Instruction for Authors - Journal of Lymphoedema
Why write for JOL?
The Journal of Lymphoedema (JOL) is a quarterly peer-reviewed publication that aims to provide cutting-edge articles and information on lymphoedema to all professionals working in this area of care. Writing for publication in JOL can be a useful way to help develop and crystallize ideas about a specific topic, may encourage exploration of an area in greater depth, and further understanding. Once you have made the decision to write for publication in JOL, please contact the Managing Editor to ensure that what you are planning to write has not already been commissioned, and that it is apropriate for the readership. The article should be unpublished and should not have been submitted for publication elsewhere.JOL welcomes submissions for publication in the following six categories:
- Review
- Education
- Research/Audit
- Practice development
- Diagnosis
- Case reports
Once your idea has been given the all clear, the following guidelines should be adhered to when preparing your paper for submission.
Title page
The title page should include:- Title of the article (approximately 10 words)
- The full names of the authors
- Full details of each author’s current appointments including place of work
- Name, address, phone, fax and e-mail of the corresponding author.
Abstract/Summary
This is typeset in bold at the beginning of the article. As a general guide, articles in the Research/Audit section of the journal have abstracts, while those in the other sections (Education/Practice development/Review/Diagnosis) have a summary.- The Abstract should be no longer than 180 words in length and should contain the following headings: Background, Aims, Methods, Results, Conclusions, Declaration of interest.
- The summary should be a very concise (no more than 90 words) accurate statement that captures the reader’s interest by setting the scene for the article.
Both the Abstract and the Summary should enable
the reader to understand the scope and main
conclusions of the article without having to read the
rest of the paper.
Word count
Word count for all clinical articles (excluding title page, abstract/ summary/tables) should not exceed 4,000 words. Case reports should not exceed 800 words and five references.Short introduction
The introduction is designed to capture the reader’s interest by putting the article into the context of current clinical practice, quoting key references. It should also give the reader an idea of the objectives and contents of the paper. It should be clear and inviting.Methods
For papers describing original work (usually in the Research/Audit section), a concise but informative account of all techniques (including statistical methods) used should be provided, in order to enable the reader to reproduce the work if necessary. Published/standard methods can be referenced; detail is not necessary. However, variations to the published procedure should be described.Results
For papers describing original work (usually in the Research/Audit section), a comprehensive and clear description of results with tables, graphs, etc, is required. As well as presenting data in pictorial form, a narrative account should be given, since the reader should not be expected to interpret results unaided. Where appropriate, statistical procedures should be used to indicate the variability of results and to test the significance of differences.Discussion
Papers describing original work (usually in the Research/Audit section) require a discussion. This should not be a repetition of results. It should summarise and interpret your conclusions and comment on their significance in light of what is already known from the literature. Shortcomings in your work should be identified, and suggestions made as to what can be done to extend/confirm your findings.Conclusions
For all papers, the conclusion should be succinct and logically ordered. It should identify gaps in knowledge and suggest future initiatives.Headings
Throughout the article, use plenty of headings to break up the text and highlight the main points within the paper. Also remember to indicate the importance attached to each one.Abbreviation and units
These should be defined at first mention. SI units should always be used.Key words and key points
Please provide five key words to appear at the start of your article, and 3-5 key point sentences that summarise the main themes of your paper.Tables and illustrations
Tables and illustrations are helpful to demonstrate key data or points to the reader. It is the author’s responsibility to ensure that permission is received for reproduction. Please do not supply more than 10 tables or 10 figures. Please ensure all tables and illustrations have a table heading and figure legend and are cited in the text.Photographs
No more than 10 figures (photos should be provided as jpeg or tiff [300dpi]). Permission for reproduction is the author’s responsibility. All should have legends and should be clearly labelled, and cited in the text.References
JOL uses the Harvard system of referencing (names cited in the text). The number of references should not exceed 35.In the reference list:
- References should be listed in alphabetical order.
- The surname and initials of each author should be given in full for six or less authors. For seven or more, the names and initials of the first three should be given, followed by et al. The sequence for a journal reference is author(s), year, title, journal, volume, page range.
Layout and punctuation are:
Baker SR, Stacey MC, Jopp Mc Kay AG, Hoskin SE,
Thompson OPJ (1991) Epidemiology of chronic venous
ulcers. Br J Surg 78(4): 864-7
Sequence, punctuation and layout for books are as follows:
Goodman LS, Gillman A (1990) Goodman and Gillman’s
the Pharmacologial Basis of Therapeutics. 8th Edn.
McGraw Hill, New York
Editor:
Saffle JR, Schnebly WA (1994) Burn wound care. In:
Richard RL, Stanley MJ, eds. Burn Care and Rehabilitation:
Principles and Practice. Davis Co, Philadelphia, USA:
137–9
Contact details
For further information/clarification, to discuss article ideas or to submit your paper, please e-mail furtherinformation@lymphormation.orgFor more information on the Journal, please contact us.
