How Do I Prepare My Manuscript for Submission?

To simplify manuscript preparation for authors, Annals conforms to the ICMJE "Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals." Like most journals, Annals has preferences that go beyond the general ICMJE structure, and it is always easier for us to evaluate manuscripts prepared entirely in our formatting style. However, we do not require total compliance with our preferences upon initial submission.

Minimum Submission Requirements

  • Cover letter: In this cover letter clarify any special circumstances and provide any additional explanation regarding prior publication or conflicts of interest as requested with our standard submission questions.
  • Title Page: Please format as described here.

If you are reporting research, please ensure that you include the following:

  • Ethics approval: In the Methods please specify approval by an institutional review board or ethics committee.
  • Trial registration: Clinical trials should be pre-registered and report the registration number in the Methods section.
  • Outcome differences and confidence intervals: Whenever possible, report each comparative outcome with an estimated size of effect and its confidence intervals.

Special Issues

  • Blinding: If you wish your identity to be blinded to our reviewers, please exclude identifying information (eg, names, institution, city) or first-person references; see our blinding policy.
  • Plagiarism: We regularly check submitted manuscripts using plagiarism checking software.

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


How Do I Submit My Manuscript?

All submissions to Annals must be through Editorial Manager, our Web-based peer review system. During submission you will be first asked to select the article category, enter the manuscript title, and provide author information. You will then use menus to select a general topic area and more specific classifications; these help us match your manuscript to the best available editors and reviewers.

Following this, you will be asked a series of questions regarding authorship, conflicts of interest, and other special journal concerns. You can then upload the following documents, saved as separate electronic files:

  • Cover letter
  • Title Page
  • Abstract, article, references: The abstract, main text of your manuscript, and the references should be combined into a single electronic file. Tables and figures can be included in this file, or uploaded separately as you prefer.

A PDF of your submission will then be generated for your approval. Following submission, we will communicate with you and your coauthors using the e-mail addresses that you have provided.


What Questions Will I Be Asked During Submission?

During submission you will be asked a series of special questions to address journal concerns regarding authorship, prior publication, ethics committee approval, trial registration, and conflicts of interest. We will detail these questions below so that you can prepare your answers for the formal submission process. Responses will be yes, no, or not applicable.

Questions 1 to 3: Authorship

Annals adheres to the International Committee of Medical Journal Editor's specific requirements regarding authorship (see www.icmje.org/ethical_1author). On behalf of all authors, I verify that all listed authors meet the www.icmje.org authorship requirements.



As corresponding author, I verify that everyone who contributed to this manuscript is either listed as an author or acknowledged as a contributor, and that the title page details any professional writing assistance or others paid to provide manuscript support.



Did anyone other than the listed authors have control over the data, over how the data were analyzed or interpreted, or over the wording or conclusions? If yes, please detail the circumstances in your cover letter.

Questions 4 and 5: Prior or similar publications

Has a prior version of this manuscript or study been submitted to Annals under a different submission sequence and/or manuscript number? If yes, please provide details and an explanation in the cover letter.



Have any data used in this study been included as part of another manuscript (whether published, submitted, or in preparation)? If yes, please provide details and an explanation in the cover letter.

Question 6: Ethics committee approval

If the manuscript involves human or animal subjects, does the methods section include verification of approval or exemption by an institutional review or ethics board? Annals will be unable to further consider manuscripts without approval or formal exemption.

Questions 7 and 8: Original research issues

If the manuscript includes one of the following study designs, is it compliant with guidelines for such research? If non-compliant, please explain why in the cover letter. Study designs include: 1) Randomized controlled trials - CONSORT*; 2) Chart reviews - Gilbert. Ann Emerg Med 1996; 27:305-308; 3) Diagnostic accuracy studies - STARD*; 4) Observational studies - STROBE*; 5) Systematic reviews - PRISMA*. *For details see: www.equator-network.org



If the manuscript is a clinical trial, was it pre-registered? If yes, please ensure that the registration number is listed on the title page. If not, please explain why pre-registration did not occur in your cover letter and recognize that Annals may be unable to publish your study on this basis alone. (See the section "Obligation to register clinical trials" at www.icmje.org.)

Questions 9 and 10: Conflicts of interest

Annals adheres to ICMJE guidelines regarding conflicts of interest; before completing this section please review them at www.icmje.org. For any aspect of the submitted manuscript, did any authors or their institutions receive: grants, consulting fees or honoraria, support for meeting travel, fees for participation in review activities such as data monitoring boards or statistical analysis, payment for writing or reviewing the manuscript, provision of writing assistance, medicines, equipment, or administrative support? If yes, please detail the specifics on the title page and recognize that, should a revision of your manuscript be requested, Annals may then require detailed attestations using the ICMJE "Form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest" and that your responses will likely be published with the article if accepted.



Do any authors have any financial relationships in the past 36 months with entities in the bio-medical arena that could be perceived to influence, or that give the appearance of potentially influencing, what you wrote in the submitted work? Examples include, but are not limited to: board membership, consultancy, employment, expert testimony, grants/grants pending, payment for lectures including service on speakers bureaus, payment for manuscript preparation, patents (planned, pending, or issued), royalties, payment for development of educational presentations, stock/stock options, other travel/accommodations/meeting expenses, or other (err on the side of full disclosure)? If yes, please detail the specifics on the title page and recognize that, should a revision of your manuscript be requested, Annals may then require detailed attestations using the ICMJE "Form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest" and that your responses will likely be published with the article if accepted.

Question 11: Copyright

On behalf of all authors, I transfer all copyright ownership to the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), in the event that the work is published in any medium. ACEP recognizes that works prepared by officers or employees of the US government, as part of their official government duties, are in the public domain. Authors reserve all proprietary rights (other than copyright) including patent rights relating to the subject matter of the article and the right for personal use in lectures, lecture notes, and exhibits. For all other uses, authors must seek written permission from ACEP and the publisher, Elsevier Inc. All submitted material that has been published elsewhere is accompanied by the written consent of the author and publisher. Photographs and any materials that contain personal information are accompanied by their signed release authorizing publication. By means of checking the box below, on behalf of all authors, I signify acceptance of the terms and conditions listed above. I have also been made aware of the journals' policies with respect to funding agency requirements such as the NIH Public Access policy, and the rapid publication "Articles in Press" service.



What Will Happen to My Manuscript After Submission?

Upon submission, a member of Annals' staff will first review each manuscript for completeness and adherence to our minimum submission requirements. It is then assigned to one or more Annals' editors based on subject matter. These editors then assess the manuscript, and either send it to expert peer reviewers for comment, or instead provide summary feedback to the authors if it is judged insufficient priority for further consideration. Annals uses blinded peer review. Research papers sent to peer reviewers will also receive an additional review from one of our methodology and statistics editors.

Before any manuscript can be accepted for publication, it is additionally reviewed and approved by the editor in chief. All accepted manuscripts are edited for clarity and conformity to the American Medical Association's Manual of Style. Authors will receive an electronic page proof for review and approval, following which the manuscript is published on the journal web site and later in the print journal.


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