to mitigate bias.
  • S5 Publishing: For most article types, JAAD posts uncorrected, nonformatted manuscripts online within 7-10 days of acceptance. These manuscripts can be cited immediately upon posting. The uncorrected proof will be replaced with the final version upon incorporation of any corrections received from the authors at the proof stage. If inaccuracies are discovered that may have the potential to cause harm, the article may be temporarily removed at the Editor's discretion until necessary edits are incorporated. If this occurs, authors must resubmit the corrected manuscript within 60 days or the manuscript will be withdrawn. Please review Elsevier's policy on article withdrawal.
  • Plain language summaries: If the authors wish to include a plain language summary with their article, it must be included at the time of submission and cannot be added after acceptance. Plain language summaries will be posted as supplemental material on Mendeley; there is no word limit. Figures and tables are allowed.
  • Authorship: All those who have made material contributions to the study design, data analysis and writing of the manuscript should be listed as authors. Those who have not made significant contributions as listed above should not be listed as authors. Artificial Intelligence is not permitted to be used in an author capacity. See Declaration of generative AI in scientific writing below. More about the defined role of authors and contributors can be found on the ICMJE website.
  • Please submit all Case Reports to JAAD Case Reports.

Ethics in publishing

Please see our information pages on Ethics in publishing and Ethical guidelines for journal publication.

Studies in humans and animals

If the work involves the use of human subjects, the author should ensure that the work described has been carried out in accordance with The Code of Ethics of the World Medical Association (Declaration of Helsinki) for experiments involving humans. The manuscript should be in line with the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals and aim for the inclusion of representative human populations (sex, age and ethnicity) as per those recommendations. The terms sex and gender should be used correctly.

Authors should include a statement in the manuscript that informed consent was obtained for experimentation with human subjects. The privacy rights of human subjects must always be observed.

All animal experiments should comply with the ARRIVE guidelines and should be carried out in accordance with the U.K. Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, 1986 and associated guidelines, EU Directive 2010/63/EU for animal experiments, or the National Institutes of Health guide for the care and use of Laboratory animals (NIH Publications No. 8023, revised 1978) and the authors should clearly indicate in the manuscript that such guidelines have been followed. The sex of animals must be indicated, and where appropriate, the influence (or association) of sex on the results of the study.

Studies involving live human or animal subjects must have been approved by the authors' Institutional Review Board (IRB) or its equivalent. A copy of the IRB approval letter must be included with the submission. If the IRB has exempted the research from review, a copy of the letter of exemption must accompany the submission. Please indicate that the study has been reviewed or exempted by your IRB on the title page. If applicable, IRB protocol approval number and date must be mentioned in the Methods section of all manuscripts.

Submissions of survey research are also subject to the guidelines stated above.

Disclosure and Management of Outside (Conflict of) Interest

According to the ICMJE, public trust in the scientific process and the credibility of published articles depend in part on how transparently conflicts of interest are handled during the planning, implementation, writing, peer review, editing, and publication of scientific work. The disclosure of a conflict of interest seeks to identify sources of bias that might affect the presentation of scientific analysis or opinion. It relates to disclosure of certain types of interests by the authors of manuscripts submitted for possible publication in the journal. The primary areas of concern are:
(1) financial support from pharmaceutical and device companies or other ineligible companies (formerly known as commercial interests) for research that is the subject of a journal manuscript and
(2) financial interests on the part of authors or a first-degree relative (spouse/life partner) in any products or services related to the subject matter of a journal manuscript.
(3) associations with companies that make a competing product.

Disclosure of any conflict will alert the editors to the possibility of bias in the manuscript, and it might also be appropriate in certain circumstances to publish information about the disclosed interest with the article in question so that each reader will have an opportunity to evaluate and adjust for the possible bias.

All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence (bias) their work or give the appearance of having done so, via the title page of the manuscript, and the electronic author questionnaire in Editorial Manager. Upon manuscript submission, an email will be sent to each author asking them to verify their authorship and complete the questionnaire. There is a section on the questionnaire for authors to list their conflicts of interest and those of any first-degree relatives (spouse/life partner). For each conflict of interest disclosed, the company, author's (relative's) role, and the type of compensation received must be listed.

If there are no conflicts of interest then please state this on the article title page: 'Conflicts of interest: none'. See also https://www.elsevier.com/conflictsofinterest. Further information and an example of a Conflict of Interest form can be found at: https://service.elsevier.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/286/supporthub/publishing. The ICMJE Disclosure of Financial and Non-Financial Relationships and Activities form can be found at: http://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/author-responsibilities--conflicts-of-interest.html.

Examples of potential conflicts of interest include but are not limited to, financial (monetary) interests such as wages, honoraria, stipends, stock, stock options, ownership, royalties, property, devices, and anything with monetary value. Non-financial interests are primarily intellectual and may include such things as authorship/publications, product development, promotions, appointments, honors and loyalties to other entities (e.g. member of another society Board, performing work for other entities, organizations, foundations. Examples include, but are not limited to, employment by a government agency, academic medical center, hospital, multispecialty group, single specialty group, solo practice, private equity owned group, insurance company, medical device or pharmaceutical company; ownership in an electronic health record or data registry company; being an investor or having ownership in a company that provides any type of medical services or medical education; serves as an advisor, owner or consultant to a health insurance company; or participation in any other similar activities.

The Journal requires all authors to acknowledge all funding sources that supported their work as well as all institutional or corporate affiliations of the authors during the past 24 months prior to submission of a manuscript. However, per ICMJE, authors must disclose all support for the present manuscript (e.g., funding, provision of study materials, medical writing, article processing charges, etc.) without time limit.

If the authors have competing or conflicting interests that cannot be disclosed in publishable statements, authors should list them in the comments section of Editorial Manager. They should also explain these interests as well as the reason for the need for confidentiality in a statement to the Editor.

The Editors and members of the editorial staff will ensure that all conflicts are appropriately resolved. Conflicts that cannot be appropriately resolved will result in rejection of the manuscript. Undisclosed conflicts discovered after a manuscript is published may result in sanctions to include published statements of correction, retraction, or removal of a manuscript from the archived journal table of contents and PubMed database.

Each author must verify their authorship and list potential conflicts of interest. Upon manuscript submission, an email will be sent to each co-author asking them to verify their authorship. It is required that each author confirm their authorship and fill out the co-author questionnaire. There is a section on the questionnaire for authors to list their conflicts of interest. For each conflict of interest, the company, your role (speaker, employee, board member, etc.), and the type of compensation received (salary, stock, honoraria, etc.) must be listed. All three parts must be included in each conflict of interest.

The Editor asks each reviewer to disclose any competing interests or conflicts of interest that might interfere with one's objectivity (or to recuse oneself from acting as a reviewer). The editors and members of the editorial staff have disclosed their competing interests, if any, with the American Academy of Dermatology. Requests for disclosure of outside interest forms for the JAAD Journals editors may be emailed to: [email protected].

Submission declaration and verification

Submission of an article implies that the work described has not been published previously (except in the form of an abstract, a published lecture or academic thesis, see 'Multiple, redundant or concurrent publication' for more information), that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, that its publication is approved by all authors and tacitly or explicitly by the responsible authorities where the work was carried out, and that, if accepted, it will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or in any other language, including electronically without the written consent of the copyright-holder. To verify originality, your article may be checked by the originality detection service Crossref Similarity Check. Articles published on pre-print servers will not be accepted. Manuscripts containing data that is required by official government grant-making agencies to be pre-published will be considered. Any pre-publication of data should be described on the manuscript title page.

Declaration of generative AI in scientific writing

The below guidance only refers to the writing process, and not to the use of AI tools to analyse and draw insights from data as part of the research process.

Where authors use generative artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process,authors should only use these technologies to improve readability and language. Applying the technology should be done with human oversight and control, and authors should carefully review and edit the result, as AI can generate authoritative-sounding output that can be incorrect, incomplete or biased. AI and AI-assisted technologies should not be listed as an author or co-author, or be cited as an author. Authorship implies responsibilities and tasks that can only be attributed to and performed by humans, as outlined in Elsevier's AI policy for authors.

Authors should disclose in their manuscript the use of AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process by following the instructions below. A statement will appear in the published work. Please note that authors are ultimately responsible and accountable for the contents of the work.

Disclosure instructions

Authors must disclose the use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process by adding a statement at the end of their manuscript in the core manuscript file before the References list. The statement should be placed in a new section entitled 'Declaration of Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process.'

Statement: During the preparation of this work the author(s) used [NAME TOOL / SERVICE] in order to [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the publication.

This declaration does not apply to the use of basic tools for checking grammar, spelling, references etc. If there is nothing to disclose, there is no need to add a statement.

Authorship

The Journal's authorship criteria are adapted from those of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and are delineated on the Authorship Statement, which must be signed by each author. Nonhuman artificial intelligence, language models, machine learning, or similar technologies do not qualify for authorship.

All authors must have made substantial contributions to all of the following: (1) the conception and design of the study, or acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data, (2) drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content, (3) final approval of the version to be submitted. Once a manuscript has been submitted, the order of authorship (including adding or removing authors) cannot be changed without a request signed by all authors and approved by the Editor. Elsevier supports 'invisible' author name changes for transgender authors and other authors with a strong need for privacy, in accordance with the principles informing the COPE working group. On request from the author, author names can be directly updated on published papers on Elsevier's primary publishing platforms, without any correction or other note. Arrangements are then made to update the article metadata in secondary indexation databases such as Scopus, Web of Science and Pubmed, as applicable. See the Inclusive author name change policy.

Role of writers, "ghost writers," and other "third parties" involved in manuscript development and production

The involvement, nature of involvement, and affiliation or support of any medical writers, "ghost writers," or other individuals or companies or third parties participating in the development or writing of any papers must be noted and explained in the cover letter and in a publishable statement on the manuscript title page. (This does not include tasks such as typing or photocopying.) This statement will be published as part of the first-page footnotes. All individuals involved in the preparation and writing of each paper who meet the JAAD's authorship criteria (see our Authorship Statement) must be listed as authors. The names, highest academic degree, and affiliations of any persons who contributed to writing the paper or analyzing the data who do not meet authorship criteria must be included in the paper's Acknowledgments along with a disclosure of any pertinent conflicts of interest. Individuals listed in the Acknowledgments because of such contributions to the work should provide written consent. The use of "ghost writers" or any author employed by an entity with a commercial interest in any product discussed is rarely appropriate for any manuscript and is strictly prohibited for any CME-accredited activity.

Delphi consensus groups

Members of study groups or Delphi consensus groups do not qualify as authors unless they have made material contributions to the study design, data analysis and writing of the manuscript. When multiple members of a study group qualify for authorship, the study group or Delphi consensus group itself should be named and listed as an author rather than listing each individual member. Members of the group should be listed in supplemental material on Mendeley.

Article transfer

This journal uses Elsevier's Article Transfer Service to find the best home for your manuscript. This means that if an editor feels your manuscript is more suitable for an alternative journal, you might be asked to consider transferring the manuscript to such a journal. The recommendation might be provided by a Journal Editor, a dedicated Scientific Managing Editor, a tool assisted recommendation, or a combination. If you agree, your manuscript will be transferred, though you will have the opportunity to make changes to the manuscript before the submission is complete. Please note that your manuscript will be independently reviewed by the new journal. More information.

Copyright transfer and ownership of data

In accordance with the Copyright Act of 1976, which became effective January 1, 1978, the following statement signed by each author must accompany the manuscript submitted: "I, the undersigned author, transfer all copyright ownership of the manuscript referenced above to the American Academy of Dermatology, in the event the work is published. I warrant that the article is original, does not infringe upon any copyright or other proprietary right of any third party, is not under consideration by another journal, and has not been published previously. I have reviewed and approve the submitted version of the manuscript and agree to its publication in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology." Author(s) will be consulted, whenever possible, regarding republication of material. All authors must have access to the data presented and the authors and sponsor (if applicable) must agree to share original data with the editor if requested.

For subscription articles (see below), upon acceptance of the article, authors will be asked to complete a 'Journal Publishing Agreement' (for more information on this and copyright, see https://www.elsevier.com/copyright). An email will be sent to the corresponding author confirming receipt of the manuscript together with a 'Journal Publishing Agreement' form or a link to the online version of this agreement. Subscribers may reproduce tables of contents or prepare lists of articles including abstracts for internal circulation within their institutions. Permission of the Publisher is required for resale or distribution outside the institution and for all other derivative works, including compilations and translations (please consult https://www.elsevier.com/permissions). If excerpts, including text or figures, from other copyrighted works are included, the author(s) must obtain written permission from the copyright owners and credit the source(s) in the article. Content from opensource websites, such as Wikipedia, is not permitted. Elsevier has preprinted forms for use by authors in these cases: please consult https://www.elsevier.com/permissions.

For open access articles (see below), upon acceptance of the article, authors will be asked to complete an 'Exclusive License Agreement' (for more information see https://www.elsevier.com/OAauthoragreement). Permitted reuse of open access articles is determined by the author's choice of user license (see https://www.elsevier.com/openaccesslicenses).

Subscription and open access (OA)

The Journal offers authors a choice in publishing their research, Subscription and Open Access:

  • Subscription
    • Articles are made available to subscribers as well as developing countries and patient groups through our access programs
  • Open Access
    • Articles are immediately and freely available for reading and download to both subscribers and the wider public with permitted reuse
    • An open access publication fee is payable by authors or their research funder

Your publication choice will have no effect on the peer review process or acceptance of submitted articles.

The open access publication fee for this journal is $4,200, excluding taxes. Learn more about Elsevier's pricing policy: https://www.elsevier.com/openaccesspricing. There is no publication fee for articles accessible only by subscribers.

Please visit our Open Access page for more information.

Special subject repositories

Certain repositories such as PubMed Central ("PMC") are authorized under special arrangement with Elsevier to process and post certain articles, such as those funded by the National Institutes of Health, under its Public Access policy (see elsevier.com for more detail on the policy). Articles accepted for publication in an Elsevier journal from authors who have indicated that the underlying research reported in their articles was supported by an NIH grant will be sent by Elsevier to PMC for public access posting 12 months after final publication. The version of the article provided by Elsevier will include peer-review comments incorporated by the author into the article.

Retained author rights

As an author you (or your employer or institution) retain certain rights. For more information on author rights for Subscription articles, please see https://www.elsevier.com/authors/policies-and-guidelines. For Open Access articles, please see https://www.elsevier.com/OAauthoragreement.

Style, language usage, and editing services

Text should be written in correct scientific English (American or British usage is acceptable, but not a mixture of these). Consult the latest edition of The Chicago Manual of Style by The University of Chicago Press or the Manual of Style by the American Medical Association for current usage. Authors who feel their English language manuscript may require editing to eliminate possible grammatical or spelling errors may wish to use the English Language Editing service available from Elsevier's WebShop or visit our customer support site for more information.

Use of inclusive language

Inclusive language acknowledges diversity, conveys respect to all people, is sensitive to differences, and promotes equal opportunities. Content should make no assumptions about the beliefs or commitments of any reader; contain nothing which might imply that one individual is superior to another on the grounds of age, gender, race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, disability or health condition; and use inclusive language throughout. Authors should ensure that writing is free from bias, stereotypes, slang, reference to dominant culture and/or cultural assumptions. Seek gender neutrality by using plural nouns ("clinicians, patients/clients") as default/wherever possible to avoid using "he, she," or "he/she." Avoid the use of descriptors that refer to personal attributes such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, disability or health condition unless they are relevant and valid. Refer to the current AMA style guide on race and ethnicity for a complete discussion and examples. These guidelines are meant as a point of reference to help identify appropriate language but are by no means exhaustive or definitive. Please see the full AMA Manual of Style for more information.

Sex- and gender-based analyses (SGBA) reporting guidance

For research involving or pertaining to humans, animals or eukaryotic cells, investigators should integrate sex-and gender-based analyses (SGBA) into their research design according to funder/sponsor requirements and best practices within a field. Authors should address the sex and/or gender dimensions of their research in their article. In cases where they cannot, they should discuss this as a limitation to their research's generalizability. Importantly, authors should explicitly state what definitions of sex and/or gender they are applying to enhance the precision, rigor and reproducibility of their research and to avoid ambiguity or conflation of terms and the constructs to which they refer (see Definitions section below). Authors can refer to the Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) guidelines and the SAGER guidelines checklist. These offer systematic approaches to the use and editorial review of sex and gender information in study design, data analysis, outcome reporting and research interpretation - however, please note there is no single, universally agreed-upon set of guidelines for defining sex and gender.

Definitions

Sex generally refers to a set of biological attributes that are associated with physical and physiological features (eg, chromosomal genotype, hormonal levels, internal and external anatomy). A binary sex categorization (male/female) is usually designated at birth ('sex assigned at birth'), most often based solely on the visible external anatomy of a newborn. Gender generally refers to socially constructed roles, behaviors, and identities of women, men and gender-diverse people that occur in a historical and cultural context and may vary across societies and over time. Gender influences how people view themselves and each other, how they behave and interact and how power is distributed in society. Sex and gender are often incorrectly portrayed as binary (female/male or woman/man) and unchanging whereas these constructs actually exist along a spectrum and include additional sex categorizations and gender identities such as people who are intersex/have differences of sex development (DSD) or identify as non-binary. Moreover, the terms 'sex' and 'gender' can be ambiguous - thus, it is important for authors to define the manner in which they are used.

For more information on best practice for sex and gender reporting in research visit this resource on the Elsevier website.

Brevity

Be concise and mindful of word counts. Articles over the word count limit will be returned to the author. Avoid repeating the same information in the Abstract, Introduction, and Discussion.

Undocumented claims (eg, "first," "safe and effective," etc.)

Please do not claim that yours is the first report. If such a claim is deemed necessary, authors should explain their reasoning in the cover letter and provide a detailed Appendix describing how they came to this conclusion. Describe search strategies, search terms, databases queried, and how far back these were checked. Also list textbooks and monographs that were searched to substantiate the claim. Similarly, the phrase "safe and effective" should be reserved for FDA-approved product labeling based on registered phase III trials. In other settings, the term should be avoided entirely. As an alternative, an example of acceptable terminology would be, "Our patients demonstrated positive responses and the treatment was well tolerated."

Trade names

Trade names and brand names of drugs and devices may not be used in the title of the paper. They may appear only once in the paper and should be placed in parentheses along with their manufacturer and the manufacturer's location following the first mention of the generic name in the text. Thereafter, only generic names should be used throughout the article.

There are no strict formatting requirements, but all manuscripts must contain the required elements, including an abstract, keywords, capsule summary, introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusion, figures, tables, and legends. If your article includes any videos and/or other supplementary material (for editor/reviewer reference only), these should be included in your initial submission for peer review purposes. With the exception of Research Letters, divide the article into clearly defined sections. Please use continuous line numbering (i.e., that continues from one page to the next) for the manuscript to facilitate review and editing.

Title page

View a sample title page here. The following items must be included on the title page for all submissions:

  • The manuscript title
  • The authors' full names, highest earned academic degrees, and institutional affiliations and locations. Optional: you may list one Twitter handle for the author group. Due to space limitations, we can only publish one Twitter handle per manuscript.
  • Designate one author as correspondent (provide address, telephone and fax numbers, and email address) to receive communications from the Editorial Office and galley proofs from the publisher. The name and address of the author who will receive reprint requests should be noted if different from the correspondent. The corresponding author should promptly inform the editorial office ([email protected]) of any change in email or mailing address.
  • A separate word count for the abstract, capsule summary, and text (excluding references, figures, and tables), as well as a figure and table count. Please make sure that the figure count and table count statements are separate.
  • A statement of all funding sources for the work. If there were none, put "Funding: none."
  • A publishable disclosure of conflict of interest statement.
  • A statement that patient consent is on file. For example: "The authors attest to obtaining written patient consent for the publication of recognizable patient photographs or other identifiable material, with the understanding that this information may be publicly available." If no patients were involved, please state on the title page, "Patient consent: Not applicable."
  • A statement whether your IRB has approved the study or exempted it from review.
  • Clinical trials registration information (if applicable), including name of registry and registration number.
  • A checklist following the title page that the manuscript meets all requirements for the article type being submitted. Example: survey study has a response rate of 60% or higher.
  • A list of attachments for editor/reviewer reference only (if applicable), eg. CONSORT checklist, research protocol/statistical analysis plan, survey instrument, and any other supporting materials.
  • A note about whether any data from the study has been previously published and why.

Abstract

Unless otherwise stated, all articles must be accompanied by an abstract not exceeding 200 words. Abstracts of papers submitted in the Original Articles, Dermatopathology, From the Dermatology Foundation, and Dermatologic Surgery sections should be structured as follows:

  • Background: What is the major problem that prompted the study?
  • Objective: What is the purpose of the study?
  • Methods: What type of study was done (case series, case-control, cohort, cross-sectional, randomized controlled trial, ecologic, etc.)? How was the study done?
  • Results: What are the most important findings?
  • Limitations: What are the limitations of the study?
  • Conclusion: What is the single most important conclusion?

Abstracts for Reviews may be structured or unstructured at the discretion of the author. Abstracts for CME articles should be unstructured. Other article types do not require abstracts.

Capsule summary

Papers submitted for publication in the Original Article, Review, Dermatologic Surgery, Dermatopathology, and From the Dermatology Foundation sections must include a capsule summary of up to 50 words. The capsule summary should not contain abbreviations and should be composed of two bulleted statements which address the following:

  • (First bullet) How does this article integrate into what was already known?
  • (Second bullet) How does it change practice? That is, what does the article mean to the practice of dermatology and what should you do as a result of having read this article? What should change in the way you practice?

Key words

The selection of key words is the most important step in the submission process. This is how most clinicians and investigators will find your work, and the key words should be chosen carefully to allow ready retrieval of the study through PubMed and other search engines. Choose as many key words as necessary to ensure that literature searches capture your article. Make sure that every key term that appears in the title is chosen as a key word.

Multiple hypothesis testing and evaluation of big data

In the Methods section, authors should indicate the number of hypotheses tested and the expected risk of false discovery. Authors should consult a statistician regarding appropriate statistical methods and correction of P values.

The False c Rate (FDR) expresses the expected proportion of false discoveries (type I errors) when conducting a large number of comparisons. Authors are expected to use a generally accepted method to mitigate the risk of false discovery and state what method was used.

Example:
In this study, we tested (fill in the number) hypotheses with an expected rate of false discovery of (fill in the blank). The Benjamini-Hochberg procedure was used to correct P values (see footnote).

Footnote:
Individual P values were placed in ascending order, with an ordinal rank assigned starting with smallest P value (rank = 1). Each P value's critical value was calculated using the formula (i/m)Q, where i = each P value's rank, m = total number of tests, Q = the false discovery rate. The largest P value smaller than its corresponding critical value was identified and all smaller P values (lower ordinal rankings) are considered significant.

Abbreviations and acronyms

Abbreviations must be limited primarily to those in general usage. Only standard abbreviations are to be used. Weights and measurements must be expressed in metric units. Temperatures must be expressed in degrees centigrade. Consult Scientific Style and Format by the Council of Biology Editors or the Manual of Style by the American Medical Association. Abbreviations in the title are not acceptable and they should be avoided in the abstract whenever possible. A laboratory or chemical term or a disease process must be spelled out at first mention, with the acronym or abbreviation following in parentheses. List all abbreviations and acronyms on a separate page within the manuscript document before the references.

Acknowledgements

Collate acknowledgements in a separate section at the end of the article before the references and do not, therefore, include them on the title page, as a footnote to the title or otherwise. List here those individuals who provided help during the research (e.g., providing language help, writing assistance or proof reading the article, etc.).

Figures and tables

Tables, figures, and legends should supplement, not duplicate, the text. Clinical photographs should be of high quality (300 dpi) without distracting backgrounds and should be provided individually, not as composite images. Figures and tables must be cited in the text and numbered in order of mention. Figures must have an arrow marking the top edge and must be numbered consecutively using Arabic numerals (i.e., 1, 2, 3). Composite clinical images (including microscopy images) are not allowed because image detail is compromised. Composite figures consisting of graphs, line drawings and other nonclinical images are allowed. Multi-part figures must be marked clearly (i.e., 1A, 1B, 1C). Each part of a composite image counts towards the maximum allotment, (e.g., a figure 1A and 1B are considered 2 figures).

Care must be taken by authors submitting images to ensure that images are de-identified to the greatest extent possible, while preserving the teaching nature of the image/s. Blocking the eyes is not appropriate for deidentifying images. Please crop the photo to emphasize the immediate area of focus. For example, an image demonstrating melanoma on the forehead can be cropped to show only the forehead area and the lesion. Descriptive information in the text (such as details of a case or genetic pedigree) must be deidentified to protect patient confidentiality. Recognizable patient images require that the author obtain and attest to having obtained written patient consent for publication. Consent forms should be retained by the author's institution(s); they should not be uploaded to Editorial Manager. Figures that contain a brand name product must have permission from the manufacturer for publication.

Figure legends should begin with the name of the condition or disease being depicted. They should be as brief as possible. Any symbols and abbreviations used should be explained. Legends should be typed double-spaced and inserted after the references within the manuscript document. If an illustration has been published previously, full credit to the original source must be given in the legend and permission to reprint must have been obtained from the copyright holder. Any previously published images that the author wishes to use in their manuscript must come from an original source (e.g. journal article, textbook, etc.) and include proof that copyright permission has been obtained for re-use. Images from opensource websites, such as Wikipedia or other so-called ‘wikis’ (websites that allow collaborative editing of content and structure by its users), are not permitted. For histologic/microscopic figures, the legend must specify stain. Arrows and arrowheads should be used freely to clarify findings. Please note that online-only figures also require legends.

Tables should be self-explanatory and numbered sequentially in Roman numerals in order of their mention in the text. A brief title should be provided for each. Any symbols and abbreviations used should be explained using a footnote. If a table, or any data therein, has been published previously, full credit to the original source must be given in a footnote. Tables must be 35 lines or less in portrait layout, have 1-inch margins and be 10-12–point font, to meet the requirement of fitting on one journal page. Tables are not designed to include color. If color is critical to your table, please submit it as a figure file.

Image manipulation

Although authors may need to manipulate images for clarity, manipulation for purposes of deception or fraud constitutes scientific and ethical abuse and will be dealt with accordingly. For graphical images, JAAD's policy is that no specific feature within an image may be enhanced, obscured, moved, removed, or introduced. Adjustments of brightness, contrast, or color balance are acceptable if and as long as they do not obscure or eliminate any information present in the original. Nonlinear adjustments (e.g. changes to gamma settings) must be disclosed in the figure legend.

Black and white graphs must be legible and clearly printed. The fill for bar graphs or pie charts should be distinctive; avoid shading or dotted patterns. Use thick, solid lines and bold, solid type. Place lettering on a white background; avoid reverse type (white lettering on a dark background). All lettering must be done professionally and should be in proportion to the drawing, graph, or photograph. Typewritten or freehand lettering is unacceptable. Consistency in size within the article is strongly recommended. Any special instructions regarding sizing should be clearly noted.

The use of Generative AI or AI-assisted tools is NOT permitted to create or alter images in submitted manuscripts. Image forensics tools or specialized software might be applied to submitted manuscripts to identify suspected image irregularities.

Electronic artwork

General points

  • Use uniform lettering and sizing.
  • Preferred fonts: Arial (or Helvetica), Times New Roman (or Times), Symbol, Courier.
  • Number the illustrations according to their sequence in the text.
  • Use a logical naming convention for your artwork files.
  • Indicate per figure if it is a single, 1.5 or 2-column fitting image.
  • For Word submissions only, you may still provide figures and their captions, and tables within a single file at the revision stage.
  • Please note that individual figure files larger than 10 MB must be provided in separate source files.
  • Images cannot be republished from wikis (opensource websites that allow collaborative editing of content and structure by its users), such as Wikipedia, as these are not considered original sources. Authors should supply their own figures, or provide copyright permission on figures sourced from previously published original content (e.g. journals, textbooks, etc.).

A detailed guide on electronic artwork is available on our website: https://www.elsevier.com/artworkinstructions.

Footnotes

Footnotes should be used sparingly. Number them consecutively throughout the article. Many word processors build footnotes into the text, and this feature may be used. Should this not be the case, indicate the position of footnotes in the text and present the footnotes themselves separately at the end of the article. Do not include footnotes in the Reference list.

References

Personal communications should not be cited in the reference list but may appear parenthetically in the text. References must be identified in the text by superscript Arabic numerals in order of their mention. References should not be formatted as footnotes, but should appear in a list at the end of the text. The reference list should be typed double-spaced and in numeric sequence.

Reference links

Increased discoverability of research and high-quality peer review are ensured by online links to the sources cited. In order to allow us to create links to abstracting and indexing services, such as Scopus, CrossRef and PubMed, please ensure that data provided in the references are correct. Please note that incorrect surnames, journal/book titles, publication year and pagination may prevent link creation. When copying references, please be careful as they may already contain errors.

The Digital Object Identifier (DOI) may be used to cite and link to electronic documents. The DOI consists of a unique alpha-numeric character string which is assigned to a document by the publisher upon the initial electronic publication. The assigned DOI never changes. Therefore, it is an ideal medium for citing a document, particularly 'Articles in press' because they have not yet received their full bibliographic information. Example of a correctly given DOI (in URL format; here an article in the journal Physics Letters B): http://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2010.09.059.

When you use a DOI to create links to documents on the web, the DOIs are guaranteed never to change.

Data references

This journal encourages you to cite underlying or relevant datasets in your manuscript by citing them in your text and including a data reference in your Reference List. Data references should include the following elements: author name(s), dataset title, data repository, version (where available), year, and global persistent identifier. Add [dataset] immediately before the reference so we can properly identify it as a data reference. The [dataset] identifier will not appear in your published article.

Reference formatting

There are no strict requirements on reference formatting at submission. References can be in any style or format as long as the style is consistent and the references are cited in order. Where applicable, author(s) name(s), journal title/book title, chapter title/article title, year of publication, volume number and issue/book chapter and the pagination must be present. Use of DOI is highly encouraged. The reference style used by the journal will be applied to the accepted article by Elsevier at the proof stage. Note that missing data will be highlighted at the proof stage for the author to correct. If you do wish to format the references yourself they should be arranged according to the examples below.

Reference style

Text: Indicate references by (consecutive) superscript Arabic numerals in the order in which they appear in the text. Numerals are to be placed outside periods and commas, inside colons and semicolons. List the first 3 authors, then "et al". For further detail concerning journal title abbreviations and other reference formatting issues, please consult the AMA Manual of Style, A Guide for Authors and Editors, Eleventh Edition, Online ISBN 9780197507827 (see https://academic.oup.com/amamanualofstyle).

List: Number the references in the list in the order in which they appear in the text. For example,

Reference to a journal publication:
1. Van der Geer J, Hanraads JAJ, Lupton RA. The art of writing a scientific article. J Sci Commun. 2010;163(1):51–59.

Reference to a book:
2. Strunk W Jr, White EB. The Elements of Style. 4th ed. New York, NY: Longman; 2000.

Reference to a chapter in an edited book:
3. Mettam GR, Adams LB. How to prepare an electronic version of your article. In: Jones BS, Smith RZ, eds. Introduction to the Electronic Age. New York, NY: E-Publishing Inc; 2009:281–304.

Reference to a dataset:
4. [dataset] Oguro, M, Imahiro, S, Saito, S, Nakashizuka, T. Mortality data for Japanese oak wilt disease and surrounding forest compositions, Mendeley Data, v1; 2015. http://doi.org/10.17632/xwj98nb39r.1.

Video

Elsevier accepts video material and animation sequences to support and enhance your scientific research. Authors who have video or animation files that they wish to submit with their article are strongly encouraged to include links to these within the body of the article. This can be done in the same way as a figure or table by referring to the video or animation content and noting in the body text where it should be placed. All submitted files should be properly labeled so that they directly relate to the video file's content. In order to ensure that your video or animation material is directly usable, please provide the file in one of our recommended file formats with a preferred maximum size of 150 MB per file, 1 GB in total. Video and animation files supplied will be published online in the electronic version of your article in Elsevier Web products, including ScienceDirect. Please supply 'stills' with your files: you can choose any frame from the video or animation or make a separate image. These will be used instead of standard icons and will personalize the link to your video data. For more detailed instructions please visit our video instruction pages. Note: since video and animation cannot be embedded in the print version of the journal, please provide text for both the electronic and the print version for the portions of the article that refer to this content.

Data visualization

Authors who have data visualization files that they wish to include with their article are required to provide these files at initial submission of their manuscript files or to include links to these files on Mendeley within the body of the article. Data visualization files cannot be added after manuscript acceptance.

Include interactive data visualizations in your publication and let your readers interact and engage more closely with your research. Follow the instructions here to find out about available data visualization options and how to include them with your article.

Supplementary data

The Journal does not publish supplemental tables or figures in the print or electronic versions of the journal, but authors can upload them to Mendeley and include the Mendeley link in their article, allowing readers full access to supplementary material you deem important. For help on uploading files to Mendeley, please visit our step-by-step guide here. Clearly indicate in the submission that supplemental table or figure files are for the benefit of the reviewers only and that they will be uploaded to Mendeley. Figures may be cited as "Mendeley supplemental figure 1" or "Mendeley supplemental table 1" for the benefit of the reviewers.

Patient consent and patient details

Studies on patients or volunteers require ethics committee approval and informed consent, which should be documented in the paper. Appropriate consents, permissions and releases must be obtained where an author wishes to include case details or other personal information or images of patients and any other individuals in an Elsevier publication.

It is important to disclose to patients that images submitted to JAAD may be utilized in various forms of publication and mediums by the Journal and the Publisher, including but not limited to teaching, research, scientific meetings, other professional journals, medical books, broadcasts, advertising, social media, and other similar purposes. These materials may appear in print and online, may be discoverable via search engines, and the public may have access to them.

Care must be taken by authors submitting images to ensure that images are de-identified to the greatest extent possible, while preserving the teaching nature of the image/s.

Patient images should be identified by numbers and/or letters only and must not be identified by name, initials, or hospital record number, nor contain dates. No other information, including clinical photos or family trees, from which a patient could be identified is permitted. Note that blocking the eyes is not sufficient to de-identify images. Please crop the photo to emphasize the immediate area of focus; for example, an image demonstrating melanoma on the forehead can be cropped to show only the forehead area and the lesion. Descriptive information in the text (such as details of a case or genetic pedigree) must be deidentified to protect patient confidentiality.

Written consents must be retained by the author and copies of the consents or evidence that such consents have been obtained must be provided to Elsevier upon request only. For more information, please review the Elsevier Policy on the Use of Images or Personal Information of Patients or other Individuals.

The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD) seeks to ensure that patient privacy is protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

While institution and private entity HIPAA patient sign-off for photo/image use is acceptable, the journal also provides this document as a template for use by JAAD manuscript authors. The journal does not require that copies of these forms be submitted with manuscripts but does require authors to attest in the author questionnaire that they have consent on file and can produce copies of the signed consent forms if requested by the journal.

The following statement must appear on the title page of the manuscript and will be published with the article:

Patient Consent on File: Written consent for the publication of recognizable patient photographs or other identifiable material was obtained by the authors and attested to at the time of article submission to the journal stating that all patients gave consent with the understanding that this information may be publicly available.

Permissions

Direct quotations, tables, or illustrations that have appeared in copyrighted material must be accompanied upon submission by written permission for their use from the copyright owner and the original author along with complete information as to their source. Tattoos are considered copyrighted material and the tattoo artist holds the copyright. If you include a figure with a tattoo in it, you must also submit reprint permission from the tattoo artist. Patient consent is also required for tattoo images. Permission to use an image of a specific product must be obtained in writing from the product manufacturer if either the particular device or the manufacturer is identified or could be considered reasonably identifiable by a practitioner within the relevant field. If neither the device nor the manufacturer is identified and the specific product can be considered incidental to the purpose of the photo, permission should not be necessary. Generic equipment (for example, a bedpan) does not require permission unless a manufacturer name is clearly visible and has not been blurred, cropped, or removed.

Authors, please note: JAAD is limited in the number of pages that can be published each month. Inclusion of textbook-type material is strongly discouraged, as is repetition of the same statements in the Introduction and Discussion. The Introduction and Discussion should pertain directly to the study being reported, and not contain a lengthy review of a disease entity or its treatment.

The following table is for your guidance in formatting your manuscript, with the various article types outlined more fully in the text that follows. Note that "maximums" are just that; less is preferred. Our readers have told us on multiple occasions that they prefer manuscripts with a message that is delivered in a clear and concise manner. While we impose no absolute limits on the number of references for some article types, references should only be included when necessary to cite the primary source of information.

Article Type Maximum
Word Count
Requires Abstract/
Capsule Summary*
References Maximum Number
of Figures/Tables**
CME 3,000 (each part) Abstract: Yes;
Capsule Summary: No
No limit No limit
Original Articles,
From the Dermatology Foundation,
Dermatologic Surgery,
Dermatopathology,
Clinical Reviews
2,500 Yes No limit 5 (total)
Research Letters***, Systematic Reviews***, Meta-Analysis*** 500 No 5 2 (total)
Letters: Notes & Comments**** 500 No 5 2 (total)
Editorials/Commentaries,
Health Policy and Practice,
Current Issues and Opinion,
Consultative Dermatology,
Medical Error and Patient Safety,
Humanities,
In Memoriam
500 No 5 2 (total)
Book Reviews**** 375 No 0 0
Pearls**** 250 No 2 2 (total)
Dermatology Images**** 250 No 5 No limit

*Word count limit for abstract is 200 words and for Capsule Summary is 50 words.
**Each part of a multi-part figure is counted toward the maximum allotment (e.g., a figure 1A and 1B are considered 2 figures). Composite figures cannot contain clinical images.
***No references permitted in tables within the manuscript. A table listing all articles included in the review may be included in the supplemental material hosted on Mendeley with a link in the print article.
****Online only.

In-depth, substantiated, educational articles presenting core information for the continuing professional development of the practicing dermatologist. CME articles should present a synthesis of new information not readily available in textbooks and should reflect the approach and practice style of an expert in the field. Images that demonstrate the full spectrum of disease presentation over time and in all skin types are strongly encouraged, and preference will be given to manuscripts that include them. Images from the JAAD Skin of Color Image Atlas may be used to supplement your own images.

To have manuscripts considered for publication in the JAAD as certified CME activities, authors must first complete and submit proposal worksheets and manuscript outlines for approval by the CME Planning Workgroup and Deputy Editor (available at https://www.jaad.org/content/auth_page). The CME must have a Part I and a Part II, each with its own proposal form and outline. Each part must also have separate and distinct learning objectives. To obtain approval from the CME Planning Workgroup, send all four files (Proposal Part I, Outline Part I, Proposal Part II, and Outline Part II) to [email protected] for review.

All CME submissions should be written in 2 articles (Part I and Part II). A proposal and outline must be submitted for each part, as these will also be submitted as individual manuscripts. The proposal and outline for each of the two parts should be unique and should cite evidence of existing practice gaps. Should the proposals be accepted, the author will be granted permission to move forward and submit the manuscripts. An accepted proposal does not guarantee that the written manuscript will be accepted for publication. An approved proposal only provides authority to have a manuscript considered for the CME section. Authors will be required to include their Education Director-approved proposal forms with their CME submissions, which will be provided to them at the time the proposal is accepted.

Each manuscript should: 1) contain bulleted key points preceding each major section; 2) include summary tables when possible, as well as separate algorithms for evaluation and management when appropriate. Please note that the key points are intended as a substitute for the capsule summary, which is not a part of the CME article format. Any unique pediatric or geriatric manifestations should be included in the text. Recommended tests should have an impact on therapy and should be supported by outcomes data. The word count for each part of the CME article should not exceed 3000 words excluding the unstructured abstract, references, figures, and tables. Authors who submit an article they wish to be considered for CME certification may not recommend peer reviewers. Only manuscripts submitted with an approved proposal and outline will be considered.

The level of evidence should be cited whenever recommendations are made. Level IA evidence includes evidence from meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials; level IB evidence includes evidence from at least one randomized controlled trial; level IIA evidence includes evidence from at least one controlled study without randomization; level IIB evidence includes evidence from at least one other type of experimental study; level III evidence includes evidence from nonexperimental descriptive studies, such as comparative studies, correlation studies, and case-control studies; and level IV evidence includes evidence from expert committee reports or opinions or clinical experience of respected authorities, or both. All therapeutic recommendations should be accompanied by a table indicating their level of evidence, with a definition of the different levels included as a footnote.

To qualify for CME credit, authors must provide for each CME article 2 clinical vignettes, each followed by 2 or 3 questions that evaluate clinical competence acquired as a result of the CME activity. The questions should reflect appropriate clinical practice rather than simply testing factual knowledge. Suitable questions assess the learner's ability to diagnose or treat a condition appropriately after reading the CME article. Guidelines for question writing can be found at https://www.jaad.org/content/auth_page. Each question requires a brief discussion of why the correct answer is correct.

See a sample CME manuscript here.

Notes:

  • CME articles are not eligible for electronic author verification. Each author on the CME articles must sign the Authorship Declaration, Conflict of Interest, and Copyright Transfer PDF forms found at https://www.jaad.org/content/auth_page. The signed forms must be uploaded with the submission.
  • Proposals that do not meet the above criteria may be submitted as a Clinical Review. See description immediately below.

Clinical reviews require a one-page proposal to be submitted to the journal before submission in order to determine interest. Proposals should include:

  • Proposed title
  • Proposed authors and their affiliations
  • Past published references penned by authors supporting their expertise in the field
  • Rationale for proposing this review (new treatments, new basic science supporting pathophysiology, updated guidelines, etc.)
  • Outline of review article

Similar to a CME article, a clinical review should reflect an expert's approach to a challenging problem. Clinical reviews differ from CME articles by their narrower focus on a more targeted problem. A clinical review does not simply present the results of a literature search but reflects the practice style of an expert in the field as well as the data supporting that approach. It also seeks to define and provide recommendations for management where there are existing gaps in research. The manuscript should take evidence-based data, analyze it, and present a bottom-line that reflects the expert's current approach. An abstract (which may be structured or unstructured) and capsule summary should be included. The word count should not exceed 2500 words excluding the abstract, references, figures, and tables.

A maximum of 5 total figures and tables may be included in the submission. Tables must be 35 lines or less in portrait layout, have 1-inch margins and be 10-12–point font, to meet the requirement of fitting on one journal page. Composite clinical images (including microscopy images) are not allowed because image detail is compromised. Composite figures consisting of graphs, line drawings and other nonclinical images are allowed. Each part of a composite image count towards the maximum allotment (e.g., a figure 1A and 1B are considered 2 figures). Images that demonstrate the full spectrum of disease presentation over time and in all skin types are strongly encouraged, and preference will be given to manuscripts that include them. Images from the JAAD Skin of Color Image Atlas may be used to supplement your own images

See a sample Clinical Review manuscript here.

Systematic reviews and meta-analysis will be considered for publication when the article sheds novel light on an important topic in clinical practice. The manuscript should focus on what conclusions can be drawn that could not be drawn from the cited studies themselves. Clinical papers are published as research letters with no abstract and a maximum of 2 tables or figures, 500 words, and 5 references. Tables and figures within the manuscript cannot include references. However, a table listing all articles included in the review may be included in the supplemental material hosted on Mendeley with a link in the print article.

The discussion should focus on the implications for clinical practice. Examples of topics appropriate for systematic review or meta-analysis:

  • Published studies with conflicting results -- the systematic review addresses differences in study design and populations that may account for the differences and discusses how the analysis changes clinical practice.
  • Individual studies that are too small to draw conclusions, but the methods and outcomes are similar and allow meaningful meta-analysis.

A standard resource such as the PRISMA statement or Amstar 2 must be used for systematic reviews and meta-analyses that deal with randomized trials. The MOOSE checklist (Meta-analyses Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) must be used for meta-analyses of observational studies. Systematic Reviews should be registered with PROSPERO. The corresponding checklists must be addressed in the cover letter.

Original, in-depth clinical and investigative laboratory research papers. A description of the type of study that was done (case series, case-control, cohort, cross-sectional, randomized controlled trial, ecologic, etc.) should be included in the title and in the Methods section. The title should convey as briefly as possible the subject and design of the study and may be a statement that reflects the study outcome but should not be posed as a question. Submissions of research articles should be accompanied by a supplementary document that includes the protocol and statistical analysis plan; this should be labeled "For editor/reviewer reference only" and is not for publication.

Authors of randomized controlled trials must follow the guidelines presented in the CONSORT statement, and submit a completed CONSORT manuscript checklist with their manuscript. A copy of the "CONSORT Checklist for Authors Submitting Reports of Randomized Controlled Trials" may be downloaded from the JAAD website. Similar guidelines for authors of observational and epidemiologic studies are included in the STROBE statement and the related RECORD checklist, for observational comparative effectiveness studies in the GRACE principles, and for studies of diagnostic accuracy in the STARD statement.

Digital applications of artificial intelligence/augmented intelligence (AI/AuI) or other machine learning in dermatology

Authors of manuscripts that focus on digital applications using artificial intelligence-augmented intelligence and/or other forms of machine learning in dermatology must follow the Reporting guidelines for clinical trial reports for interventions involving artificial intelligence: the CONSORT-AI Extension and the CheckList for Evaluation of image-based AI Reports in Dermatology: CLEAR Derm Consensus Guidelines from the International Skin Imaging Collaboration Artificial Intelligence Working Group. Authors will upload the CLEAR Guidelines Checklist as a supplemental file when they submit their manuscript in Editorial Manager. If accepted, authors will upload to Mendeley the CLEAR Guidelines Checklist as supplemental material.

Statistical requirements of Original Articles

In both the manuscript and cover letter, authors must specify the types of studies that were considered in the analysis and comment on comparability of study designs. Authors should state the definition of primary endpoints and how they were ascertained, statistical model used for the meta-analysis, statistical tests conducted, and standardized mean differences. P values are not comparable across hypothesis tests (especially if the sample size varies), and do not indicate the strength of association. Include an estimate of the measure (for example, odds ratio) in the results.

Maximum Word Count2500
Maximum Reference CountNo limit
Maximum Figures*/Tables5
Requires Abstract/Capsule SummaryYes
Required Documents1. Cover Letter
2. Title Page (including patient consent statement, conflict of interest statement, and funding statement)
3. Manuscript (Microsoft Word documents only)
4. Separate file figures if applicable (.tif, .eps., or .jpeg) (NOT for tables)
5. CONSORT manuscript checklist (only if applicable)
Sample Title PageOriginal Article sample title page
*Note: Composite clinical images (including microscopy images) are not allowed because image detail is compromised. Composite figures consisting of graphs, line drawings and other nonclinical images are allowed.

Any reports of clinical trials must be registered before the first person is enrolled. The registry must meet ICMJE criteria (available at http://www.icmje.org). The registry at https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ meets such requirements. When submitting a manuscript that reports a clinical trial, authors are asked to provide the date the first patient enrolled, the date the study was registered, and the registration number.

Citation of levels of evidence is encouraged when appropriate. Information on rating levels of evidence can be found in the instructions to authors of CME articles.

A structured abstract and capsule summary should be included with each original article. The word count should not exceed 2500 words excluding the abstract, references, figures, and tables.

See a sample Original Article manuscript here.

Clinical Trials

In keeping with US Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health policies, investigators should have a plan to ensure that diverse enrollment appropriate to the disease and treatment is being studied. In the manuscript, authors should state how groups were defined for that plan and why that classification was appropriate to the disease and treatment being studied.

To reduce reporting bias in clinical trials, all preplanned outcomes should be reported. If one or more outcomes described in the study protocol are not reported, this deviation should be explicitly noted and explained in the manuscript.

A "core outcome set" is a minimum set of outcomes that have been recommended by an international consensus group for clinical trials of a particular disease or condition. Core outcome sets are now published for various dermatologic diagnoses, including atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and actinic keratosis, among others. Databases of completed and in progress core outcome sets are maintained by international organizations, notably COMET and CS-COUSIN, and are searchable online. When possible, researchers conducting trials on conditions for which core outcome sets are available should consider reporting at least these outcomes. Widespread use of core outcome sets will improve comparability of results across studies, and increase the power of future systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Survey Study Requirements

Survey studies should be reported in a Research Letter, rather than an Original Article format.

Articles emphasizing the surgical aspect of dermatology. If applicable, a description of the type of study that was done (case series, case-control, cohort, cross-sectional, randomized controlled trial, ecologic, etc) should be included in the title and in the Methods section. A structured abstract and capsule summary should be included. The word count should not exceed 2500 words excluding the abstract, references, figures, and tables.

A maximum of 5 total figures and tables may be included in the submission. Composite clinical images (including microscopy images) are not allowed because image detail is compromised. Composite figures consisting of graphs, line drawings and other nonclinical images are allowed. Each part of a composite image counts towards the maximum allotment (e.g., a figure 1A and 1B are considered 2 figures). Tables must be 35 lines or less in portrait layout, have 1-inch margins and be 10-12–point font, to meet the requirement of fitting on one journal page.

See a sample Dermatologic Surgery manuscript here.

These manuscripts feature research that was funded in whole or in part by the Dermatology Foundation. They can be in either Original Article or Research Letter format.

A maximum of 5 total figures and tables may be included in the submission. Composite clinical images (including microscopy images) are not allowed because image detail is compromised. Composite figures consisting of graphs, line drawings and other nonclinical images are allowed. Each part of a composite image counts towards the maximum allotment (e.g., a figure 1A and 1B are considered 2 figures). Tables must be 35 lines or less in portrait layout, have 1-inch margins and be 10-12–point font, to meet the requirement of fitting on one journal page.

See a sample From the Dermatology Foundation manuscript here.

Articles emphasizing the histopathologic changes in skin disease of importance to practicing dermatologists. If applicable, a description of the type of study that was done (case series, case-control, cohort, cross-sectional, randomized controlled trial, ecologic, etc) should be included in the title and in the Methods section. A structured abstract and capsule summary should be included. The word count should not exceed 2500 words excluding the abstract, references, figures, and tables.

A maximum of 5 total figures and tables may be included in the submission. Composite clinical images (including microscopy images) are not allowed because image detail is compromised. Composite figures consisting of graphs, line drawings and other nonclinical images are allowed. Each part of a composite image counts towards the maximum allotment (e.g., a figure 1A and 1B are considered 2 figures). Tables must be 35 lines or less in portrait layout, have 1-inch margins and be 10-12–point font, to meet the requirement of fitting on one journal page.

See a sample Dermatopathology manuscript here.

These manuscripts feature topics focusing on health policy, management, operations design, population health, health economics, and regulatory issues as they pertain to the field of dermatology. The word count should not exceed 500 words excluding the abstract, references, figures, and tables. There is a maximum of 5 references and 2 figures. Composite clinical images (including microscopy images) are not allowed because image detail is compromised. Composite figures consisting of graphs, line drawings and other nonclinical images are allowed.

See a sample Health Policy and Practice manuscript here.

These manuscripts feature topics focusing on the management of complex medical dermatology problems including those encountered when performing inpatient consultations. The word count should not exceed 500 words excluding the abstract, references, figures, and tables. There is a maximum of 5 references and 2 figures. Composite clinical images (including microscopy images) are not allowed because image detail is compromised. Composite figures consisting of graphs, line drawings and other nonclinical images are allowed.

See a sample Consultative Dermatology manuscript here.

Because of our substantial backlog of unpublished manuscripts, submissions for this article type are by invitation only.

Research Letters

New or preliminary research findings, early reports of therapeutic trials in a cohort of patients, and survey research may be considered for publication as Research Letters. Research Letters should not be subdivided into sections, e.g., Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, etc. The type of study that was done (case series, case-control, cohort, cross-sectional, randomized controlled trial, ecologic, etc.) should be noted in the title and in the text. No tables of prior studies should be included. Instead, authors should state search methodology, number of studies, and comparability of study design and outcome measures, followed by a discussion of their analysis. Conclusions based on uncontrolled trials and/or limited experience should be stated in appropriately tentative terms. Research letters have a limit of 5 references (no exceptions). Research letters with more than 5 references will be returned to the author. Tables and figures within the manuscript cannot include references. Tables must be 35 lines or less in portrait layout, have 1-inch margins and be 10-12–point font, to meet the requirement of fitting on one journal page. The reference limit includes material in the tables. For example, listing the author and year of a study counts as a reference. Each entry in a table that compares different studies and includes the author and year of each study will be counted toward the reference total. Up to two figures or tables may be included. Composite clinical images (including microscopy images) are not allowed because image detail is compromised. Composite figures consisting of graphs, line drawings and other nonclinical images are allowed. Each part of a multi-part figure is counted toward the maximum allotment (e.g., a figure 1A and 1B are considered 2 figures).

Supplemental material for research letters may be hosted on Mendeley. The supplemental material cannot include additional references, an abstract, or a capsule summary.

Digital applications of artificial intelligence/augmented intelligence (AI/AuI) or other machine learning in dermatology

Authors of manuscripts that focus on digital applications using artificial intelligence-augmented intelligence and/or other forms of machine learning in dermatology must follow the Reporting guidelines for clinical trial reports for interventions involving artificial intelligence: the CONSORT-AI Extension and the CheckList for Evaluation of image-based AI Reports in Dermatology: CLEAR Derm Consensus Guidelines from the International Skin Imaging Collaboration Artificial Intelligence Working Group. Authors will upload the CLEAR Guidelines Checklist as a supplemental file when they submit their manuscript in Editorial Manager. If accepted, authors will upload to Mendeley the CLEAR Guidelines Checklist as supplemental material.

See a sample Research Letter manuscript here.

Survey study requirements

Response rate: Manuscripts that rely on quantitative or qualitative survey data or qualitative studies involving interviews, whether of physicians, patients, or the general public, must adhere to standard guidelines when reporting data and should clearly define the population of interest as well as the denominator used when calculating response rates. Response rates must be included in the abstract and the body of the manuscript. Authors should report the percentage of participants who agreed to be interviewed when survey responses include qualitative data. With few exceptions, survey and qualitative study response rates of at least 60% are expected. If a 60% response rate is not attained, authors must explain how they have solved for bias. Surveys administered on online platforms where no denominator is delineated will not be considered. Survey studies and qualitative studies should be published as Research Letters, not Original Articles.

JAAD will only publish survey-based research if a survey approach is particularly well-suited for answering an important clinical question, and if the survey is exceptionally well-designed and executed. Accepted survey studies are published as research letters (500 words, 5 references, 2 figures maximum). Supplemental material may be uploaded to Mendeley, with a link in the print and online versions of the article.

The authors must attest that the use of any proprietary sampling contact information (eg, mailing list) was approved by its owner. Include the survey instrument as a supplementary document; this should be clearly labeled "For editor/reviewer reference only" and is not for publication. Research Letters are published in the print JAAD.

Authors submitting survey studies for consideration must answer the following questions in an accompanying cover letter. These questions should also be answered in the methods section of the manuscript but can be in a supplemental methods section to be uploaded to Mendeley in order to keep the manuscript to the 500-word limit.

  1. Why is the survey question important?
  2. Why was a survey the only legitimate tool to address the research question? Specifically, why are more powerful research methods not feasible? Is the survey cross-sectional or longitudinal? Was IRB approval or an exempt letter obtained?
  3. What prospective steps were taken to ensure that the study was adequately powered to answer the question and to avoid bias? How was the sample size determined?

  4. The following steps must take place prior to the survey. They are important for all studies and critical for any study that fails to achieve a 60% response rate:

  5. How was the survey instrument developed? Has the survey instrument been validated? Describe the validation process. Was face validity assessed, and how? Was the survey piloted, and how?
  6. What population was sampled? Was sampling random? If not, what steps were taken to ensure a representative sample and avoid bias?
  7. How was the survey administered (e.g., in person, postal mail, email, online, social media, etc.)? Please describe this process in detail.
  8. How many participants were approached? How many attempts were made to contact participants, and by what method? How many agreed to complete the survey, and how many surveys were returned complete? What was the survey response rate? How was the population that completed the survey assessed for bias-in other words, how do we know that the sample who responded to the survey represents the population the authors intended to study? Provide an analysis of nonrespondents and respondents to show representativeness.
  9. How was missing data, if any, managed?
  10. Please describe the statistical analysis. Please distinguish between planned analysis and post hoc comparisons.

Letters commenting on material previously published in the Journal will be considered for the Notes & Comments section. These will be sent for response to the authors of the article being commented upon. This response may be published or sent directly to the commentator at the discretion of the editor. Questions or comments that could be addressed directly by the authors (including complaints about missed citations) should be sent directly to them, rather than involving the Journal as an intermediary. Notes & Comments are designated for online-only publication.

Letters must not exceed 500 words and should not cite more than five references. Up to two figures or tables may be included. Composite clinical images (including microscopy images) are not allowed because image detail is compromised. Composite figures consisting of graphs, line drawings and other nonclinical images are allowed. Each part of a multi-part figure is counted toward the maximum allotment (e.g., a figure 1A and 1B are considered 2 figures). Tables must be 35 lines or less in portrait layout, have 1-inch margins and be 10-12–point font, to meet the requirement of fitting on one journal page.

See a sample Letters: Notes & Comments manuscript here.

JAAD does not publish case letters or reports. All individual case studies or small case series (10 or fewer patients) should be submitted to the companion JAAD open access journal, JAAD Case Reports, at http://www.editorialmanager.com/jdcr/default.aspx. Authors are encouraged to review the JAAD Case Reports Guide for Authors prior to submission, at https://www.jaadcasereports.org/content/authorinfo.

Controversies

These are typically invited pairs of commentaries and a single editor will handle the pair. They should focus on scientific medical issues rather than political ones (example: In the age of biologics, is the treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa largely medical or still largely surgical?). Each is limited to 500 words, 2 images, and 5 references. Supplemental material including tables of supporting data may be hosted on Mendeley.

See a sample Controversies manuscript here.

Ethics Journal Club

Contributors can submit a real life practical ethical dilemma in the format of a "Dear Dr Dermatoethicist" letter. If our editors agree that the ethical issue is one that is worthy of analysis, we will identify the most appropriate dermatoethicist to respond on how best to resolve or deal with this submitted conundrum. Alternatively, the authors who submit their ethical quandary can also submit their own analysis. The length of the entire letter to the ethicist cannot exceed 500 words and can only include 5 references.

See a sample Ethics Journal Club manuscript here.

Medical Error and Patient Safety

This online-only feature is to increase awareness of different types of medical error, particularly cognitive (rather than systems-based), with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes and safety. We often learn best through evaluating past mistakes and failure but, in medicine, it is much more traditional to focus on "successes." A traditional case report is NOT what we are looking for, but it likely IS a patient case that is the basis of the article. The focus of the article should be the error, root cause analysis, and suggestions for improvement/prevention with patient safety and optimal outcome in mind.

Examples of cognitive error that can lead to poorer patient outcomes include the following:

  • Anchoring bias
  • Failure to consider alternative diagnoses
  • Search satisficing
  • Diagnosis momentum
  • Availability bias
  • Gender bias
  • Overconfidence

Manuscripts should be no longer than 500 words. Figures (no more than 2) and references (no more than 5) are optional. The format can be case scenario and question-/answer-based or traditional paragraph-style.

See a sample Medical Error and Patient Safety manuscript here.

Books and monographs (domestic and foreign) will be reviewed depending on their interest and value to subscribers. Send books to the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, c/o Rose Manzi, 9500 W Bryn Mawr Avenue, Suite 500 Rosemont, IL 60018-5216. No books will be returned. Journal guidelines for writing book reviews are available online. Book reviews are limited to 375 words and are designated for online-only publication.

See a sample Book Review manuscript here.

A tribute to a departed colleague who has contributed significantly to the field of dermatology. In Memoriam submissions are limited to 500 words and are designated for online-only publication.

See a sample In Memoriam manuscript here.

Current Issues and Opinion

These manuscripts are by invitation only, 500 words or less, 5 references, 2 figures maximum.

This online-only feature allows clinicians to communicate the "tricks of the trade" that help them practice more effectively and efficiently. A case report is NOT a Pearl. Four types of pearls will be published: (1) Clinical Pearls, (2) Therapeutic Pearls, (3) Surgical Pearls, and (4) Technology Pearls. Submissions should be structured as follows:

  • Clinical (or Therapeutic, or Surgical, or Technology) challenge
  • Solution

Manuscripts should be no longer than 250 words. Figures (no more than 2) and references (no more than 2) are optional. Please indicate whether your Pearl is Clinical, Therapeutic, Surgical, or Technology within the cover letter for the submission. Technology Pearls should focus on new technological advances that afford us the ability to diagnose skin disease in its earliest stages, which can reduce patient morbidity and mortality as well as health care spending. Note: if your submission includes photos of products (such as dermatoscopes, apps, surgical equipment, etc.), you must obtain and provide permission from the product manufacturer for publication of the photo.

See a sample Pearl manuscript here.

Articles that address humanistic aspects of cutaneous medicine. Humanities articles are limited to 500 words, 5 references, and 2 figures.

Authors are encouraged to submit their best clinical images, especially of uncommon entities and those comparing the range of presentation of dermatologic conditions in all skin types. Images should demonstrate the entire spectrum of a disease entity, where presentation varies over time, by location, and in different skin types. Single case reports will not be considered. The best images will appear in print and the remaining submissions that are accepted will appear online. Clinical images depicting diverse skin types will be added to our Skin of Color Image Atlas. The article title and image captions must reflect the name of the disease so that all images can easily be retrieved in a search. Manuscripts should be no longer than 250 words, with a maximum of 5 references. There is no limitation on the number of images. Other supplemental material can be placed on Mendeley. Please review the Patient consent and patient details section prior to manuscript preparation.

Supplements

The Journal follows the guidelines for supplements established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. These guidelines are included in the document entitled "Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals," which can be found at http://www.icmje.org. Inquiries about proposed supplements should be emailed to the Publisher ([email protected]), not directly to the Journal Editor. Proposals must be approved by Publisher, Editor-in-Chief, and society before a supplement agreement can be executed. Supplement sponsors or funders cannot influence the review of any submitted manuscripts.

A supplement agreement does not obligate the journal to publish any supplement content, as all Supplements manuscripts undergo peer review and are processed in the same fashion as regular submissions to the Journal. All manuscript submission requirements, including clear disclosure of authorship contributions, must be satisfied for each paper. It is also understood that the authors assume full responsibility for the content of the articles and for complete disclosure of all funding sources, potential conflicts of interest, role of any sponsor, and role of any third parties involved in the preparation or writing of the manuscripts. The Editor-in-Chief may appoint a Guest Editor to oversee peer review who is independent of affiliation with the sponsor, funder, or invited authors.

Please note Journal policy on use of the word "unrestricted" in the description of educational grants: The use of the term "unrestricted" will be limited to situations in which the granting institution has no influence on the selection of the subject, speakers, or authors. In circumstances in which the granting institution has had such influence (as, for example, in organizing a symposium or supplement on a particular subject), it is nonetheless required that the granting organization have no influence over the content of the articles.

Submission to this journal proceeds totally online. Please submit your article via Editorial Manager at https://www.editorialmanager.com/jaad/default.aspx.

The site provides instructions for manuscript submission as well as a tutorial for authors. Word, WordPerfect, RTF, and Text files will be accepted; Word and WordPerfect are preferred. Questions about the requirements may be addressed to [email protected]. All manuscript submissions must include any relevant forms and IRB documentation. These forms can be downloaded from either the JAAD Web site or Editorial Manager.

All new manuscript submissions will utilize electronic author verification. Each listed author will receive an email asking them to confirm or deny their authorship on the paper. They will also be required to complete the related authorship questionnaire. This process replaces the previously required Authorship Declaration, Conflict of Interest, and Copyright Transfer forms.

Original manuscripts will be considered for publication. Correct preparation of the manuscript will expedite the review and publication procedures. Please note the following requirements.

Submission checklist

The following list will be useful during the final checking of an article prior to sending it to the journal for review. Please consult this Guide for Authors for further details of any item. Ensure that the following items are present:

  • Before uploading, please ensure that PDF files (IRB documentation, permissions, etc) are saved as reduced size PDFs in order to reduce file download times. To do this, please open your PDF files, select "Save As," and then click the "Reduced Size PDF" option. As an alternative you can use the following website: http://compress.smallpdf.com. Files larger than 15 MB may be returned to the corresponding author to be compressed.
  • One author has been designated as the corresponding author with contact details:
    • Email address
    • Full postal address
    • Telephone
  • All necessary files have been uploaded, including
    • A title page with all the requested information
    • Keywords
    • Figures and artwork with a minimum of 300 dpi to allow for quality reproduction
    • All figure captions
    • Ancillary documents (IRB documentation, etc.)
    • For research studies, a copy of the research protocol, statistical analysis plan and, for randomized clinical trials, the CONSORT checklist
    • For survey-based research, a copy of the survey instrument
    • For sponsored trials, agreement by the sponsor to share original data for review when the integrity of the work is in question
  • Further considerations:
    • Manuscript has been spell-checked and grammar-checked
    • All references mentioned in the Reference list are cited in the text, and vice versa
    • Written patient consent has been obtained and proof of consent is available upon request
    • Permission has been obtained for use of copyrighted material from other sources (including the Web)
    • All .pdf files have been reduced in size
For any further information please visit our customer support site at https://service.elsevier.com.

REVISED SUBMISSIONS

Although a request to revise is not a guarantee of acceptance, authors should pay strict attention to detail when revising their manuscript to assure that it is publication ready should a favorable decision be granted. A cover letter detailing the authors' point-by-point responses to the reviewers' comments must accompany every revision.

Regardless of the file format of the original submission, at the revision stage you must provide us with an editable Word .docx file of the entire manuscript. Keep the layout of the text as simple as possible. Most formatting codes will be removed and replaced on processing the article. The electronic text should be prepared in a way very similar to that of conventional manuscripts (see also the Guide to Publishing with Elsevier). See also the section on Electronic artwork.

A final (clean) version of your revised manuscript and the marked up (track changes/highlighted) version together. Please list the clean version FIRST. Please number the lines consecutively throughout the manuscript. Please submit in Microsoft Word or a similar word processing format, as we cannot accommodate PDF manuscript files for production purposes. We also ask that when submitting your revision you follow the journal formatting guidelines in this Guide. Tables may be embedded in the manuscript Word doc file. Figures should be uploaded as separate files in .eps, .tif, or .jpg file format only.

Track your submitted paper

You can track the status of your submitted paper online. The system you use to track your submission will be the same system to which you submitted (Editorial Manager/EM). Use the reference number you received after submission to track your submission in EM.

The Journal employs a confidential and anonymous peer review process to evaluate submitted papers for possible publication. A small number of papers are rejected after in-house editorial review when editors deem that the paper is not appropriate for the Journal or is not of sufficient quality to warrant further evaluation. The overall acceptance rate is less than 50%.

The author may suggest several reviewers for the manuscript, who may be contacted at the discretion of the editors. The editorial staff will review the manuscript and will ordinarily send it to at least two reviewers. Reviewers will pay particular attention to scientific accuracy, relevance, novelty, importance, appropriate style, and quality of illustrations. First decisions (accept, revise, reject) are usually made within four weeks, although delays are possible. Some degree of manuscript revision should be expected and regarded as constructive. A request to submit a revised manuscript does not guarantee that it will be accepted, only that it will be reconsidered, perhaps after additional peer review. Because space in the Journal is limited, the final editorial decision rests not only on the validity of the report and the opinions of the reviewers, but also on the editors' judgment of a paper's novelty, clarity, importance, and likely degree of interest to the readership. The editor will consider requests for double-anonymized peer review on a case-by-case basis.

Please see https://www.elsevier.com/connect/8-reasons-i-accepted-your-article and https://www.elsevier.com/connect/8-reasons-i-rejected-your-article for more insight as to why articles may be accepted or rejected.

Expedited review and publication

Our goal is to have all manuscripts reviewed as rapidly as possible. Authors who feel that their paper should receive expedited review and/or priority publication should request it and explain their rationale in the Comments section of Editorial Manager. They should also send a separate explanatory email to the Editorial Office: [email protected]. The time frame for rapid review is ordinarily 2 to 3 weeks; for expedited online publication, 3 to 6 weeks from the date of acceptance of the final revision. Authors are reminded that as a monthly clinical journal, we do not operate on the time frame of a weekly and do not publish "breaking news" items.

Track your accepted paper

Once your paper is accepted for publication, you will receive a reference number and a direct link that lets you follow its publication status via Elsevier's “Track Your Accepted Article” service.

However, even without a notification you can track the status of your article by entering your article reference number and corresponding author surname in Track Your Accepted Article.

Read more about how to track your accepted article.

S5 publishing

For most article types, JAAD posts uncorrected, nonformatted manuscripts online within 7-10 days of acceptance. These manuscripts can be cited immediately upon posting. The uncorrected proof will be replaced with the final version upon incorporation of any corrections received from the authors at the proof stage. If inaccuracies are discovered that may have the potential to cause harm, the article may be temporarily removed at the Editor's discretion until necessary edits are incorporated. If this occurs, authors must resubmit the corrected manuscript within 60 days or the manuscript will be withdrawn. Please review Elsevier's policy on article withdrawal.

Online proof correction

To ensure a fast publication process of the article, we kindly ask authors to provide us with their proof corrections within two days. Corresponding authors will receive an email with a link to our online proofing system, allowing annotation and correction of proofs online. The environment is similar to MS Word: in addition to editing text, you can also comment on figures/tables and answer questions from the Copy Editor. Web-based proofing provides a faster and less error-prone process by allowing you to directly type your corrections, eliminating the potential introduction of errors.

If preferred, you can still choose to annotate and upload your edits on the PDF version. All instructions for proofing will be given in the email we send to authors, including alternative methods to the online version and PDF.

We will do everything possible to get your article published quickly and accurately. Please use this proof only for checking the typesetting, editing, completeness and correctness of the text, tables and figures. Significant changes to the article as accepted for publication will only be considered at this stage with permission from the Editor ([email protected]). It is important to ensure that all corrections are sent back to the journal in ONE communication. Please check carefully before replying, as inclusion of any subsequent corrections cannot be guaranteed. Proofreading is solely the responsibility of the manuscript authors.

Electronic publishing

As previously noted, most articles destined for the print JAAD are now initially published "online ahead of print" in the Articles in Press section at https://www.jaad.org. Some articles are published online only in our JAAD Online section ("online-only publication"). Please note that online publication is considered a published and can be immediately cited using the DOI number located in the footnotes on the first page of each article.

The full content of each regular monthly issue is routinely posted online at https://www.jaad.org.

Offprints

The corresponding author will, at no cost, receive a customized Share Link providing 50 days free access to the final published version of the article on ScienceDirect. The Share Link can be used for sharing the article via any communication channel, including email and social media. For an extra charge, paper offprints can be ordered via the offprint order form which is sent once the article is accepted for publication. Both corresponding and co-authors may order reprints at any time by visiting https://www.medreprints.com/. Corresponding authors who have published their article gold open access do not receive a Share Link as their final published version of the article is available open access on ScienceDirect and can be shared through the article DOI link.

AUTHOR INQUIRIES

Visit the Elsevier Support Center to find the answers you need. Here you will find everything from Frequently Asked Questions to ways to get in touch. You can also check the status of your submitted article or find out when your accepted article will be published. To contact the journal's editorial office email [email protected].