All authors should fulfil the criteria for authorship given in BMJ 1991;302:338-41. Papers should be prepared according to the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. JAMA 1997; 277: 927-34). All material submitted for publication is assumed to be submitted exclusively to the journal unless the contrary is stated, but may have appeared as an abstract (max 250 words) or on a preprint server such as www.netprints.com. If requested, authors shall produce the data on which the manuscript is based for examination by the editor. The editor retains the customary right to style and, if necessary, shorten material accepted for publication.
Original articles and brief reports
Original articles are considered on the understanding that they are submitted solely to Injury Prevention and do not duplicate material already published elsewhere. In cases of doubt, where part of the material has been published elsewhere, the published material should be included with the submitted manuscript to allow the editor to assess the degree of publication, these can be uploaded to Bench>Press as supplementary files The editor cannot enter into correspondence about papers rejected as being unsuitable for publication, and the editor's decision is final. Authors may include the name, address, and email address of two experts they feel are competent to review their work. Authors may also indicate that they prefer blinded review by removing, for example, identifiers from the title page. Original articles (including letters and references) should be double spaced and should not exceed 3000 words in length. Three or four keywords or phrases should be provided, not including the words "injury" and "prevention". Four or five key points should also be provided in bullet form (that is, as phrases); these should sum up the key findings of your paper. Brief reports should be double spaced and should not exceed 1500 words in length.
Measurements and abbreviations
Restrict the use of abbreviations (apart from conventional units of measurement) to two or three per paper and please provide a separate list of those abbreviations used in your paper. Spell out each abbreviation at first mention in the abstract and paper. All acronyms referred to in a paper should be listed alphabetically and explained in a separate glossary. Measurements must be given in SI units. Blood pressure should be given in mm Hg.
Statistics
We favour confidence intervals over p values; these should be given as "95% CI 1.02 to 3.2". Please give the numerical data on which any p value is based. When quoting percentages, give the actual numerators and denominators. If the same variable is measured by two different methods the agreement between the methods should be assessed according to the Bland and Altman method (Lancet 1986;i:307¨C10). Statistical measures of variation, such as SD or SEM, must be specified and given in parentheses for example, mean (SD) 103 (0.5) mol/l, not as a. Comparisons between results should be shown as v (for versus). Probability values are expressed as p (not P).
Title page
When you choose a title bear in mind that others will have to find your work using bibliographic searches. Check that it represents the content of the paper and is not misleading. Also provide a short running head. The title and authors' names should be typed on the title page and in the journal style and contact numbers provide, but as stated, you may request that this information is not sent to reviewers. Inconsistency in the number of forenames or initials given for an individual author will mean that several versions of an author's name will appear in the index. Authors' degrees etc are not printed in Injury Prevention.
Abstract
Authors of original scientific papers must supply a structured abstract of no more than 250 words under the following headings: Objective, Design, Setting, Patients or Subjects, Interventions, Main outcome measures, Results (give numerical data rather than vague statements), and Conclusions (supported by the results). For case reports or brief reports, provide an unstructured abstract summarising the main points in 150 words.
References
Authors are responsible for the accuracy of references cited: these should be checked against the original documents before the paper is submitted. For manuscripts submitted online via Bench Press it is critical that the references are styled correctly in order that the references may be hyperlinked.
In the text
References must be numbered sequentially as they appear in the text. References cited in figures or tables (or in their legends and footnotes) should be numbered according to the place in the text where that table or figure is first cited. Reference numbers in the text must be given in square brackets immediately after punctuation (with no word spacing) for example, .[6] not [6]. Where more than one reference is cited, use a space for example, [1] [4] [39] not a comma. For sequences of consecutive numbers give all numbers without spaces for example, [22][23][24][25]. References provided in this format are translated during the production process to superscript type, which act as hyperlinks from the text to the quoted references in electronic forms of the article.
In the reference list
References must be double spaced (numbered consecutively in the order in which they are mentioned in the text) in the Vancouver style. Only papers published or in press should be included in the reference list. (Personal communications or unpublished data must be cited in parentheses in the text with the name(s) of the source(s) and the year. Authors should get permission from the source to cite unpublished data.)
Punctuation of references must follow the Vancouver style:
12 Surname AB, Surname CD. Article title. Journal title Year;vol:start page-end page.
Use one space only between words up to the year and then no spaces. The journal title should be in italic and abbreviated according to the style of Index Medicus. If the journal is not listed in Index Medicus then it should be written out in full. Journal abbreviations can be checked using the Journal browser facility on PubMed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/jrbrowser.cgi)
List the names and initials of all authors if there are 3 or fewer; otherwise list the first 3 and add et al.
Example references:
Journal
13 Koziol-Mclain J, Brand D, Morgan D, et al. Measuring injury risk factors: question reliability in a statewide sample. Inj Prev 2000;6:148-50.
Chapter in book
14 Nagin D. General deterrence: a review of the empirical evidence. In: Blumstein A, Cohen J, Nagin D, eds. Deterrence and incapacitation: estimating the effects of criminal sanctions on crime rates. Washington, DC: National Academy of Sciences 1978:95-139.
Book (personal author or authors) (all book references should have specific page numbers)
15 Howland J. Social norms and drunk driving countermeasures. In Graham JD, ed. Preventing automobile injury: new findings from evaluative research. Dover, MA: Auburn House Publishing Company 1988:163-96.
Abstract/supplement
16 Roxburgh J, Cooke RA, Deverall P, et al. Haemodynamic function of the carbomedics bileaflet prosthesis [abstract]. Br Heart J1995;73 (suppl 2):P37.
Tables
Tables should be self-explanatory, and the data they contain must not be duplicated in the text or figures. Tables should be double spaced with the table number and title clearly marked above the table and explanatory notes below. They should start on a separate page. The table numbers should be arabic and correspond with the order in which the table is first mentioned in the text. Do not use any vertical rules in tables. All abbreviations used in the table must be explained in alphabetical order in a footnote to the table.
Where possible, tables should be submitted in the same format as your article and embedded in the article (preferably where cited). Tables should be self-explanatory, and the data they contain must not be duplicated in the text or figures.
Please note:
Bench Press CANNOT accept Excel files. In extreme circumstances, Excel files can be uploaded as supplementary files; however, if you article is accepted it will be returned to you before processing to enable you to embed the tables in the text. Excel files can easily be copied and pasted into your Word file.
Figures
Figures should be limited to the number necessary for clarity and must not duplicate data in the text or tables. Figure legends should be double spaced on sheets separate from the text. Black and white illustrations (artwork) should be supplied as (or "exported as") EPS files. Black and white images (photographs) should be supplied as TIFF files, to a minimum of 300 dpi.
Colour images should be formatted as TIFF files, or high quality JPEG files. TIFF files should not exceed 2MB at a minimum resolution of 600 dpi. If you choose a higher resolution your image size should be reduced accordingly to keep the file under 2MB. nb. Scanners may automatically increase image size at a higher resolution.
ALL IMAGES SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO BENCH>PRESS AS SEPARATE FILES AND NOT EMBEDDED IN THE TEXT.
Research Letters
Research Letters should be double spaced, and normally be no more than 1000 words.
Letters
Letters should be double spaced, should normally be no more than 300 words, and have no more than four references. Letters may be published in a shortened form at the discretion of the editor.
Book reviews
Review copies of books may be sent to the book review editor: Ian Scott, PO Box 302, Abbotsford, Victoria 3067, Australia (tel: +61 3 9427 1008; fax: +61 3 9421 3831; email: iscott@peg.apc.org)
Other articles
The journal will also include guest editorials, invited reviews, and commentary. Authors wishing to contribute to the opinion section should first consult the editor.
Web extras
Additional figures and tables, methodology, references, multimedia clips, raw data, etc may be published as data supplements on the web in conjunction with the published article. These can be uploaded to Bench Press as supplementary files
Peer review process
Most manuscripts will be sent to at least two peer reviewers. Occasionally manuscripts will be returned directly to the authors after review by editorial staff alone. By returning these manuscripts which are clearly unsuitable for publication in Injury Prevention immediately, it is hoped the authors will be able to submit elsewhere without delay. You may suggest suitable reviewers (with full mailing addresses, contact numbers, and email addresses) for your paper; you may also indicate reviewers that you wish not to be used. We encourage authors to send copies of any previous referees' reports on their research and indicate how these comments have helped the authors to improve the submitted paper. This may be helpful to our editors and reviewers. These can be uploaded via Bench Press.
Press releases
Material published in Injury Prevention should not appear beforehand in detail in the mass media. If this happens doctors and patients may be presented with incomplete material that has not been peer reviewed, and this makes it hard for them to make up their own minds on the validity of the message. Reports may appear in the media after presentations at scientific meetings.
Proofs
Contributors will receive one proof. Only minor corrections can be made at this stage; corrections other than publisher's errors may be charged to the author.
Reprints
Reprints will be charged for. The number of reprints required should be stated on the form provided with the proofs. Authors may order reprints when proofs are returned. These are charged at cost plus a handling fee. Should the BMJ Publishing Group sell bulk reprints of an article to the value of more than £1000, the author or designated representative is entitled to receive a royalty of 10% of the sale.
Copyright
All authors are required to grant Injury Prevention an exclusive licence before publication. You must present written permission from publishers and authors to reproduce or adapt previously published illustrations, tables, or extensive quotations.
Online submission using Bench>Press
Please note: the following instructions apply to submission via Bench>Press only. Manuscripts must still adhere to the standard layout guidelines above.
Registering with Bench>Press
Users are required to register with the system when accessing the system for the first time. Click on "CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT". You will be asked to complete 3 steps:
1. Email/Password:
Enter your email address: This is your unique user identification and will be needed to log into the system on ALL occasions.
Enter a password: This will be encrypted for security reasons, and will not be known to either the IP editorial office or HighWire Press. If you forget your password you will need to click on "I HAVE FORGOTTEN MY PASSWORD" and follow the steps outlined.
Choose a "password hint" question and provide an answer: You will need to provide this answer if you forget your password.
Please note: a single password will be created which applies to ALL journals using the Bench>Press online submission and tracking system. Once you have registered for your first journal, you do not need to re-register in order to use another journal's system. Simply log in with your existing email address and password.
2. Verification:
An email containing an URL will be emailed to you. Click on the URL. You email address will then be verified. This helps ensure that your email address is not being used fraudulently.
3. Profile:
You will then be asked to provide a basic profile consisting of your contact information, plus expertise terms. Although you may use the same e-mail address and password to access any journal using the Bench Press system, you must create an individual profile with each journal.
Submitting a manuscript
To submit a manuscript enter the author area and click on the "SUBMITTING A MANUSCRIPT" hyperlink. You will be presented with a series of fields for entering your manuscript metadata and the uploading of your text and image/table files. Supplemental data can also be uploaded. The system will automatically convert your files to a single PDF for reviewing purposes. An email will be sent informing you when the conversion is complete. You will be asked to approve the conversion before it is considered formally submitted to the journal. Click on "SUBMISSIONS READY FOR YOU TO APPROVE" in the Author area to approve your article. During conversion the system will automatically hyperlink the references to Medline and/or the journal the article was published in (if the journal is hosted on the web by HighWire Press). Please ensure you include the heading "References" at the top of the citations for optimum linkage.
You are able to start your submission and continue the process on another occasion. By clicking on "SAVE/CONTINUE" at the bottom of the screen when entering your metadata enables you to save that page or continue to the next page. If you choose not to complete the submission on that occasion, the submission will appear in the "SUBMISSIONS IN PROGRESS" queue in the Author area. If you decide not to complete the submission at all please choose "WITHDRAW".
Please note:
- Do not include the cover letter in the body of the manuscript. This needs to be copied/pasted into the field available.
- If your paper does not include an abstract, please include the first paragraph of your article in the Abstract field.
- Supplemental files for upload may include: articles published/in press elsewhere; supplemental data; questionnaires, videos etc.
- Detailed help files are available throughout the process on Bench>Press.
File formats
Papers can be submited in any standard word processing software, although Word is preferred. Figures
Black and white illustrations (artwork) should be supplied as (or "exported as") EPS files. Black and white images (photographs) should be supplied as TIFF files, to a minimum of 300 dpi.
Colour images should be formatted as TIFF files, or high quality JPEG files. TIFF files should not exceed 2MB at a minimum resolution of 600 dpi. If you choose a higher resolution your image size should be reduced accordingly to keep the file under 2MB. nb. Scanners may automatically increase image size at a higher resolution.
ALL IMAGES SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO BENCH>PRESS AS SEPARATE FILES AND NOT EMBEDDED IN THE TEXT.
Please note that the BMJ Publishing Group does not accept powerpoint figures. Hardcopies of the figures may be required by reviewers or if the paper is accepted for publication.
Tables
Where possible, tables should be submitted in the same format as your article and embedded in the article (preferably where cited). Tables should be self-explanatory, and the data they contain must not be duplicated in the text or figures.
Please note:
Bench>Press CANNOT accept Excel files. In extreme circumstances, Excel files can be uploaded as supplementary files; however, if you article is accepted it will be returned to you before processing to enable you to embed the tables in the text. Excel files can easily be copied and pasted into your Word file.
Submitting a revision
To submit a revision enter the author area and click on "SUBMIT A REVISION/RESUBMISSION". You will be presented with your original manuscript metadata. This can be edited where necessary. You will then be required to upload your revised manuscript files (see Submitting a Manuscript for further details). Please include your response to the reviewers' comments in the available field. If this is not entered your paper may be returned to you.
Miscellaneous
- You can keep track of the status of your manuscript throughout the peer review process. Enter the Author area and click on "MANUSCRIPTS UNDER REVIEW (CHECK STATUS)".
- Any reviewers' comments on your article will be found in the Author area. Enter "MANUSCRIPTS WITH DECISIONS" and click on "REVIEWS". This will link you direct to any comment on your paper.
- An invitation to write an article for the journal will also be requested via the online tracking system. Enter the Author area and click on "REQUESTED COMMISSIONS". You can accept or decline the invitation online. When submitting your commissioned article, click on "ACCEPTED COMMISSIONS - PAPERS TO BE SUBMITTED". The procedure for submission is the same as an unsolicited article (see Submitting a Manuscript).
Help
Detailed help files are available throughout Bench>Press and can be used without stopping the submission process. If you experience serious problems you should contact the IP editorial office, barry.pless@mcgill.ca or Natalie Davies, Project Manager, ndavies@bmjgroup.com
