INSIDE WVSMA
West Virginia State Medical Association Manuscript Guidelines
GENERAL INFORMATION
• Only two manuscript types are considered for publication: original research and case reports
• Authors must strictly adhere to all manuscript guidelines listed below, or the manuscript will be desk rejected
• Publication policies are available at this link: https:// westvirginiastatemedicalassociation. growthzoneapp. com / ap / CloudFile / Download / pVqQ2lWr
• Artificial intelligence technologies may assist in the peer review process
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Education, Outcome Studies, Cost-Effective Analysis, Interventional Studies, Randomized Controlled Trials, Screening, and Diagnostic Test Studies
Guidelines:
• 3,000 words or less( does not include abstract, references, or tables)
• No more than six authors
• No more than five visuals( figures and tables combined). Each visual must be accompanied by a descriptive caption near the area it references. Visuals must be no less than 300 DPI, ensuring the best quality for print
Manuscript Components:
• Title page to include manuscript title; authors’ names, degrees, and affiliations; and corresponding author’ s name, mailing address, and email addresses; Disclosure statement; Funding statement; IRB approval statement
• The Abstract must be 250 words or less, and the unique information that the original research adds to the medical literature must be included. It must include 5 structured headings as follows: Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion
• Main Manuscript headlines include Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions and References
CASE REPORT
Reports that are unique, present challenges, and provide learning points for a general medical readership. Submissions must include unique information that will be added to the medical literature.
Guidelines:
• 1,500 words or less with the case report written in past tense( does not include abstract, references, or tables)
• No more than five authors
• No more than four visuals( figures and tables combined). Each visual must be accompanied by a descriptive caption near the area it references. Visuals must be no less than 300 DPI, ensuring the best quality for print
• No identifying information about the patient, including dates of patient care
• Obtain written consent from the patient / family and keep it on file; acknowledge that written consent has been obtained in the cover letter and in the Permission statement on the Title page
Manuscript Components:
• Title page to include manuscript title; authors’ names, degrees, and affiliations; and corresponding author’ s name, mailing address, and email addresses; Disclosure statement; Funding statement; Permission statement
• The Abstract must be one paragraph of 200 words or less, and the unique information that the case report adds to the medical literature must be included
• Main Manuscript headlines include Case Presentation, Discussion, Conclusion and References
FOR ALL SUBMISSIONS
• Please screen your manuscript in a plagiarism checker and state in your cover letter that no more than 10 % plagiarism was detected.
• Cover letter: Must include title; statement of value or uniqueness of manuscript to the literature; plagiarism check statement; and attestation that the manuscript has not been submitted or published elsewhere.
• Submit a line numbered Word document at 1.5 spacing. Each file must include tables with titles and figures with captions in place within the applicable document area.
• Superscripts must follow punctuation in the body of the manuscript without the use of parentheses or brackets.
• References: AMA Manual of Style. Do not capitalize the first letter of each word in the title of journal articles.
• Permission for use of copyrighted material, patient data or photos and the permission information must appear directly below the copyrighted material.
• Abstracts and the main manuscript components must be able to stand alone. Do not use information that needs to be cited in the abstract, and do not use abbreviations in either component if the abbreviation will not be used again. Abbreviations must be explained at first use.
• Do not use brand medication names.
• Mention of race: Race is a social construct and must be treated as such in medical publishing. Whenever the race of patients is included in submissions, authors must explain the reasoning for including race and how race was determined. If race is mentioned unnecessarily and considered as a biological construct in the submission, the submission will be desk rejected or at minimum returned for major revisions.
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