INSIDE WVSMA
Editor ’ s Letter
Following the Guidelines in Public Health and Publication
Linda S . Nield , MD
During the past year , West Virginia ’ s health system was pushed to full capacity , and following the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and public health departments to prevent spread of the novel coronavirus was strongly encouraged on a statewide and national level . Following the guidelines is not only a useful public health strategy , it is also an effective first step to successful publication in the West Virginia Medical Journal . In the past year ( October 2020 to October 2021 ), 42 % of the 91 submissions to the journal were desk rejected because the authors did not strictly adhere to the manuscript submission guidelines . Manuscript guidelines are located on one of the last pages in each print issue , and they are readily accessible online ( www . wvsma . org / submit-an-article /). “ Desk rejection ” refers to the rejection of an article before it is even able to reach the peer review phase because the abstract , main manuscript and / or references contained formatting errors , and / or the submission was missing required information . In order to qualify as a co-author , every listed author on each manuscript is supposed to approve the work before it is submitted and ensure that there are no errors in the writing and the formatting . Co-authors should be vigilant in their proof reading to avoid the issues that lead to desk rejection .
In the past year , the reasons for desk rejection , when authors did not strictly adhere to the guidelines , have included the following :
• No cover letter
• No cover letter statement , which states that the manuscript has been screened through a plagiarism checker and “ no more than 10 % plagiarism was detected ”
• No line-numbered Word document
• Incorrect abstract formatting
• Incorrect main manuscript formatting
• Incorrect indication of cited references within the manuscript
• Incorrect reference formatting within the reference list
• Too many authors
• Too many visuals ( such as tables and figures )
In this month ’ s issue , which includes works from authors who followed the guidelines , readers learn about patients with infrequently encountered diagnoses , including a tenyear-old boy with May-Thurner Syndrome ( Narumanchi et al 1 ), a 68-year-old woman with avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder ( Burnette et al 2 ), and a 71-year-old woman with high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma arising in conjunction with endometroid carcinoma ( Graham et al 3 ). Wagner and colleagues ’ work highlights the role of advanced practice providers in the delivery of trauma care in the state . 4 The authors conclude that more educational opportunities for trauma care providers are needed ; their work also signals the ongoing need for recruitment of physicians to the state .
As this new year approaches , physicians will remain vigilant about the care of their patients during the pandemic and be mindful that following the guidelines for disease prevention is an important part of public health . Authors can also be mindful that following the manuscript guidelines is an important first step to successful publication . Thank you to our managing editorial team at West Virginia Executive and to all of the authors and peer reviewers who contributed to the journal in 2021 .
REFERENCES
1 . Narumanchi J , Narumanchi T , Yanamala N . May-Thurner Syndrome in a ten-year-old . WVMJ . 2021 ; 117 ( 4 ): 16-18 .
2 . Burnette B , Bowe A , Luzier J . Avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder in a 68-year-old . WVMJ . 2021 ; 117 ( 4 ): 20-23 .
3 . Graham S , Bias L , Nahar N , Zgheib NB . Neuroendocrine tumor of the gynecological tract : a case report of highgrade neuroendocrine carcinoma of the endometrium . WVMJ . 2021 ; 117 ( 4 ): 24-26 .
4 . Wagner A , Brewer J , Grabo D . The Role of advanced practice providers in a rural state-wide trauma system . WVMJ . 2021 ; 117 ( 4 ): 28-31 .
6 • www . wvsma . org