Instructions to Authors

Copyright agreement and submission letter | Instructions for manuscript preparation | Title page | Abstract | Units of measurement | Ethics | Statistics | References | Vancouver Referencing | Tables | Financial interest | Revised manuscripts | Editorial policies | International journal collaboration | Do you have all the required items to submit your manuscript?

The Australasian Journal of Podiatric Medicine

welcomes original articles in English relating to any aspect of podiatry. Regardless of the style of article, all submitted manuscripts must include a title page with the title of the article, author(s) name(s) and a complete publishable name and address for correspondence. Supply complete academic qualifications of all authors, current positions held and any other relevant biographical data. Only academic qualifications should be listed, memberships are not to be included. Also include details if work was supported by a grant or other funding source or was adapted from a conference presentation. Send manuscripts, a digital copy and all correspondence to the editorial management of the AJPM to Karen Fitzgerald, Australasian Podiatry Council, 41 Derby Street, Collingwood, Victoria 3066 Phone: +61-3-9416 3111 Fax: +61-3-9416 3188 Email: ajpm@apodc.com.au.

Manuscripts will be considered for review if they fit into any one of the following twelve categories:

1. CASE REPORT

A report of 1500 words or less on the treatment of patient or a group of patients, will be considered appropriate for publication when they provide special insights on uncommon conditions or atypical presentations, or alternative approaches to common conditions. No abstract is required. Case reports should be only briefly referenced. The structure of a case report is as follows:

(i) Introduction including a brief outline of condition(s) investigated.
(ii) Patient biographical data, presenting complaint and clinical observations.
(iii) Diagnosis, patient treatment / management and outcome.
(iv) Discussion of condition with references as required, including clinical implications of study.
Case reports generally do not require a formal conclusion, but this may be included if deemed necessary.

2. CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE

A descriptive paper on specific approaches to patient care, either of a theoretical or practical basis. References should be sufficiently extensive to support the opinions put forward in the paper. Clinical perspectives should include:

Abstract: 100 - 250 words outlining the major points discussed in the paper.
Introduction: includes a concise review of the pertinent literature and a justification of the investigation undertaken.
Discussion/Conclusion: Clinical perspectives may include other headings as deemed necessary by the author.

The clinical perspective should be a maximum of 2000 words. For an example of a 'gold standard' clinical perspective paper, click here.

3. ORIGINAL RESEARCH

An original report of between 3000 - 4000 words, which permits examination of the method and argument of research which has been organised and conducted in a disciplined and systematic way using method and design. This includes qualitative, quantitative or single subject designs. References must be up to date and adequate to support any arguments put forward in the text. The manuscript must include the following headings:

Abstract: 100-200 words which explains the purpose, method, results and summary of key points and conclusions.
Key words: provide four key words derived from the Index Medicus Subject Heading which represent the major concepts used to identify the paper for the purpose of indexing.
Introduction: Includes a concise review of the pertinent literature only. Further elaboration may be included in the discussion.
Method, Results, Discussion: As appropriate to the study undertaken. Clinical implications of findings should be included where deemed appropriate.
Conclusion: The conclusion should not include any new information but contains a brief statement of the major findings of the study. Avoid summarising the paper as this is the purpose of the abstract.

For an example of a 'gold standard' original research paper, click here.

4. TECHNICAL REPORT

An original technical report which describes and documents the specifications or mechanical aspects of a device / technique used by podiatrists for the purpose of treatment or measurement. Evaluation of the device / technique should be a major part of the report. References should be minimal with major emphasis placed on the description of the methods used to evaluate the device. The report should be a maximum of 1000 words.

5. LITERATURE REVIEW

A critical appraisal of primary source material on a specific topic which may or may not be linked to a particular theoretical, political or conceptual view. References should be extensive. These papers are usually written by authors proficient in the field of which the paper is focusing and can offer personal incites. Literature reviews should contain an Abstract of 100-250 words, a Conclusion and any other headings where deemed appropriate.

The literature review should be a maximum of 3000 words. For an example of a 'gold standard' literature review paper, click here.

6. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Monologues which express personal opinions about an issue relevant to the podiatry profession or a recently published article are encouraged. Where possible, a response from a relevant person will be published in the same issue. Where necessary, references should be included to support the opinions put forward in the paper.

For an example of a 'gold standard' letter to the editor, click here.

7. BOOK / SOFTWARE / VIDEO REVIEWS

Critical reviews of books, software and videotapes of interest to podiatrists are published in the journal to inform readers about the suitability of these resources for clinical teaching and reference purposes. Reviewers should summarise the theme and purpose of the book, software program or idea and should also provide a critical evaluation of its scope, applicability and educational value. Reviews should be informative and do not necessarily be complimentary. Reviewers should substantiate any criticisms with specific examples that illustrate the problems.

The review should be a maximum of 1000 words. Wherever possible, as part of the review, details of the title, author(s), publisher, publisher address and date of publication should be provided with the retail cost in AUS dollars including GST.

For an example of a 'gold standard' book review, click here.

8. PROFESSIONAL / HISTORICAL NOTES

Articles of 1000-2000 words which illuminate and colour the history and development of the podiatric or related professions. Authors who think they have an interesting topic for publication are advised to consult the Editor before they commence writing.

For an example of a 'gold standard' historical note, click here.

9. LEADING ARTICLE

Articles of 1000-2000 words discussing controversial issues of contemporary interest and other matters relating to clinical, professional, educational, political or legal issues and their implications. Commentaries on topical issues may be invited by the Editor or submitted as personal perspectives.

10. PRACTICE MANAGEMENT ISSUES

Articles of 1000-2000 words discussing original or innovative approaches to practice management or addressing policy issues in either the public or private sector are welcomed. Authors who think they have an interesting topic for publication are advised to consult the Editor before they commence writing.

11. ABSTRACTS FROM THE LITERATURE

Any reader who has seen a useful article in another journal is invited to submit brief details of the paper, formatted under the following headings: Background and purpose, Subjects, Method, Results, Conclusion. Personal views / opinions should be avoided; the aim is to briefly and objectively summarise the information for the reader so they can seek out the original article if required.

12. REVIEWS OF CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS

Readers of the Journal are encouraged to submit brief reviews (approximately 1000 words) of any conferences they have recently attended that are considered relevant to the profession. The review should include details of the venue, date, presenters, topics covered, attendance, and the overall relevance of the information to the practice of podiatry.

For an example of a 'gold standard' conference review, click here.

13. PERSPECTIVES IN PODIATRIC MEDICINE

Articles that use a case study to highlight a particular aspect of podiatric medicine, particular one that has recently had a change in opinion or of which it is felt requires new instruction to the wider podiatric community. The information provided by the author should help readers improve their diagnostic and/or patient management skills. The perspectives in podiatric medicine should be a maximum of 2000 words in length.

Copyright agreement and submission letter:

To view your copyright legal requirements, please visit http://www.copyright.org.au.

The following agreement, signed by the corresponding author, must accompany each submitted manuscript:

The undersigned author transfers all copyright ownership of the manuscript entitled (title of article) to the Australasian Podiatry Council in the event the work is published. The undersigned author warrants that the article is original, is not under consideration by another journal, and has not been previously published. Any commercial affiliations that might create a conflict of interest with respect to this manuscript are stated below. I sign for and accept responsibility for releasing this material on behalf of any and all co-authors.

When submitting a paper the author(s) must make a full statement to the editor about all submissions and previous reports that might be regarded as prior or duplicate publication of the same or very similar work. Copies of such material should be included with the submitted paper to help the editor decide how to deal with the matter.

Authors must also make a full statement disclosing any commercial affiliations that might create a conflict of interest with respect to an accepted manuscript.

Instructions for manuscript preparation:

Authors are advised that manuscripts which do not follow the guidelines of the AJPM for preparation and submission will not be accepted for review.

Type, or preferably word process and laser print, the manuscript in a clear font (preferably Times or Helvetica 12 point size) with double spacing on good quality A4 paper with 2.5 cm (1 inch) margins all around. Submit five complete sets of the manuscript, typed single-sided and double-spaced. Number all pages consecutively beginning with the title page. Avoid underlining or the use of bold type. Provide each line number consecutively on the document for easier text tracking, review purposes. To do this using Microsoft Word, go to View in the menu bar and choose Print Layout. Then go to File in the menu bar and click on Page Setup. Click on the Layout tab and click the box for Line Numbers. Click the white box for Add line numbering and the white circle under Numbering for Continuous.

Tables and figures should be included on a separate page each and must be numbered consecutively as they are referred to in the body of the text. Obtain written permission to reproduce tables and figures taken from other sources.

Supply a copy via email to ajpm@apodc.com.au as long as the file is under 1 megabyte or use an Apple Macintosh or IBM compatible computer disk (preferably in Microsoft Word™).

When using computer graphing packages (such as Microsoft Excel™), do not use three-dimensional display unless it is definitely required to highlight a component of the graph.

Since the authors' identities are withheld from the reviewers, authors' names are to appear only on the title page. The next page should include the title again above the abstract. Arrange the manuscript as follows: title page, abstract, text, references, figure legends, tables, figures.

Images sent electronically

Photos: they must be at least 150dpi if using them at 100% or can be less if thay are to be reducing significantly. Pictures should be around a 1 megabyte for really good reproduction. We can try to fix pictures but this doesn’t always work if the product is of poor quality.

Illustrations/graphs: 300dpi line art or eps (with outlines) depending on what it is. A hard copy for comparison is always required for photos, illustrations and graphs.

Images sent by post

Provide one set of original figures and one copy. Send photographs in sharp focus and with good contrast. Do not write on the illustrations. Write the author's name and figure number on an adhesive label and place on the back of each figure. Use an arrow to indicate the top of each figure if not obvious. Do not write on the back of camera ready-art or photographs. Send figures between two stiff pieces of cardboard.

Obtain written permission to publish photographs of individuals who are recognisable. Special arrangements must be made with the editor for color illustrations and the cost must be borne by the author(s).

Failure to comply with these requirements will delay consideration of the manuscript. The manuscript may be returned to the author(s) for appropriate modifications in format prior to review.

Title page:

The title should be concise but informative and contain key words for indexing and retrieval. Include the authors' highest academic degree(s), (we do not publish fellowship details), position held (eg, professor, resident), along with the department and institution where the work was done. Include disclaimers, if any, and brief acknowledgment of grants or other assistance. Designate one author as correspondent and supply his or her complete mailing address, telephone number, fax number, e-mail address. If the name or address for reprint requests is different, so state.

Every person listed as an author should have materially participated in the design, execution, and analysis of the study and should verify the accuracy of the entire manuscript before its submission. Lesser contributions may be noted in an acknowledgment section at the end of the manuscript. Manuscripts should have no more than six authors; a greater number requires justification.

Include a short title, maximum length of 40 characters, to be used as the running head.

Abstract:

Where an abstract is required it should concisely state the objective findings and conclusions of the work performed. Do not include abbreviations, footnotes and references in the abstract.

Type the abstract on a separate page including the title again above the abstract.

Units of measurement:

Use Système International (SI) measurements.

Ethics:

Do not use patients' names, initials, or hospital numbers. Articles emanating from a particular institution are assumed to be submitted with the approval of the requisite authority. Articles involving research conducted in human subjects must include a statement in the Methods section indicating approval by the institutional review board and noting that informed consent was obtained from each patient. Manuscripts reporting animal experiments must include a statement in the Methods section that animal care complied with the guidelines of the authors' institution and the National Institutes of Health and any national law on the care and use of laboratory animals.

Statistics:

Describe statistical methods with enough detail to enable a knowledgeable reader with access to the original data to verify the reported results. When possible, quantify findings and present them with appropriate indicators of measurement error or uncertainty (such as confidence intervals). Avoid sole reliance on statistical hypothesis testing, such as the use of p values, which fails to convey important quantitative information.

References:

References should not be merely a listing of the results of a computerized literature search, but should have been read by the author and deemed pertinent to the manuscript.

In 2002, the Vancouver system was adopted for referencing. The Australasian Journal of Podiatric Medicine has long followed the Harvard system of referencing. The Harvard system is however out of step with the reference style of most of the major peer reviewed publications of the world. It is also a system that can be unwieldy to use and thus poses a further burden for our authors. At times it has also been difficult for the editors to administer.

Recent events have caused the editor to revisit our procedure that concerns the life of a journal article and consequently, adoption of the Vancouver system of referencing, which is presented below for all prospective authors. To view further details on the life of a journal article, click here. A portable document format of this file is available.

In order to follow these links you must have the Adobe Acrobat reader available on your computer. If you do not have a copy please follow this link to obtain a free copy Adobe Acrobat Reader.

For more than three authors, the suffix 'et al' should be used after the first author. Include complete opening and closing page numbers for each citation.

Try to avoid using abstracts as references. Do not cite personal communications and unpublished material (including oral and poster presentations, correspondence club letters, and manuscripts not yet accepted for publication) in the references list. If critical to the manuscript's message, written personal communications and other unpublished material may be included in the text and referenced in parentheses. Include with the submitted manuscript a signed permission from the originator of the personal communication.

The reference list should include all authors' names and initials, the full title of the paper, the full journal title, the year of publication, the volume, number, and first and last page numbers.

Please note the following examples of reference style.

Journal article
Landorf K. Tibialis posterior dysfunction - early identification is the key to success. Australian Podiatrist 1995; 29(1):9-14.

Book
Root ML, Orien WP, Weed JH. Clinical Biomechanics - Normal and abnormal function of the foot. Los Angeles: Clinical Biomechanics Corporation, 1997.

Chapter in edited book
Wernick J, Volpe RG. Lower extremity function and normal mechanics. In: Valmassy RL, ed. Clinical Biomechanics of the Lower Extremities. St. Lois: CV Mosby, 1993.

Conference Proceedings:
Dockery G. The American podiatry experience - is there still a place for palliative foot care? In: Keenan AM, Menz HB, eds. Proceedings from the 17^th Australian Podiatry Conference. Australian Podiatry Conference; 1996;5-8.

Institutional / government report:
National Centre for Health Statistics. Report of working party on services for the elderly. Publication 75. Canberra, ACT: Government Printing Office,1995.

The Vancouver Referencing System

Identify references in the text using the Vancouver method of referencing.

Please note the following examples of reference style.

The Vancouver Referencing System

In the Vancouver system a number is assigned to each reference as it is used. Even if the author(s) is named, a number must still be used.

• The full reference must be listed in numerical order at the end of your essay in your bibliography.
• The original number assigned to the reference is used each time the reference is cited in the text.

While the text may include the author's name, a number must still always be assigned.

The identifier (number) should be placed outside the text punctuation to avoid disruption to the flow of the text.

The titles of journals should not be abbreviated.

(An alphabetic listing by full title, followed by abbreviated title names of frequently cited journals is printed annually in the January issue of Index Medicus (Medline). They can also be found listed at the US National Library of Medicine Website at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/tsd/serials/lsiou.html )

Use the style of the examples below, which are based on the formats used by the National Library of Medicine.

Example of a piece of text using the Vancouver system of citing references:

JOURNALS

An article in a journal:

You CH, Lee KY, Chey WY, Menguy R. Electrogastrographic study of patients with unexplained nausea, bloating and vomiting. Gastroenterology 1980; 79:311-314.

A corporate author:

The Royal Marsden Hospital Bone-Marrow Transplantation Team. Failure of syngeneic bone-marrow graft without preconditioning in post-hepatitis marrow aplasia. Lancet 1977; 2:242-244.

No author given:

Anonymous. Coffee drinking and cancer of the pancreas (Editorial). British Medical Journal 1981; 283:628.

BOOKS AND OTHER MONOGRAPHS

Personal author(s):

Eisen HN. Immunology: an introduction to molecular and cellular principles of the immune response. 5th ed. New York: Harper and Row, 1974.

Editor, compiler, chairman as author:

Dausset J, Colombani J, eds. Histocompatibility testing 1972. Copenhagen: Munksgaard, 1973:133-138.

A chapter in a book:

Weinstein L, Swartz MN. Pathogenic properties of invading microorganisms. In: Sodeman WA Jr, Sodeman WA, eds. Pathologic physiology: mechanisms of disease. Philadelphia: W B Saunders, 1974; 457-472.

CONFERENCES

Treat the proceedings of a conference like a book, adding pertinent information about the conference and cite a presentation from the proceedings like a work in a collection of pieces by different authors:~

Conference papers:

Bengtsson S, Solheim BG. Enforcement of data protection, privacy and security in medical informatics. In: Lun KC, Degoulet P, Piemme TE, Reinhoff O, eds. MEDINFO 92. Proceedings of the 7th World Congress on Medical Informatics; 1992 Sep 6-10; Geneva, Switzerland. Amsterdam: North-Holland; 1992; 1561-1565.

Conference:

Kimura J, Shibasaki H, eds. Recent advances in clinical neurophysiology. Proceedings of the 10th International Congress of EMG and Clinical Neurophysiology; 1995 Oct 15-19; Kyoto, Japan. Amsterdam: Elsevier; 1996.

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

Blair T. I was wrong: PM's U-turn on junior doctors pay and conditions. The Times 1999; 15 Aug: 1-2.

MULTIMEDIA MATERIAL

The details required are the same as for a book, with the form of the item indicated in brackets after the title and edition statement.

Gastrointestinal tract: Physical examination for medical students. [Videorecording]. Leicester: Leicester University Audio Visual Services; 1995.

CDATA 98 with supermap: data for England. [Computer file]. Release 2.1 rev. Hawthorne East, Vic.: Space-Time Research; 1995.

INTERNET and OTHER ELECTRONIC SOURCES

This could include sources from full text CD products, electronic journals or other sources from the Internet.

The basic form of the citations follow the principles for print sources:

Author.
Title of article.
Title of medium(eg. Name of electronic journal - BMJ) [type of medium eg. Online]
Publication Year [cited date - Year Month(abbreviated) Day];
N.B. This is important as information from electronic sources can change.
Volume number if applicable:
Pages or [number of screens].
Available from: URL:address

CD-ROM

Clinical Pharmacology: an electronic drug reference and teaching guide [CD-ROM]. [cited 1998 Aug 7]; Gainesville, Fla. : Gold Standard Multimedia.

Note: (this publication comes out quarterly therefore it needs a cited date)

Perkin GD, Hochberg FH, Miller DC. Atlas of Clinical Neurology [monograph on CD-ROM]. 2nd ed. Version 1.1. London: Mosby ; 1996.

Paracetamol monograph. Martindale's: the extra pharmacopoeia. In: International Healthcare Series [CD-ROM]. [cited 1998 Sept 3]; Englewood, Colo.: Micromedex ( comes out quarterly therefore it needs a cited date)

Journal article in electronic format

Garfinkel PE, Lin E, Goering P. et al. Should amenorrhoea be necessary for the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa? British. Journal of Psychology[serial online] 1996 Apr [cited 1999 Aug 17]; 168(4):500-506 Available from: URL:http://biomed.niss.ac.uk.

Parkin DM. Breast cancer in Europe: epidemiology and forecasts. Electronic Journal of Oncology [serial online] 1999 [cited 1999 Aug 21]; 2:45-64. Available from: URL:http://ejo.univ-lyon1.fr/.

WWW sites

National Organization for Rare Diseases [Online]. 1999 Aug 16 [cited 1999 Aug 21]; Available from: http://www.rarediseases.org/.

Royal College of General Practitioners . The primary health care team. [Online]. 1998 [cited 1999 Aug 22]; [10 screens]. Available from: URL:http://www.rcgp.org.uk/informat/publicat/rcf0021.htm.

Vancouver Referencing Information Source:

Information about the Vancouver Referencing system has been gathered from the Leicester University Library. http://www.le.ac.uk/library
Please refer to this website for further information.

Tables:

Double-space table data with the table number and title centered above the table and with explanatory notes below the table. Each table should be on a separate page. Do not duplicate material in tables with material in the text or figures.

Financial interest:

Authors must disclose any commercial affiliations that might create a conflict of interest with respect to an accepted manuscript. See above.

Revised manuscripts

must be submitted in triplicate and accompanied by a cover letter that addresses all the reviewers' observations. This letter should detail point by point which changes have been made and reasons for those recommended changes that have not been made. The manuscript number must appear on the revised manuscript and the electronic version should provide line numbering and track the changes that have been altered from the original submission.

Editorial policies:

Statements and opinions expressed in the articles and communications are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the editor or publisher, and the editor and publisher disclaim any responsibility or liability for such material. Neither the editor nor the publisher guarantees, warrants, or endorses any product or service advertised in this publication; nor do they guarantee any claims made by the manufacturer of such product or service.

International journal collaboration:

During 2005 we have developed a relationship with the British Journal of Podiatry (BJP) to enable papers published in the Australasian Journal of Podiatric Medicine (AJPM) to be re-printed in the BJP and vice versa. Not necessarily all their editons or ours will have re-prints, but those that do will inform the chosen manuscript's corresponding author and a copy of the re-printed paper will be forwarded to them. We believe this is a wonderful opportunity to further enhance the Australasian podiatric researchers' audience and promote our profession and that of our overseas colleagues on an international scale. If you do not wish to participate in this collaboration, please inform us in your submission.

Checklist - Do you have all the required items to submit your manuscript?

______ Submission letter
______ Original and four copies of article plus an electronic version - all with line numbering
______ Title page
______ Title plus Abstract
______ Article proper
______ References
______ Tables
______ Legends
______ Five sets of illustrations, properly labeled
______ Patient consent letters or permission to reproduce previously published material
______ Disclosure of financial interest
______ Copyright agreement

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