Annals' General Style

Annals prefers a straightforward, unpretentious writing style whose chief purpose is to efficiently convey information. Use the active voice.

To simplify manuscript preparation for authors, Annals conforms to the ICMJE "Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals." We encourage all authors to read and be familiar with this document, since its general principles and format are widely used.

Frequently asked style questions include::

  • Abbreviations: We discourage the use of any but the most necessary of abbreviations. They may be a convenience for an author but are generally an impediment to easy comprehension for the reader.
  • Number the pages: Please number the pages in your text consecutively using your word processor.
  • References: References should be numbered consecutively in the order in which they are first mentioned in the text, and should be formatted in National Library of Medicine style. Avoid referencing abstracts, or citing a "personal communication" unless it provides essential information not available from a public source.
  • Tables and Figures: Number tables and figures consecutively in the order in which they are first mentioned in the text. Provide legends to make them as self-explanatory as possible.
  • Units: Provide units of measure in common reference values, followed by Systeme International (SI) units in parentheses.

See the following for detailed information on Annals' preferred style for research manuscripts:


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