The Content of Medical Journal Instructions for Authors
Presented at the 5th International Congress on Peer Review and Biomedical Publication, Chicago, IL, September 16-18, 2005. Study 1 was presented orally and Study 2 as a poster.
Received 23 January 2006; received in revised form 17 March 2006; accepted 20 March 2006. published online 05 June 2006.
Study objective
We describe the general and statistical content of the Instructions for Authors of major medical journals.
Methods
This article reports on 2 observational studies. In study 1, we investigated the online versions of Instructions for Authors of 166 journals from 33 specialties for the presence of content about 15 methodologic and statistical topics. In study 2, we categorized the general content of the online versions of the Instructions for Authors of 35 medical journals. Two abstractors independently assigned the content into 18 categories and counted the total number of words devoted to each category. Interrater reliability of the classification was assessed.
Results
Less than half of the 166 Instructions for Authors in study 1 provided any guidance on statistical methods, and the majority failed to cite accepted publication standards such as the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors Uniform Guidelines or CONSORT. Only 13% of journals commented on the content and style of data tables and figures. The 35 Instructions for Authors in study 2 varied greatly in length (mean 3,308; median 2,283; range 885 to 18,927) and, with few exceptions, focused on formatting issues. Forty-three percent of Instructions offered no advice on scientific content, and only 5 journals devoted more than 10% of their words to scientific content.
Conclusion
There is great heterogeneity among medical journal Instructions for Authors. Instructions provide little guidance about methodologic and statistical issues, and the advice provided is often contradictory among journals.
aUniversity of California, Los Angeles Emergency Medicine Center, University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
Address for correspondence: David L. Schriger, MD, MPH, 924 Westwood Blvd. # 300, Los Angeles, CA 90024-2924; 310-794-0593, fax 310-794-0599.
Supervising editor: Michael L. Callaham, MD
Author contributions: DGA conceived and designed the methodological and statistical content study and did the initial data abstraction. DLS and DGA conceived and designed general content study 2. DLS and SA did the data collection. DLS and SA did the data analysis. DLS checked the abstractions and analyzed the data. DLS drafted the manuscript, which was edited by DGA and SA. DLS takes responsibility for the paper as a whole.
Funding and support: The authors report this study did not receive any outside funding or support.
ABSTRACT