informatics

The Journal of Informatics in Primary Care

Primary Health Care Specialist Group of the British Computer Society

Electronic Production by SHEILA TEASDALE & DR MIKE BAINBRIDGE

General

Commissioned features and unsolicited typescripts to be submitted for publication should be prepared according to the following guidelines.

Submission of material on computer disk is encouraged, on 3.5" (double or high density) floppy disk, preferably in Word 6 format, although other word processors can be used - please indicate which has been used on the disk label! A paper copy of the typescript is required; authors should retain a copy for reference.

Deadlines are at quarter ends prior to the quarter in which the Journal is published:

All material should initially be sent to the editor, who will review the material with the Editorial Board, and occasionally other experts in the field, and assess its suitability for publication. The editor reserves the right to revise material. Similarly, we reserve the right to amend material during production in accord with house style and demands of space, layout, etc. Substantial amendments will be discussed with authors before publication.

All material is accepted for publication on the understanding that it has not been published before or is not due for publication elsewhere. Copyright lies with the Publisher on acceptance for publication.

The readership

Articles should be written with the journal's general readership in mind. Where necessary, obscure or technical terms, phrases and jargon should be explained for the non-specialist reader.

How much to write?

Articles are generally 2-4 printed pages long, i.e. 1,500-3,000 words. Authors should consult the editor before preparing articles of greater length. The inclusion of illustrations/tables is encouraged where appropriate.

Style and content

Title page
This should contain:

1. a concise, informative title
2. the names and initials of all authors/contributors and their qualifications and appointments
3. the department(s) and institution(s) to which the authors are affiliated
4. the name, contact address and telephone number of the author responsible for correspondence concerning the typescript, proofs and published article.

Style
The use of subheadings is encouraged to promote readability. All articles should haye a short (-5 point) summary in addition to the introduction.

Tables and Illustrations
As far as possible, articles should be suitably illustrated. Illustrations and tables should be submitted separate from the body of the text. Each should have a short explanatory caption (those for illustrations to be typed on a separate sheet). Any tables or illustrations previously published should be accompanied by the written consent of the copyright holder to republication, with an acknowledgement included in the caption, and the full details of the source included in the reference list or the caption.

Tables should not duplicate information given in the text, unless a useful summary is desirable. Each column of the table should have a short heading.

Graphs should always be accompanied by data tables from which the graph is derived, and if Word 6 is used, should be embedded in the text.

Illustrations may be line drawings, black-and-white photographs, or halftones. Colour photographs may be submitted for use in the electronic version of informatics. Ownership, figure number, toplbottom and front/back should be marked on the back of photographs, preferably on a sticker.

Disks and illustrations will not be returned after publication unless specifically requested. All illustrations are submitted at the owner's risk; the Publisher accepts no liability for loss or damage while in possession of the material.

Measurements and abbreviations
Measurements should be given in the units in which they were made, but non-metric units should be accompanied by metric (S1) equivalents (there are some exceptions, e.g. blood pressure in mmHg). The approved names of drugs should be used (proprietary names may follow in parenthesis). If an abbreviation is used, the term for which it stands should be given in full upon its first mention in the text.

Acknowledgments
Only the help of those who have made substantial contributions to the study and/or preparation of the paper (excluding secretarial assistance) should be acknowledged. The source(s) of grant support, equipment and drugs must be included.

References
Authors should verify references against the original documents. The Vancouver style is used. References are identified in the text by superior Arabic numerals and are numbered and listed consecutively at the end of the manuscript in the order in which they are first cited in the text.

The full list of references should include:

• names and initials of all authors (unless more than six, when only the first three are given followed by et al
• the title of the paper
• the journal title abbreviated according to the style found in Index Medicus
• year of publication; volume number (and issue/supplement number if appropriate) and first and last page numbers

References to books should give:

• the book title
• publisher and place of publication
• year of publication and relevant page numbers

Those of multiple authorship should also include:

• the chapter or article title
• first and last page numbers
• the name(s) and initials of editors

For example:

• Hennemann G, Docter R. Krenner EP et al. Raised total thyroxine index but normal free thyroxine. Lancet 1979;1:639-642
• Smyth GDL. Chronic Ear Disease. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 1980. [Specify page or page range if whole book is not being referred to.)
• Kohner EM, Mcleod D, Marshall J. Diabetic eye disease. In: Keen H, Jarret H (eds). Complications of Diabetes. Edward Arnold: London, 1982:57-58

Papers accepted but not yet published should be included in the references and followed by '(in press)'. Those in preparation (including any submitted for publication), personal communications and unpublished observations should be referred to as such in the text only.

Other requirements

The consent of patients and approval of the protocol by an ethical committee should be confirmed for human investigations. Original textual matter quoted from other authors must have formal citation and be appropriately referenced. Any statements that might be construed as being potentially defamatory must be avoided.

Proofs and complimentary copies

Proofs are not sent to authors as a matter of course - substantial alterations to the original text will be discussed with authors, however.

Complimentary copies of the journal are issued to the named authors on publication.

Further information

Please address any queries to the editor:

Sheila Teasdale
Dept of General Practice
University of Nottingham

Queen's Medical Centre

NOTTINGHAM

NG7 2UH

UK

Fax +44 115 970 9389

email sheila@informat.demon.co.uk

Back to informatics Index Page